On Ayn Rand and Francis Collins

This article from the Christian Science Monitor by Mark Skousen marks the 50th Anniversary of Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged. Rand wrote the book in defense of capitalism and in reaction to the Marxism of her era. I knew nothing about Ayn Rand before I read it, and I found it interesting that Ayn Rand, though completely opposed to Karl Marx's economic philosophy, had something in common with him: They were both athiests. At the end of the article, Skousen points to the writings of Adam Smith in defending a capitalist system that is based on individuals acting in their own self-interest, but still anchored in the altruistic motive embodied in the Golden Rule. It's a good read, especially for those of us who are not economists...

Also, here's an interview I heard on NPR today with Francis Collins, director of the National Human Genome Research Project, and evangelical Christian. He had some great insights on stem-cell research that transcend the shrill rhetoric present in the debate today. Also, he's a really likeable guy, and represents both science and the Christian faith as well as anyone I can think of.