Marxaethists

Most atheists when thinking about the existence of all things have to believe in an ordering of them (things/matter) apart from God. Some process must take place apart from intelligent design! In terms of governing themselves, Christopher Hitchens claims, in a recent debate hosted by Christianity Today, you practically have to be an atheist to be a communist, which I am in agreement. All heavily leaning social type governments whether it is Marxism, communism or socialism have at their foundation atheism. Social justice is the duty of the state apart from God! What about Capitolist? Can you be an atheist and a capitalist? In his book Money, Greed, and God Jay Richard says this

"…the key source of material wealth in a modern market economy is immaterial. It’s spiritual. Wealth is created when our creative freedom is allowed to prosper in a free-market environment undergirded by the rule of law and suffused with a rich moral culture."

 Can any governing principle that has for itself an undergirding of the rule of law suffused with any kind of morals be attributed to or from anyone embracing atheism? In Is Christianity Good for the World Douglas Wilson writes in response to Hitchens

"…you now tell us that we have an innate predisposition to both good and wicked behavior…what warrant you have for calling some behaviors “good” and others “wicked”."

And..

"Your notion of morality, and the evolution it rode in on, can only be concern itself with what is. But morality as Christians understand it, and the kind you surreptitiously draw upon , is concerned with ought...You believe yourself to live in a universe where there is no such thing as any fixed ought or ought not."

Finally…

"If there is no God, then who cares?"

According to Wilson atheist have no rational basis for calling anything good or bad, furthermore given atheism ‘Who cares’! Thus, it would seem to me, the core principles capitalism cannot be achieved under atheistic principles and thereby capitalism cannot be achieved under those governing according to those principles. Can atheists live under such rule? Will the propensity to breakdown the very principles in such a capitalist society be too great (or should I say to innate)?

You may say that capitalism with its ingredients of competition, private property, self interest, and free market principles can stand on their own without God. This is obviously an idolatrous delusion; left to our own the affects of sin only lead to death. I leave this thought with this:

"I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers, and it was not there; in her rich mines and her vast world commerce and it was not there. Not until I went to the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because she is good and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great." - Alexis de Tocqueville

See the post Timber Wolf Poo and Rabbit Poo on Doug Wilson's Blog for one the best recent posts regarding this issue!