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Gary North (economist)

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Gary Kilgore North
Gary NorthGary North speaking at the Mises Institute in 2004 after receiving the Rothbard Medal.
Born(1942-02-00)February , 1942
EducationPh.D. in History, University of California, Riverside
Occupation(s)Christian Social Theorist, Blogger, Author
Known forCo-Founder of Christian Reconstructionism
SpouseSharon Rushdoony
Websitewww.garynorth.com

Gary Kilgore North (born February 1942) is an American economic historian and publisher who writes on topics including Christian theology, economics, and history. He is an Associated Scholar of the Ludwig von Mises Institute of Alabama.

Education and background

North grew up in southern California, the son of FBI special agent Samuel W. North, Jr., and his wife, Peggy. North converted to Christianity in high school and began frequenting conservative bookstores in the Los Angeles area during his college years. Between 1961 and 1963, while an undergraduate student, North became acquainted with the works of Austrian School economists Ludwig von Mises, F.A. Hayek, and Murray Rothbard and also read the works of Calvinist philosopher Rousas John Rushdoony. Later he married Rushdoony's daughter, collaborated with him and eulogized Rushdoony in a blog post on LewRockwell.com.

Career

Starting in 1967, North became a contributor to the libertarian journal The Freeman where he had first read their work. In the 1970s, he was the director of seminars for the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE). North received a Ph.D. in history from the University of California, Riverside in 1972. His dissertation was The Concept of Property in Puritan New England, 1630–1720.

He served as research assistant for libertarian Republican Congressman Ron Paul in Paul's first term (1976). North is a regular contributor to the LewRockwell.com website, which lists an extensive archive of his articles there. Today, North's own website, garynorth.com, posts North's commentary on religious, social, and political issues and offers paid access to investment advice and other premium content. North also publishes a blog called Deliverance from Debt the purpose of which is to support Christians who seek deliverance from debt. Another North website, Free Christian Curriculum, is dedicated to implementing a free Christian homeschooling curriculum for age 3 through grade 12.

Ron Paul curriculum

In addition, North offers the Ron Paul Curriculum, a homeschool online curriculum associated with former U.S. Congressman Ron Paul, which is free for grades K-5 and available to paid members from grades 6-12. As Director of Curriculum Development, North has outlined four goals of the educational project: providing a "detailed study" of the "history of liberty"; teaching a "thorough understanding of Austrian economics"; serving as a "an academically rigorous curriculum that is tied to primary source" material rather than textbooks; and teaching "the Biblical principle of self-government and personal responsibility", which North calls "the foundation of the market economy".

Christian, Bible-based economic methodology

North believes that mainstream modern economics, whether libertarian, conservative or liberal, is "in disintegration" because it is "humanist" in its approach and consequently rejects the notion that "biblical relevation" is necessary for sound economic theory. He argues that economics "must begin with the story of creation" if it is not to collapse into "total chaos". For North, the "starting point for all economic analysis" lies in the fact that "God cursed the earth" in(Genesis 3: 17-19); this "made scarcity an inescapable fact of man's existence".

Political and economic beliefs

A 2011 New York Times profile identified North as a believer in Christian Reconstructionism, which it described as a philosophy advocating the institution of "a Christian theocracy under Old Testament law", which promoted "radical ... libertarian" principles, as the ideal the best form of government. The profile also described North as "the leading proponent of “Christian economics,” which applies biblical principles to economic issues and the free market". North argues for the abolition of the fractional-reserve banking system and a return to the gold standard. According to the Times, North believes that the Bible forbids inflation, welfare programs, and also argues that "God would prefer gold money to paper".

Controversial views

Homosexuals hated by God, may lead to end of human race

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In his Boundaries and Dominion: An Economic Commentary on Leviticus, Volume 1, North argues that the Biblical admonition to kill homosexuals in Leviticus reflected God's "law and its appropriate sanction". He also argues that "God is indeed a homophobe." who "hates and those who practice it" and "hates the sin and hates the sinner."

Also in the same volume, North speculates that homosexuals could literally cause the extinction of humanity. Writes North,

Homosexuals do not reproduce. They recruit. There is an inescapable competition for bodies and souls: homosexuals vs. heterosexuals. If the homosexuals should win this competition, the human race will end unless test-tube babiesshould become a cost-effective reality. This is not just a war over civilization; it is a war over the survival of the human race.

Support for stoning to death homosexuals, other sinners

North favors stoning to death women who lie about their virginity, blasphemers, nonbelievers, children who curse their parents, male homosexuals, and other people who commit acts deemed capital offenses in the Old Testament. On the subject of executing children, North argues that " son or daughter is under the jurisdiction of the family," which "must be maintained by the threat of death".

Opposition to religious liberty

North has written in opposition to religious liberty. "'So let us be blunt about it,'" wrote Gary North. "'We must use the doctrine of religious liberty to gain independence for Christian schools until we train up a generation of people who know that there is no religious neutrality, no neutral law, no neutral education, and no neutral civil government. Then they will get busy in constructing a Bible-based social, political and religious order which finally denies the religious liberty of the enemies of God.'"

Native Americans as savages

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In Political Polytheism: The Myth of Pluralism, North characterized Native Americans as "American savages", arguing that they were a "demon-worshipping, Negro slave-holding, frequently land-polluting" people. In the same book, North criticized those who "ridicule the Puritans for having suggested that the Indians were the moral and convenental equivalent" of the Canaanites, whom God ordered the Israelites to exterminate in the Biblical Book of Deuteronomy. North approved of the Puritans' comparison of the Native Americans to the Canaanites, saying that "in fact, if ever a continent of covenant-breakers deserved this attribution, the "native Americans" did". He also posed the "pertinent" question: "Was the advent of the European in North America a righteous historical judgment of God against the Indians"?

Y2K controversy

North predicted a Y2K catastrophe in print and online, and suggested that a Y2K date-rollover failure of the global Information Technology (IT) infrastructure would precipitate severe disruption and perhaps even an economic collapse. North urged his readers to take various survivalist preparedness measures. It turned out that no significant problems took place, but North later described Y2K as "a close call." North deleted the Y2K material from his website after the disaster failed to occur, but his comments, Gary North's Y2K Links and Forums, have been archived at a mirror site.

Publications

Institute for Christian Economics

North is the founder of the Institute for Christian Economics (ICE), which publishes online books and magazines focusing on Christian ethics. ICE, along with Dominion Press in Tyler, Texas, are important sources for Reconstructionalist publications.

Books and newsletters

North has authored or co-authored more than fifty books, many of which are available for free download. For many years, North has been the author/editor of the newsletter The Remnant Review. He also provides Gary North's Reality Check, a free e-newsletter.

  • 75 Bible questions your instructors pray you won't ask, 1986 ISBN 0-930462-03-3 OCLC 18651534
  • A Study Guide To Gary North's Liberating Planet Earth, (Co-authored by Geoffrey W. Donnan, Jr. Charles W. Armstrong) 1991 ISBN 0-930464-42-7
  • An Introduction To Christian Economics, 1973 OCLC 834889
  • Backward Christian Soldiers, 1984 ISBN 0-930464-01-X
  • Baptized Patriarchalism: The Cult of the Family, 1995 ISBN 0-930464-71-0
  • Boundaries and Dominion: An Economic Commentary of Leviticus, 1994 ISBN 0-930464-72-9
  • Christian Reconstruction (Co-authored by Gary DeMar), 1991 ISBN 978-0-930464-52-3
  • Coase Theorem: A Study In Economic Epistemology, 1992 ISBN 0-930464-61-3
  • Conspiracy: A Biblical View, 1996 ISBN 0-930462-11-4
  • Crossed Fingers: How the Liberals Captured the Presbyterian Church, 1996 ISBN 0-930464-74-5
  • The Dominion Covenant: Genesis, 1987 ISBN 0-930464-03-6
  • Dominion & Common Grace: The Biblical Basis of Progress, 1987 ISBN 0-930464-09-5
  • Fighting Chance: Ten Feet to Survival (co-authored by Dr. Arthur B. Robinson), 1986 ISBN 0-930462-10-6
  • Government By Emergency, 1986 (revised in 1992) ISBN 0-930462-05-X
  • Healer Of The Nations: Biblical Principles for International Relations, 1987 ISBN 0-930462-21-1
  • The Hoax of Higher Criticism, 1989 ISBN 0-930464-30-3
  • Honest Money: Biblical Principles of Money and Banking, 1986 ISBN 0-930462-15-7
  • The Implosion Strategy: How to stay out of the black hole during the next recession and its aftermath, 1990 ISBN 1-55926-130-7
  • Inherit The Earth: Biblical Principles for Economics, 1987 ISBN 0-930462-56-4
  • Inheritance and Dominion: An Economic Commentary on Deuteronomy, 1999 ISBN 0-930464-78-8
  • Is The World Running Down?: Crisis in the Christian Worldview, 1988 ISBN 0-930464-13-3
  • Judeo Christian Tradition: A Guide for the Perplexed, 1990 ISBN 0-930464-28-1
  • Leviticus: An Economic Commentary, 1994 ISBN 0-930464-72-9
  • Liberating Planet Earth: An Introduction to Biblical Blueprints, 1987, revised in 1991 ISBN 0-930462-51-3
  • Lone Gunners for Jesus: Letters to Paul J. Hill, 1994 ISBN 0-930464-73-7
  • Marx's Religion of Revolution: Regeneration Through Chaos, 1989 ISBN 0-930464-15-X
  • Millennialism And Social Theory, 1990 ISBN 0-930464-49-4
  • Moses and Pharaoh: Dominion Religion vs. Power Religion, 1985 ISBN 0-930464-05-2
  • Political Polytheism: The Myth of Pluralism, 1989 ISBN 0-930464-32-X
  • Puritan Economic Experiments: Puritans and Government Controls, 1988 ISBN 0-930464-14-1
  • Rapture Fever: Why Dispensationalism is Paralyzed Dispensationalism, 1993 ISBN 0-930464-67-2
  • Salvation Through Inflation: The Economics of Social Credit, 1993 ISBN 0-930464-66-4
  • Sanctions and Dominion: An Economic Commentary on Numbers, 2000 ISBN 0-930464-76-1
  • Sinai Strategy: Economics And The Ten Commandments (Part Two of North's commentary on Exodus), 1986 ISBN 978-0930464073
  • Tactics of Christian Resistance, 1983 ISBN 0-939404-07-9
  • Theology of Christian Resistance: A Symposium, 1983 ISBN 0-939404-05-2
  • Theonomy: An Informed Response, 1991 ISBN 0-930464-59-1
  • Tithing and the Church, 1994 ISBN 0-930464-69-9
  • Tools of Dominion: The Case Laws of Exodus, 1990 ISBN 0-930464-10-9
  • Trespassing For Dear Life: What About Operation Rescue?, 1989 ISBN 1-559261-25-0 OCLC 25662723
  • Unconditional Surrender: God's Program for Victory, 1994 ISBN 0-930464-12-5
  • Unholy Spirits: Occultism and New Age Humanism, 1994 ISBN 0-930462-53-X
  • Victim's Rights: The Biblical View of Civil Justice, 1990 ISBN 0-930464-17-6
  • Was Calvin a Theonomist?, 1990 ISBN 0-930464-36-2
  • Westminster's Confession: The Abandonment of Van Til's Legacy, 1991 ISBN 0-930464-54-0
  • When Justice Is Aborted: Biblical Standards For Non-Violent Resistance, 1989 ISBN 1-55926-124-2

Documentary and educational film

See also

References

  1. "Mises Institute Faculty Listing". Retrieved 14 July 2013.
  2. Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI (1996). Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI. Turner Publishing. p. 185. ISBN 1563112051. OCLC 37922781.
  3. North, Gary. "It All Began With Fred Schwarz". LewRockwell.com. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
  4. Trueman, Carl R. (2009). Histories and Fallacies: Problems Faced in the Writing of History. Crossway. p. 30, footnote 4. ISBN 978-1581349238. OCLC 298184467. While Rushdoony's followers do not like to acknowledge his Holocaust Denial, it is incontestable that he held such a position, according to the technical definition (i.e., a massive lowering of the number of estimated dead from the usual six million, and rejection of the idea of systematic mass slaughter). His sources are atrocious, second-hand, and unverified; that he held this position speaks volumes about his appalling incompetence as a historian, and one can only speculate as to why he held the position from a moral perspective: see his The Institutes of Biblical Law (Phillipsburg: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1973), 586-88. He deals with the matter under the issue of the Ninth Commandment and, ironically breaches it himself in his presentation of the matter.
  5. Stammer, Larry (3 March 2001). "The Rev. Rousas John Rushdoony; Advocated Rule by Biblical Law". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  6. Rushdoony, Rousas John (1978). The Institutes of Biblical Law: a Chalcedon Study. Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company. p. 890. ISBN 9780875524108. OCLC 768429065. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  7. North, Gary. "R. J. Rushdoony, R.I.P". LewRockwell.com. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
  8. North, Gary. "What Made Rothbard Great." Ludwig von Mises Institute. Mises.org. 28 July 2004.
  9. North, Gary (May 1, 1996). "The Moral Dimension of FEE". The Freeman.
  10. OCLC 1902749
  11. LewRockwell.com Articles by North
  12. http://www.garynorth.com/public/10.cfm
  13. Deliverance from Debt blog http://deliverancefromdebt.wordpress.com/about/
  14. http://www.freechristiancurriculum.com/public/main.cfm
  15. http://www.garynorth.com/public/10862.cfm
  16. http://www.ronpaulcurriculum.com/
  17. Bump, Philip (April 9, 2013). "Ron Paul's Home Schooling Curriculum Will Turn Your Kid into a Little Ron Paul." The Atlantic Wire
  18. ^ http://www.garynorth.com/freebooks/docs/2222_47e.htm
  19. ^ Oppenheimer, Mark. "'Christian Economics' Meets the Antiunion Movement". New York Times. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  20. ^ North, G. (1999). Boundaries and dominion: An economic commentary on leviticus. (2nd ed., Vol. 1, p. xxvi; 221). Harrisonburg, Virginia: Dominion Education Ministries. Retrieved from http://www.garynorth.com/Leviticus-v1.pdf
  21. Sugg, John (December 2005). "A Nation Under God." Mother Jones
  22. Sugg, John (August 14, 2006). "Public Stoning: Not Just for the Taliban Anymore." Alternet.
  23. http://web.archive.org/web/20040209010401/http://www.serve.com/thibodep/cr/cursing.htm
  24. "Invitation to a Stoning: Getting cozy with theocrats" by Walter Olson, Reason, November 1998, page 2 of 2
  25. ^ North, G (1989). "Political Polytheism: The Myth of Pluralism." (p.257-258.) GaryNorth.com
  26. "There's Something About Gary". Wired Magazine. January 1999.
  27. http://web.archive.org/web/20000301050703/http://www.garynorth.com/
  28. "What Is The ICE?". Retrieved July 25, 2013. The Institute for Christian Economics is a non-profit, tax-exempt educational organization which is devoted to research and publishing in the field of Christian ethics.
  29. Journals from ICE include:
  30. Ingersoll, Julie J. (January 1, 1999). "Reconstructionist Christianity". Contemporary American Religion. Retrieved July 26, 2013, from HighBeam Research. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  31. "FreeBooks from the Institute for Christian Economics". entrewave.com. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
  32. http://www.garynorth.com/public/department56.cfm

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