Capitalism = economic freedom (in all monetary choices, trade, private property rights, etc...)

Individuals have natural rights, which includes economic freedom (capitalism). Do some humans often make poor choices and abuse/misuse their freedoms in a way that harms others (infringing on their freedoms)? Yes. Does this justify minimizing or eliminating freedom of speech, political freedoms, religious freedoms, economic freedoms, etc... Hell no.

Christianity teaches that individuals should freely choose to give charitably to someone truly in need. The mistake some Christians make is that they see government as a natural extension of the Church and thus justify all sorts of social welfare policies as somehow being the same as private charity from individuals and churches.

The primary role of government is to protect our natural individual freedoms, which include economic freedoms. By mistaking government's role as substantially being the same as the Church's role, many justify unequal (and heavy) taxation by government as necessary to enable "charitable" bureaucratic activities.

However, "coerced public charity" is not "charity", no matter what someone's noble intentions may be. Charity involves a free choice by an individual (consistent with capitalism's free economic choices). Tax confiscation rationalized as a form of charity is nothing more than an exercise in mental gymnastics, because it violates the individual's free choice in how to allocate his/her resources.

Many non-Christians (and some Christians) mistakenly assume that Christianity endorses/justifies socialism and/or communism, which minimize or eliminate individual economic freedom. However, the focus of Christianity is on the individual's free choices in how they live their life, which includes private charitable giving.

While I cannot speak for David Brat, I would say that Christianity and Capitalism (economic freedom) are certainly compatible. What is incompatible, is to somehow use Christianity to rationalize totalitarianism or other milder attempts to use government power to "force people to be good."

Thanks for posting this, ShruginArgentina. It is a worthwhile discussion to have. Much of Christianity, Objectivism, and capitalism are compatible, but there is a significant segment that is not. Probably the best known example of someone who demonstrated their compatibility was John Rockefeller, the oil refining magnate.

Those Christians who are highly selective in their charitable giving such that their giving is consistent with their values can live non-contradictory lives and be capitalistic, but they would not really be able to take both halves of Galt's oath.

Clearly the website has an agenda to make Brat look like a right-wing Christian whack job and they're not afraid to insert imaginary context to make him frightening to the average voter.

I also agree that capitalism and Christianity are not exactly complimentary. Religion can however, provide excellent mutual aid to it's adherents.