This week we will look at a threat Communism takes for real…Religion and Morals. Of course it is the church that represents these two enemies of Communism and the destruction of the church is on the list of targets.
Fallacy 7 – Communism alleges that religion is not of divine origin but is simply a man-made tool used by the dominant class to suppress the exploited class. Marx and Engels both described religion as the opiate of the people which is designed to lull them into humble submission and an acceptance of the prevailing mode of production which the dominate class desires to perpetuate. Just as other institutions have at times throughout history abused their opportunities, there have been times in history when unscrupulous individuals and even misdirected religious organizations have abused the power of religion. But it was not the abuse of religion that Marx and Engels deplored, as much as the very existence of religion. They considered it a creation of the dominant class, a tool and weapon in the hands of the oppressors. From their point of view it had a three-fold function: first, it teaches respect for property rights; second, it teaches the poor their duties toward the property and prerogatives of the ruling class; and third, it instills a spirit of acquiescence among the exploited poor so as to destroy their revolutionary spirit. (Having studied the precepts of Communism to write this portion of the series, I might believe that these three-fold functions could very well apply to a Communist government.) However, the fallacy of these allegations is obvious to anyone who studies Judeo-Christian teachings. The Biblical teaching of respect for property applies to rich and poor alike; it admonishes the rich to give the laborer his proper wages; and to share their riches with the needy. [Isaiah 3:14-15]. Just as the New Testament falls in line with the Old Testament there is a denunciation of the selfish rich. [James 5:1-6]. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. [Matthew 19:24]. And as to the allegation of the Communist that religion makes men passive, we have only to observe that the dynamic power of religious convictions is precisely what prevents a soundly religious person from accepting Communist oppression and Communist mandates. A person practicing the teachings of Judeo-Christian philosophy will not lie or steal on command. He will not shed innocent blood. He will not participate in the diabolical Communist practice of genocide. What the Communist really fears is not that religion makes people passive to the dominant class but that it prevents them from becoming passive to Communist discipline. Deep spiritual convictions stand like a wall of resistance to challenge the teachings and practices of Communism. Anatole Lunarcharsky, the former Russian Commissar of Education declared: “We hate Christians and Christianity. Even the best of them must be considered our worst enemies. They preach love of one’s neighbor and mercy, which is contrary to our principles. Christian love is an obstacle to the development of the Revolution. What we want is hate…Only then can we conquer the universe.” [Quoted in Congressional Record, Vol. 77, pages 1539-1540].
Fallacy 8 – Communistsmaintain that the Judeo-Christian code of ethics is ‘class’ morality, i.e. the Ten Commandments and the ethics of Christianity were created to protect private property and the property class. To provide an example, they believe that “Honor thy Father and Mother” was created by the early Hebrews to emphasize to their children the fact they they were private property of their parents. “Thou shalt not kill” was attributed to the belief of the dominant class that their bodies were private property and therefore they should be protected along with other property rights. “Thou shall not commit adultery” and “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife” were said to have been created to implement the idea that a husband was the master of the home and the wife was strictly private property belonging to him. This last line of reasoning led to some catastrophic consequences when the Communists came to power in Russia. In their rush to make women ‘equal with men’ and prevent them from becoming private property, they degraded womanhood to the lowest and most primitive level. Some Communist leaders advocated complete libertinism and promiscuity to replace marriage and family. Issued by the Soviet of Saralof to illustrate a point: Beginning with March 1, 1919, the right to possess women between the ages of 17 and 32 is abolished…all women become property of the nation…”Any man who wishes to make use of a nationalized woman must hold a certificate issued by the administrative Council of a professional union, or by the Soviet of workers, soldiers or peasants, attesting that he belongs to the working class”…and so on and so forth. The government put women on sale. [“Contradictions Concerning the Status of Women in Soviet Russia”, as it appeared in The Philosophy of Communism, Fordham University Press, New York, 1952, pages 97-98]. In another document which illustrated Communist ‘liberation’, is contained a decision handed down by a Soviet official who said: “There is no such thing as a woman being violated by a man; he who says that a violation is wrong denies the October Communist Revolution. To defend a violated woman is to reveal oneself as a bourgeois and a partisan of private property.” [Outchit Gazeta, October 10, 1929, as quoted by Charles McFadden in The Philosophy of Communism, pages 292-293]. One other thought needs be added concerning the Communist allegation that Judeo-Christian morals represent a ‘class’ morality. Today the most simple way to illustrate ‘class’ morality is to point out morality in Communism. Of the 180,000,000 people in Russia, only about 3,000,000 are members of the Communist Party. This small ruling minority ruthlessly compels the remainder of the people to accept its decision as to what is good and what is bad. Communist morals follow a simple formula. Anything which promotes communism is good; anything thing which hinders it is bad. Anyone who does not conform to the dictates of the Party as to what is good for Communism and what is not, is subjected to the most severe penalties under Articles 131 and 133 of the Soviet Constitution. The perfect example of ‘class’ morality which the Marxists attribute to the Judeo-Christian code of morality, is to be found in the Communist plan of action itself.
Today those who aspire to support liberal, progressive, communist theories on society obviously have only bought into a few ‘good’ points…if that can even be said…and have totally missed the big picture. Today we have nations around the world being tempted by Communism while others are struggling to get out from under its smothering vail. Today our government has been infiltrated by some of these proponents of liberal/progressive thought and are trying to force their theories ‘down the throats’ of US citizens. We can either sit back and see what happens or we can take a stand against what history tells us will happen if we do nothing. A prime target of Communism is the church since it represents such an anti-force. Our church congregations need to be educated on the forces of Satan that are at work and realize that the church will need more than a building and silence to protect it. We see examples of Satan at work everyday.
Next week we will look at the Communist fallacy in their theory on class struggle.
-Bob Munsey
” Regret makes us feel bad; repentance drives us to change and to make whatever amends are possible.” God’s Mysterious Ways by Gary Inrig
Geezer Politics 