Posted on 01/30/2009 8:12:18 AM PST by Ethan Clive Osgoode
Excerpts from the pamphlet Socialism v. Religion, Executive Committee of the Socialist Party of Great Britain, Jan., 1911. The excerpts appear in Socialism from the Christian Standpoint by Bernard Vaughan S.J., Macmillan, 1912, pg. 170--174.Executive Committee of the Socialist Party of Great Britain
As part of the essential educational work that must be done before this emancipation can be achieved the present pamphlet has its place. It is an entirely proletarian product, and treats a serious subject seriously and scientifically. It is issued, not as the view of an individual, but as the accepted manifesto of the Socialist Party on the subject; and agreement with it and the general position of the Party entails upon every member of the working class the duty of joining the Socialist Party of Great Britain and helping forward its work.
Is Socialism antagonistic to religion? Can a Socialist be a Christian?... an explanation of the Socialist position on this question is the more urgent now, because the hypocritical and time-serving procedure of so many professed Socialists has enabled those who are frankly our opponents to keep the anti-religious aspect of Socialism effectively to the fore. Politicians angling for votes and office, and organizations scheming for members and subscriptions, have almost all evaded the charge that Socialism implies atheism and materialism, by pretending that religion is in no way related to the question of Socialism.
God did not create man, man created God in his own image... Christianity, indeed, is a cemetery of dead religions... In the light of historical facts, it is clear that religion has evolved continuously under the pressure of natural causes, and in this it does not differ from all other things; but a distinct characteristic is exhibited by religion's modern phase. In contrast with science, which grows in volume, complexity, interdependence, and definiteness, religion decreases in volume, cohesion, and definiteness, and is now in process of evolution -- if such it can truly be called -- into nothingness. It is, in fact, more accurately an evaporation than an evolution... whenever knowledge takes a step forward God takes a step backward.
It is therefore a profound truth, that Socialism is the natural enemy of religion.. the entry of Socialism is, consequently, the exodus of religion... Socialism as a system of society means the end of supernatural beliefs... all religious teaching is directly opposed to the scientific materialism, or monism, which is an integral part of socialist philosophy...
If a man supports the Church, or in any respect allows religious ideas to stand in the way of the principles of Socialism or the activity of the Party, he proves thereby that he does not accept Socialism as fundamentally true and of the first importance, and his place is outside. No man can be consistently both a socialist and a Christian. It must be either the socialist or the religious principle that is supreme, for the attempt to couple them equally betrays charlatanism or lack of thought. There is, therefore, no need for a specifically anti-religious test. So surely does the acceptance of Socialism lead to the exclusion of the supernatural, that the Socialist has little need for such terms as Atheist, Free-thinker, or even Materialist; for the word Socialist, rightly understood, implies one who on all such questions takes his stand on positive science, explaining all things by purely natural causation; Socialism being not merely a politico-economic creed, but also an integral part of a consistent world philosophy.
Our question is therefore answered. Socialism, both as a philosophy and as a form of society, is the antithesis of religion.
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Only Congress has the power to establish a religion and they are restricted from doing so. God in the Pledge of Allegiance does not establish a religion. A prayer in school does not establish a religion, and a manger scene on public property does not establish a religion. People saying the Lord Jesus Christ's name does not establish a religion. Congress passing a law that says we all have to go to the Glory Bound Baptist Church every Sunday establishes a religion.
Now, Congress is also forbidden from prohibiting the free exercise thereof. Hence, the law of the land says you can not tell me that I can not put a manger scene or the Ten Commandments up. You can not tell me I can not pray. You can not tell me I can not say the Lord's name.
Socialist/Communist wish to remove God from public view so you and I will begin to forget about God. Why do they want you to forget about God? Well, I am an American. I pray to my God and we handle my problems. I do not pray to my Government. Once people have forgotten how to pray to their God for help, they will begin to pray to the Government for help. From the cradle to the grave.
It is imperative that we keep God in public view.
Also, we have God given rights in this Nation. We do not have man or guvmint given rights. If Socialist can get us to think there is no God, then your rights were given to you by man or guvmint. If they were given by man or guvmint, then they can be taken away by man and/or guvmint.
Even if you are a EVO or you just don't believe in God, please don't get sucked any further into the socialist way of thinking. You will contribute to the lose of your rights, if you do.
To sum all that up, the “guvmint” takes away the knowledge of God and fills your mind withthoughts of that great savior, GUVMINT!
Very interesting view and I could concur. So, who is our real enemy?
Socialism being a transitional phase, according to that humor-challenged Marx Brother Vladi, I think there should be an advertising campaign along the lines of the old Beef commercials.
How about a bumper sticker with the word "EVOLUTION" as a background with "Socialists: they're what's for lunch." juxstaposed in the foreground?
Until we get those, I'll keep the "My God is alive; sorry to hear about yours." sticker on the back of the truck. ;)
That's "obama" now to you, sir.
- Socialism v. Religion, Executive Committee of the Socialist Party of Great Britain, Jan., 1911.
5. For, indeed, although the socialists, stealing the very Gospel itself with a view to deceive more easily the unwary, have been accustomed to distort it so as to suit their own purposes, nevertheless so great is the difference between their depraved teachings and the most pure doctrine of Christ that none greater could exist: "for what participation hath justice with injustice or what fellowship hath light with darkness?"[7] Their habit, as we have intimated, is always to maintain that nature has made all men equal, and that, therefore, neither honor nor respect is due to majesty, nor obedience to laws, unless, perhaps, to those sanctioned by their own good pleasure.
- Pope Leo XIII, Encyclical Letter Quod Apostolici Muneris (On Socialism), 1878
Glad to see the socialists and the Christians agree.
That is it.
By standing up for God and Country, we also stand up for our freedom’s. Even if people don’t believe in God, they should still accept that they have inalienable rights or those rights will be removed by GUVMINT one day.
So Christian Socialist Democrats is a contradiction of terms.
“Very interesting view and I could concur. So, who is our real enemy?”
The Left, but who are the left really? Their original premises are clearly disproven, and yet, their tribe remains very coherent, around some fuzzy... something. You can point out facts to them - they don’t care. Their tribe’s views come 1st. This is very confusing to us - to us it is obvious that their way will destroy our excellent civilization and replace it with tyranny. To them Bush is a nazi.
Who is our enemy, why is our enemy, what is our enemy. These are all good questions. Asking them is a huge step forward IMO
Religion will be an essential aid to formation of the world government. It will the drug that that unites the populace.
I think you are contrasting that with having a real, one-on-one relationship with our God. I don’t even call that religion.
Either a contradiciton in terms or useful idiots to the socialist communist agenda.
Socialism IS a religion.
Hi metmom!
I like to refer to it er him as Obozo. :-)
Bump for later.
It's religious zeal and faith, faith that Bush is total evil and Obama is the new messiah. A faith just as powerful as what Germany felt for Hitler, who was their champion to solve all their problems. Throw reason under the bus and ride the wave of emotionalism and hysteria coming to you from the mass media. Supercharge your day with a fix or dose of the Oman/Iman (digital TV Obama)... better that the Beatles! That is how they want to keep faith burning and solidarity in tact. But it is bound to implode at some point... or ist it?
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