COMMUNISM and CHRISTIANITY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 56, 29 March 1946, Page 5

COMMUNISM and CHRISTIANITY

The speakers for the evening were IMr Vic Wilcox (Organiser N.Z. -Communist Party). Subject, ‘Communism; its success or failure, wherever it has been tried, and the aims and objects of the Communist Party in New Zealand.’ Mr E. A. Gilmore Auckland, unattached to any organisation). Subject, -Christianity, its success or failure if applied as set out in Holy Writ. Before commencing the evening the chairman, Mr H 4 G. Warren (President of the Chamber of Commerce) intimated that a time check will be kept on both speakers in order

to ensure that the schedule of proceedings was adhered to, and that he would not hesitate to rule out any personalities or side issues which might creep into the debate. He appealed to the audience for an attentive hearing to both speakers. The debate, he said, had arisen out -of a newspaper controversy which " commenced in the BEACON last September, under the heading of ‘Whither Bound Humanity’, a leader which had aroused considerable in-

terest. Mr Gilmore who had written under the nom de plume of ‘Britisher’ issued a challenge to Mr Hallett to a public debate on the subject of their respective theories, and the outcome was that an ultimate ; substitute was found to sponsor Communism in the person of Mr Wilcox. ’The result, said Mr Warren, can have no' actual bearing on the relative merits of the collosal subjects which are being handled but as Britishers we in Whakatane feel that there is no possible harm in hearing both sides presented decently and fairly so that in our free country we can arrive at an opinion which is fair and unbiassed.

) PLATFORM OF COMMUNISM

OVERTHROW OF CAPITALISM

Mr Wilcox who opened the debate agreed that Communism was one of -the major issues which confronted the world! It was popular for the daily press of anti-communistic coun tries to lay at the door of Communism all the troubles and worries of humanity. This was not so—the real cause was due solely to the sins of Capitalistic Society which sought to nourish the individual at the expense of the state or community. Outlining what Communism meant he said that its main aim was to replace the existing and viscious capitalistic system with a higher one enabling every man to live in brotherhood with his neighbour irrespective of race, caste or creed, an objective which the leaders of humanity had been vainly trying to achieve for the past two thousand years. In other words ‘the brotherhood of man.’

.He quoted extensively to further define the term, which aimed at harnessing the productive powers of .society for society’s needs, and of liberating humanity from class divisions. The Marxian theory, he said .divided Communism into two phases (a) the stepping-stone of socialism which prevailed at the present time, and (b) the creation of a higher ■state of social development which had yet to be achieved. The common ownership of the whole of the means of production was essential for the common good of the whole of the people. Socialistic Society was no place for a loafer because of the system of payment by results. The second phase of Communism presupposed an abundance of everything when the dicta ‘from each according to his ability; to each according to his needs’ had been actually achieved in the completed state.

THE PROPHETIC WORD

AN INSTRUCTIVE DEBATE POWERFUL SUBJECTS DISCUSSED UNIQUE WHAKATANE GATHERING Something unique in the history of the Dominion took place in the Grand Theatre last Wednesday evening when two well informed speakers took the platform in a debate ‘Communism and Christianity.’ The attendance was between. 300 and 400 and both speakers were accorded an attentive and patient hearing. As far as we can gather the debate was without precedent and for the first time Christianity and Communism met. on a common platform. In this respect history was made in Whakatane and the common consensus of opinion was that the event was both timely and educational and that more discussions of this nature should be made available to the public. A hearty vote of thanks was carried by popular acclamation to both speakers at the conclusion.

The whole moral outlook of the human race had outstripped the present selfishness and lust for profitmaking and a far better individual had evolved. To achieve this however it was necessary to travel the tortuous road of progression through the first phase. When this was done the name Communist Party would be a misnomer for there would be no party. All would be one. Referring to the orthodox Christian Church, he declared that its efforts were mainly devoted to directing humanity’s thoughts to the life hereafter. Communism devoted itself to human beings living a decent life on earth. The extremely fine tenets expressed in the ‘Sermon on the Mount’ laid down the basis of perfect brotherhood, and yet in 2000 years the church had found it impossible to achieve that state. It would remain impossible while Christianity tolerated the state of exploitation by man, and of the individual striving after their own selfishness irrespective of the good of other people. That kind of approach made true Christianity impossible. He had no quarrel with Christianity as a religion but it would never be able to live up to its ideals unless it faced up squarely to the capitalistic system, and strove for a better social order for the human race.

Capitalism was an order emerging from the old feudal system which had served its purpose and did make a great advance for humanity during the initial period of industrial expansion. Its day was done. Today it stood in the way of progress and scientific knowledge was ham-strung in the interests of big business. He instanced the use of atomic energy for destruction and the obvious hindrances placed in the way of its development in the interests of industry.

Communism, was operating in the world today successfully, in one country—Soviet Russia. Here it was not possible to have individual ownership but the whole community was based upon a national plan of production and distribution. Russia was restricted in its efforts because it lived in a capitalistic world and she was not in happy harmony with her neighbours. He asked his audience however to read both sides of the story and to arrive at their own logical conclusion. Real freedom was born of Socialism. It shed even the political fetters which bound democracy and allowed the party with the longest purse to have the advantage over its antagonists. Looking at the world in 1939 before the last bitter war humanity must agree that conditions must be changed and a new order won. The same conditions must not be allowed to remain which fostered the last war. It was up to humanity to make as far as possible true Christianity operative on this earth, so that mankind could live in harmony and at peace.

CHRISTIANITY'AND**ITS ETHICS - In speaking for Christianity, Mr Gilmore made it clear from the outset that all his assertions were based upon the Divine book—the Bible and its writings. As the Word of God, he had no apologies to make in this respect, and his platform that night was purely one of differing ideologies. He had no personal quarrel with Mr Wilcox who had given a very fine out-

line and laid his subject out very well. “The Communist Party, however,” said Mr Gilmore, “is not quite as Mr Wilcox would have us believe. He drew attention to the recent cases of espionage in Canada, when some of the main culprits involved stated that they had ‘sworn allegiance to a loyalty which superceded any other loyalty.’ Did that sound like the brotherhood of man, or of living in harmony with one’s neighbours. Christianity declared it essential to ’love thy neighbour, as thyself’ and upon this alone could be built the future structure of a better world. Quoting from .the writing of Lenin, he read passages where it was clearly indicated that Communism had no. room for Christianity, and instead of love, invited hated of opposing dogmas. Such a doctrine was evident in the actions of Russia today. ’ . Dealing extensively with extracts from the Bible, Mr Gilmore followed for a period the British Israel theory striving to show that Britain and America were the peoples with whom God had covenanted in the Book of Abraham.. Today they were the only two nations which had called their people to prayer in the time of trouble. To those who alleged that Chrisiantity had failed, he would say that it had never yet been tried. Could any community ever assert that it had applied faithfully the teaching of loving one’s neighbour as oneself? The Latter Days

Everyone was prepared to admit that these were the latter days. Truth was never more profound when ‘men’s hearts failed them for fear’ than today. There was only one thing which would get humanity out of the mess and that was by fundamental Chrisianity as laid down by the Master. Communistic activities were in total contradiction of the Christian code. Its outlook was athiestic, it rejected the supernatural aspect of Christianity and invited only the materialistic interpretation of human existence. Today as never before in the world, it was ‘Christ or Communism’; ‘Love thy neighbour or Chaos.’

There was no such thing as complete class level in Russia today. As soon as one made a distinction between workers there was a class creation which it was impossible to avoid. Huxley had said following his own investigation that there were no pretense at equality in Russia. Communism was a dictatorial organisation which would tolerate no opposition either otuside or within. It offered no alternative to the world’s problems today. There was only one course—back to Christian fundamentals or humanity would not survive. Programme of Expansion Every move made by Russia today was for an extension of her

own power. A nation covering onesixth of the world’s surface had written its story of avarice in Esthonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Poland, the Balkans and Persia. Her every act was aimed at fostering her own interests at the expense of her neighbours. And yet, he pointed out, the small community of the British Isles*"* in stark comparison, starved itself in order to feed Europe, even after herself suffering five frightful years of war and aerial bombing. Britain again, when the whole of the European mainland had succumbed remained the last bastion of democracy in the world. From her shores went forth the armies which were to deliver the world from slavery arid worse. At the height of the war, declared Mr Gilmour, Mrs Winston Churchill had visited Russia with a present of no less than £9,000,000 subscribed by the war-worn peoples of England to help forward the Russian relief efforts. Today there were two issues only. One a semi-Christian organisation and the other an anti-Christian organisation. That was what the world had to choose from.

PERIOD OF REPLY TWO VIEWPOINTS ELABORATED In the fifteen-minute interval allowed each speaker to reply, some telling points were made. Mr Wilcox was given the final word in view of the fact that he opened the debate and was therefore entitled to a last reply. Mr Wilcox declared that the attitude taken up by Mr Gilmore, could

BRIEF QUESTION TIME

DEBATING OPPORTUNITY PRAISED

scarcely be calculated to solve either Britain’s problems or those of the world as a whole. With regard to the Soviet spy scare in Canada, there were reasons behind this espionage which outsiders knew little about. Personally he was not interested. If Russia had her spy system, so had France, so had Britain and most of the other countries. What he was concerned about was the future of humanity. Not the individual activities of any one country. Humanity deserved a decent type of life and Communism strove to bring this about. The quotation of biblical prophesies was often used as a means for splitting progressive thought. But the point was, what was Christianity going to do about improving the rotton conditions which now obtained in the capital-

istic world. Mr Gilmore declared that he was one with Mr Wilcox in contending that capitalism must pass away in its present form. It would perish under its own weight. The- point which he made was this ‘was mankind to be guided by the theories of human theologians or by God? There were so many avenues of thought today that the mass of humankind was confused. There was only one real course, and that had been decreed by the Master himself. No harmony under Communism or any other ’ism’ was possible unless the world changed its heart. Not until humanity confessed humbly that it had had 2000 years of chaos, and asked God Almighty to lift it over the style! Could it hope to be saved. We could never hope to get out of it by human control. In the past we had put too much paint and varnish on religion, forgetting its inner message. But he instanced the immediate turn of the war tide, when at the bidding of the King himself the whole nation had gone in prayful intercession to God for help. There were two ideologies involved in the discussion that night—God and Man. '

At the conclusion of the address both speakers by common consent agreed to forego the taking of a vote.

In the course of a brief question period, Mr W. Sharkey asked if under the Soviet system of voting it was possible to unseat such a man as Marshal Stalin. Mr Wilcox replied in the affirmative, and amplified the method of voting in force. He added that the Soviets were apparently so satisfied with their present leader that they did not desire a change.

Mr C. Brown declared he had never seen anyone less full of love than Mr Gilmour who preached the Christian admonition of loving ones neighbour, when he spoke of the Russians. He sought an explanation. Mr Gilmour replied that he spoke of the organisation—not of the individuals. He admitted the enormous sacrifices made by the Russian people during the war. He only criticised their mood of life and ideology. Asked if he thought that Russia would have evacuated Persia unless pressure had been brought to bear by Britain and the U.S.A. Mr Wilcox said he preferred not to judge, as frequently the changed scene in a few years time would tell the tale.

Asked if it were not true that Russia was sending 50,000 tons of grain to assist starving France, Mr Gilmore said he thought it strange that a country like Russia already seeking aid from U:N.N.R.A. should be contributing to France. With the possibility of France on the verge of a revolution he thought however that it might be convenient > and handy.

The meeting closed with a hearty vote of thanks to both speakers on the motion of Messrs. Schofield and Brown, and a subsequent vote to the chair on the call of Mr Wilcox.