IS COMMUNISM CHRISTIAN?

Evening Star, Issue 22451, 23 September 1936, Page 13

IS COMMUNISM CHRISTIAN?

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —In answer to “ X.Y.Z.,” Communism was not founded to confound the workings of Almighty God, because Communism was founded by Christ himself, therefore true Christianity is' true Communism. If “ X.Y.Z.” was rightly informed he would know that Russia, though introducing Communism, has not forsaken God. In Russia to-day the Government is really experimenting with Christianity. Although it does not support churches, the people are allowed complete freedom to hold church meetings and worship God if they wish. In time, when the majority of the people want it, and the Government cannot do without it, I think even the churches will be run by the Government. Then we would have a perfect Christian Communist country. Lastly, although I have not read the book ‘ Imitation of Christ,’ I will certainly try to procure it.—l am, etc., Inshi. September 22. TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —“ Presbyterian ” implies that Christianity promotes or conserves class distinctions, that Christians do not treat their fellow men as brothers. The Christian in practice promises the other fellow his share of good things in the next world, not in, this one. Yet he asserts that true Christianity and true Communism are one. If Marxism is what he says Christianity is, then it cannot be a very nice thing. Listen to what Marx says of the Communist. “ Law, morality, religion are to him so many bourgeois prejudices behind which lurk in ambush just as many bourgeois prejudices.” I guess I am as much a Communist as “ Presbyterian ” is what he signs himself. Mr Herring is a Christian Communist. So he says. But he did not tell us why. after defining “ Christian Communism,” he recommends support for the Communist Party, which is atheistical and anti-God. If he is Christian why does he support anti-Christians? Mr A. B. Powell is right in this: that the issue before the world to-day, both in internal and external politics, is momentous. It is the same issue that confronts the individual in his own mind. Does forcible repression give a sound permanent solution of any conflict of impulses or of wills? _ In other words, does force or war provide a lasting solution for national, social, or individual ills? Is civil war, as the Communists tell us, the road _ man must travel to find his salvation _in this world? No! I oppose solutions by forcible repression. _ The fact that Marx confuses repression with synthesis does not deceive me. Mr Powell tells us that the Left Wing Government in Spain is similar to our present Government in New Zealand. I hope the New Zealand Government enjoys the comparison. Its members talk of Christian principles. Mr Semple has said that the Communists are the greatest enemies of the working man. Mr Fraser has implied that if wo do not look out they will use machine guns against us. It is said that the resemblance of_ our Government to the Nationalists in Spain is fairly close in that many of them are Roman Catholics. I don’t know, but certainly many profess Christianity. Yet perhaps Mr Powell is right, for there is much evidence to_ indicate that our Communists have high hopes of making our Labour Government act as their tool.—l am, etc., Anti-Communist. September 23.