COMMUNISM AND CHRISTIANITY.

Evening Star, Issue 22455, 28 September 1936, Page 12

COMMUNISM AND CHRISTIANITY.

TO THB EDITOR. Sir, —The word “ Christianity ” is today so carelessly applied that in order to focus attention on its real meaning it is necessary to call it something else, something that carries a definite attribute —hence “ Communism.” As this is used by earnest high-idealed people who do not at present accept Christianity, we define again—hence “ Christian Communism,” interchangeable only with “ true Christianity.”_ But, you ask, what has “ Christion ” Communism to do with events in Spain, where, we read, Sir Percival Phillips “ was told,” etc. But hearsay is not evidence. I was “ told ” that during the war our sailors fed German prisoners to the furnaces. I prefer not to believe it. And if it comes to reading, I have read many times in your paper that the Communists respected this and that people or { property. The Communists in Spain are only a portion of the people, a section of the Government, and thencreed forbids torture and destruction. Authorities have said that the .Russian revolution was remarkable for its comparative freedom from frightfulness owing to the restraint of the Communists. The atrocities are usually the work of irresponsible supporters who see in revolutions an opportunity to avenge their wrongs. If the rebels win we are likely to find out what frightfulness can be, unless, of course, it is carried out in the sacred seclusion of the churches. The fact, however, that to-day terrible tilings are being done in Spain on both sides is the strongest indictment of its socalled Christianity. To think that centuries of it could produce nothing better than this! Russia’s Christianity did the same for Russia, the only difference in result being that folk said of the Russians, “ Wicked people to rise against the Government,” and of the Spaniards, “ Wicked Government, let us rise against it,” in both cases fighting tooth anti nail for their Christian ” principles. Of course, being British, I think we do things better, but do we and would we? In Australia a Roman Catholic archbishop declares it is no sin to rise against a wicked Government (lieakeu, ye Communists), that the Spanish Government are the true rebels because, for-

sooth, they destroy churches that harbour ammunition, and torture chambers and convents that conserve_ the wealth of Spain while the people live in caves and hovels. Is it nothing to us that all this is done in the name of Christianity? Is it not necessary to dissociate ourselves from some kinds of Christianity, and in contradistinction say true Christianity is Christian Communism?—l am, etc., Phesbytebiax. September 28.