THE SOCIALIST ATTITUDE TOWARDS CHRISTIANITY AND RELIGION
What is the attitude of Socialism towards Christianity and religion?
A clerical apologist of Socialism informs us that "Socialism is
founded on the doctrine of the Fatherhood of God and brotherhood of
man."[977] Another reverend gentleman states: "Socialism in the first
place means combination, bringing together men for the building up of
a sacred, holy life on this earth. It means the building up together
of the different elements of human life. It is, in the grand words of
the New Testament, which we were told Socialists did not believe in,
'No man liveth unto himself, and no man dieth unto himself.'"[978] A
third clergyman tells us that "The ethics of Socialism are identical
with the ethics of Christianity."[979]
Some British Socialist leaders explain that Socialists are good
Christians, and that Socialism attacks only the Church and professed
Christians, but not religion. "Much of what is regarded as
anti-Christian Socialist doctrine is only an attack upon the Churches
and professed Christians, and, so far from being anti-Christian, is,
as a matter of fact, inspired by the ethics of Christ's
teaching."[980] Other British Socialist leaders say that Socialism,
not being a religious doctrine, has no concern with religion and does
not meddle with it. "A charge against Socialists is that they are
Atheists whose aim is to destroy all religion and all morality. This
is not true. It is true that many Socialists are Agnostics, and some
are Atheists. But Atheism is no more a part of Socialism than it is a
part of Toryism, or of Radicalism, or of Liberalism."[981] "Socialism
has no more to do with a man's religion than it has with the colour of
his hair. Socialism deals with secular things, not with ultimate
beliefs."[982]
It is quite true that "there is at present no consensus of Socialist
opinion on religious questions,"[983] but it is hardly honest on the
part of Socialist leaders to assert that Socialism has nothing to do
with religion. The leading journal of the Fabian Society frankly
confesses: "There is the argument that Socialism has nothing whatever
to do with subjects such as religion and marriage. But if Socialism is
a theory of the State, nothing human is alien to it. It may be true
that no one of the specific theories of religion or marriage so far
put forward by Socialists has any claim to be regarded as the
Socialist view; but there is all the difference in the world between
such an admission and the denial that Socialism has any concern with
the questions at all."[984]
Some Socialists proclaim that Socialism will carry out the will of
Christ upon earth. Mr. Keir Hardie, for instance, says: "Christ laid
down no elaborate system of either economics or theology. No great
teacher ever did. His heart beat in sympathy with the great human
heart of the race. His words are simple and not to be misunderstood
when taken to mean what they say. His prayer--Thy kingdom come, Thy
will be done on earth as it is in Heaven--was surely meant to be taken
literally Are our opponents prepared to assert that in Heaven there
will be factories working women and children for starvation wages;
coal-mines and private property in land, dividing the population of
Heaven into two classes, one revelling in riches and luxury,
destructive of soul and body, the other grovelling in poverty, also
destructive of all that is best in life? If not, how can they
consistently support the system which inevitably produces that state
of things upon earth?"[985]
Other Socialists frankly confess that Socialism is absolutely
incompatible with Christianity and all other religions; that Socialism
can succeed only if religion be abolished, and that therefore religion
must be abolished. The philosopher of British Socialism states:
"Socialism utterly despises the 'other world' with all its stage
properties--that is, the present objects of religion. It brings
back religion from heaven to earth."[986] "As to the ethical
teaching of Christ, with its one-sided, introspective, and
individualistic character, we venture to assert that no one
acquainted with the theory of modern scientific Socialism can for one
moment call it Socialistic. Socialism has no sympathy with the morbid,
eternally-revolving-in-upon-itself transcendent morality of the Gospel
discourses. This morality sets up a forced, to the vast majority
impossible, standard of 'personal holiness' which, when realised,
has seldom resulted in anything but (1) an apotheosised priggism,
_e.g._ the Puritan type, or (2) in an epileptic hysteria, _e.g._
the Catholic saint type."[987] Mr. Blatchford states: "I have
been asked why I have 'gone out of my way to attack religion.'
In reply I beg to say that I am working for Socialism when I
attack a religion which is hindering Socialism, that we must pull down
before we can build up, and that I hope to do a little building, if only
on the foundation. I oppose the Christian religion because I do not
think the Christian religion is beneficial to mankind, and because I
think it an obstacle in the way of humanism."[988] Another very
influential writer says: "Personally I feel called upon to attack
Christianity as I would any other harmful delusion. I do not believe in
the theology of Jesus any more than I do in his sociology. It is no use
pretending that Socialism will not profoundly revolutionise religion.
The change in the economic basis of society is the more important thing
to strive for; but if the triumph of the Socialist ideal does not crush
supernatural religion, then we shall still have a gigantic fabric of
falsity and convention upon which to wage war. Happily Christianity
becomes less and less of a power every day. So far, indeed, from
Christianity being able to support Socialism, it goes hard with
Christianity to stand by itself. As a support to Socialism it would
surely prove a broken reed."[989]
A Socialist poet proclaims:
The name of Christ has been the sovereign curse,
The opium drug that kept us slaves to wrong,
Fooled with a dream, we bowed to worse and worse.
"In heaven," we said, "He will confound the strong."
O hateful treason that has tricked too long!
Had we poor down-trod millions never dreamed
Your dream of that hereafter for our woe,
Had the great powers that rule, no Father seemed,
But Law relentless, long and long ago
Had we risen and said, "We will not suffer so!"
"O Christ, O You who found the drug of heaven,
To keep consoled an earth that grew to hell,
That else to cleanse and cure its sores had striven,
We curse That name!"[990]
There is an eminently practical reason for the hostility of Socialists
to Christianity. Religious people are not likely to become Socialists.
"Christianity is like a set of manacles fastened upon the minds of
those who believe in it. It is vain for us to look for aid from the
Church and Christianity. It might be supposed that a hungry Christian
would rebel against his hunger as readily as a hungry Atheist. But it
is not the case."[991]
The belief in a life after death also is incompatible with Socialism,
and must therefore be combated: "We are compelled to abandon the
belief in immortality. He who is given to meditating on his latter end
and for whom the question of a post-physical future life for himself
as an individual is of primary importance, is, generally speaking,
indifferent where not positively hostile to social ideals."[992] "The
moment this belief in an after-death existence is erected into a
dogma, the moment it comes to be looked upon as an article of faith,
which it is a duty to hold, or at least which it is the evidence of an
ignoble disposition of mind not to hold, then it becomes an enemy to
be combated."[993]
The practical teachings of Christ are directly opposed to the
practical teachings of Socialism: "Jesus said, 'Blessed are the poor.'
Socialism recognises that wealth is a good thing, and it exists for
the purpose of securing a better share of it for the 'blessed' poor.
Socialism declares that all ought to work; but Jesus did no manual
work after he was thirty years of age, and he encouraged his disciples
to leave their occupations, to wander about and to beg, and this last
feature of discipleship has in all ages been well maintained.
Socialism incites the workers of all countries to unite for the
prosecution of the class war; but Jesus approved of obedience,
contentment, and humility of spirit."[994]
Socialism has no use for Christianity. "To-day we have to settle down
to our primers and our programmes, our Blue-books and our social
experiments, just as if Jesus had never lived, or perhaps all the more
because he lived. We get no assistance from Him. His followers are our
enemies in every country which owns His influence--and the worst
enemies of all because ever professing friendship."[995]
Christianity is, according to Socialists, an outworn creed. "As Marx
says, 'The religious world is but the reflex of the real world.
Christianity, like all religions, is but an expression of material
conditions, a direct outcome of social relations, the unsubstantial
image of a world reflected in the muddy pool of human intellect. Jesus
varies with the ages. Redeemer of Roman slave; War-God of Crusader;
General Overseer of Manufacturing Capitalist."[996] Besides,
Socialists resent "the continual reference of ideal perfection to a
semi-mythical Syrian of the first century when they see higher types
even in some now walking this upper earth, but in vulgar flesh and
blood and without the atmosphere of nineteen centuries to lend
enchantment to them."[997]
Lastly, Christianity has been a failure: "The success of Christianity
as a moral force has been solely upon isolated individuals. In its
effects on societies at large it has signally and necessarily
failed."[998] "Holiness! Your religion does not make it. Its ethics
are too weak, its theories too unsound, its transcendentalism is too
thin. There ought to be no such thing as poverty in the world. The
earth is bounteous: the ingenuity of man is great. He who defends the
claims of the individual, or of a class, against the rights of the
human race is a criminal. A hungry man, an idle man, an ignorant man,
a destitute or degraded woman, a beggar or pauper child, is a
reproach to society and a witness against existing religion and
civilisation. In such a world as this, friend Christian, a man has no
business reading the Bible, singing hymns, and attending divine
worship. He has not time. All the strength and pluck and wit he
possesses are needed in the work of real religion, of real salvation.
The rest is all 'dreams out of the ivory gate and visions before
midnight.'"[999] "In a really humane and civilised nation there should
be and need be no such thing as poverty, ignorance, crime, idleness,
war, slavery, hate, envy, pride, greed, gluttony, vice. But this is
not a humane and civilised nation, and never will be while it accepts
Christianity as its religion."[1000]
Our belief in God also must be abandoned, but if we continue believing
in God it follows that man is not responsible for his actions, that he
cannot do wrong: "Man is what God made him; could only act as God
enabled him or constructed him to act. If God is responsible for man's
existence, God is responsible for man's act. Therefore man cannot sin
against God."[1001] "If God is all-knowing, He knew before He made man
what man would do. If God is all-powerful, He need not have made man
at all, or He could have made a man who would be strong enough to
resist temptation. Or He could have made a man who was incapable of
evil. If God had never made man, then man could never have succumbed
to temptation. God made man of His own divine choice and made him to
His own divine desire. How then could God blame man for anything man
did? Man might justly say to God: 'I did not ask to be created. You
knew when You made me how I should act. If You wish me to act
otherwise, why did You not make me different? I was fore-ordained by
You to be and to do what I am and have done. Is it my fault that You
fore-ordained me to be and to do thus?' The actions of a man's will
are as mathematically fixed at his birth as are the motions of a
planet in its orbit. God, who made the man and the planet, is
responsible for the actions of both."[1002]
"Divine law says that certain acts are good and that certain acts are
evil; and that God will reward those who do well and will punish those
who do ill. And we are told that God will so act because God is just.
But I claim that God cannot justly punish those who disobey, nor
reward those who obey His laws. If God created all things, He must
have created the evil as well as the good. Who, then, is responsible
for good and evil? Only God, for he made them. He who creates all is
responsible for all. God created all: God is responsible for all. He
who creates nothing is responsible for nothing. Man created nothing:
man is responsible for nothing. Therefore man is not responsible for
his nature, nor for the acts prompted by that nature. Therefore God
cannot justly punish man for his acts. Therefore the Divine law, with
its code of rewards and punishments, is not a just law and cannot have
emanated from a just God."[1003]
"I do not pretend to say whether there is, or is not, _a_ God, but I
deny that there is a loving Heavenly Father who answers prayer. I deny
the existence of Free Will and possibility of man's sinning against
God. I deny that Christ is necessary to man's salvation from Hell or
from Sin. I do not assert or deny the immortality of the soul. I know
nothing about the soul, and no man is, or ever was, able to tell me
more than I know."[1004] "I do seriously mean that no man can, under
any circumstances, be justly blamed for anything he may say or do.
That is one of my deepest convictions."[1005]
Mr. Blatchford's philosophy excuses, and therefore encourages, every
action based upon a bad impulse, every vice and every crime, and his
creed should find the unqualified approval of habitual criminals and
loafers.
Views similar to those of Mr. Blatchford are expressed by many other
Socialists. We read, for instance: "It was pleasant to believe that a
benevolent hand was guiding the steps of society; overruling all evil
appearances for good; and making poverty here the earnest of a great
blessedness and reward hereafter. It was pleasant to lose the sense of
worldly inequality in the contemplation of our equality before God.
But utilitarian questioning and scientific answering turned all this
tranquil optimism into the blackest pessimism. Nature was shown to us
as 'red in tooth and claw': if the guiding hand were indeed
benevolent, then it could not be omnipotent, so that our trust in it
was broken: if it were omnipotent, it could not be benevolent; so that
our love in it turned to fear and hatred."[1006]
As long as childhood pines in City slum;
As long as Landlords steal their racking rent;
As long as Love and Faith to gold succumb;
As long as human life in war is spent;
While false religion teaches men to pray
To a false Tyrant, whom they misname God;
Whose "Holy Will" is--so they glibly say--
The poor should suffer 'neath His chast'ning rod;
As long as men do buy and sell the soil,
And thereby make their fellow men their slaves;
While selfishness exacts its cruel spoil;
While yet the poor are ground into their graves;
Until these crying wrongs are made to cease
Nowhere upon this earth can there be peace.[1007]
Although the Socialists have declared war against the Christian
religion and the Christian Churches, they freely quote the Scriptures
and the Fathers if it suits their purpose, and shamelessly misuse the
name of Christ. In support of their maxim "Property is theft," they
quote St. Jerome's saying: "Opulence is always the result of theft:
if not by the actual possessor, then by his predecessors."[1008] They
quote Christ in support of their demand for the abolition of private
property, marriage and the family. "Christ abolished all private
property, and with it the State. He abolished all distinctions of
race, rank, sex, and intellect. He made the first last and the last
first, acknowledging only devoted _service_ as true greatness; the
only law, the Law of Love. In His sweeping condemnation of egoism in
every form it seems doubtful if He did not even lay iconoclastic hands
on marriage and the family, as they existed and exist. In the
resurrection they neither marry nor give in marriage, but are as the
angels in heaven. Woman (to His mother), what have I to do with thee?
Whosoever shall do the will of My Father which is in heaven the same
is My brother, and sister, and mother."[1009] They use the name of
Christ for electioneering purposes. At a West Ham election, for
instance, the electors received leaflets which stated "If you vote for
the Municipal Alliance you vote against God. If Christ were in
Plaistow Ward, Christ would vote for Coe."[1010]
Professor Schaeffle, perhaps the most fair-minded and moderate
scientist who ever criticised Socialism, was perfectly right in
stating: "Socialism of the present day is out-and-out irreligious, and
hostile to the Church. It says that the Church is only a police
institution for upholding capital, and that it deceives the common
people with a 'cheque payable in heaven,' that the Church deserves to
perish."[1011] The above words were written with regard to German
Socialism, and British Socialism is far more irreligious, violent, and
revolutionary than is the German variety.
FOOTNOTES:
[977] Rev. E.T. Russell in _Forward_, November 23, 1907.
[978] Rev. L. Jenkyns Jones in _Forward_, November 16, 1907.
[979] Rev. Frank Ballard in _Socialism: A Cancerous Growth_, p. 19.
[980] Macdonald, _Socialism_, p. 99.
[981] Blatchford, _Real Socialism_, p. 4.
[982] Macdonald, _Socialism_, p. 101.
[983] _New Age_, October 10, 1907.
[984] _Ibid._ p. 10.
[985] Keir Hardie, _Can a Man be a Christian on a Pound a Week?_ p.
18.
[986] Bax, _Religion of Socialism_, p. 52.
[987] _Ibid._ p. 97.
[988] Blatchford, _God and My Neighbour_, p. 189.
[989] Leatham, _Was Jesus a Socialist?_ p. 14.
[990] Francis Adams, _The Mass of Christ_, p. 12.
[991] Leatham, _Was Jesus a Socialist?_ p. 14.
[992] Bax, _Ethics of Socialism_, pp. 192, 193.
[993] _Ibid._ pp. 196, 197.
[994] Leatham, _Was Jesus a Socialist?_ p. 6.
[995] Leatham, _Was Jesus a Socialist?_ p. 16.
[996] _Socialist Standard_, December 1, 1907.
[997] Bax, _The Religion of Socialism_, p. 90.
[998] _Ibid._ p. 98.
[999] Blatchford, _God and My Neighbour_, p. 194.
[1000] _Ibid._ p. 197.
[1001] _Ibid._ p. 124.
[1002] Blatchford, _God and My Neighbour_, pp. 135, 136.
[1003] Blatchford, _Not Guilty_, pp. 11, 12.
[1004] Blatchford, _God and My Neighbour_, p. 122.
[1005] _Ibid._ p. 137.
[1006] _Fabian Essays in Socialism_, p. 27.
[1007] _The Deadly Parallel_, October 1907.
[1008] Wheatley, _How the Miners are Robbed_, p. 13.
[1009] Davidson, _Gospel of the Poor_, p. 149.
[1010] _Times, Municipal Socialism_, p. 42.
[1011] Schaeffle, _Quintessence of Socialism_, p. 116.