A Sadly Common Misunderstanding

This was written in answer to a private email from a woman who believes that "pure" Marxism and Christianity are similar philosophies because they both encourage people to "share". She also notes that Christianity has been responsible for many atrocities and misused in the same way "pure" Marxism has been.

She says, "As such espousing new ideas of sharing which also embraced the most low of persons was revolutionary. Thus, from my view there are obvious similarities with pure Marxism philosophy. "

She ends with: "So, this is my understanding: Communism is a political system, Marxism is a social philosophy, Christianity is a religion which has social philosophical implications."

This is my answer. (Please forgive what appears to be a bit of jumping from subject to subject. I'm answering her specific remarks, the gist of which you will be able to generally surmise from my responses. I do not feel at liberty to publish her entire letter. It was a private communication, after all.)

Judaism incorporated religion and government. Christ spoke vehemently and consistently about one's personal relationship to God. He had nothing whatever to say about the social order, except as it limited or prevented people from approaching God. That was his objection to the Temple functionaries—and why he called them a "brood of vipers"—they kept the people at arm's distance from God.

His "food" miracles were not about loaves and fishes to feed stomaches, but about demonstrating "signs and wonders" to feed souls.

His ideas may have been "revolutionary" in the sense of "new", but certainly not in the sense of "revolt". Indeed, he very specifically and pointedly warned against attempting to overthrow the social/political order, including even the oppressive Roman rule. And some Biblical scholars suggest it was the people's disappointment in his being so "anti-revolutionary" that contributed to his execution.

Christianity, as a human institution, has fallen short of Christ's example since it's inception. The Church has certainly been guilty of non-Christ-like behavior. But it has been used for political cover for war and rapine by greedy and ambitious rulers far more often than it has ever instigated either. It's gotten a false and unfair rap.

Personally, I rather approve of the Crusades, so I don't see them as a blot on Christianity...even the human variety. My only complaint: We didn't win.

As for the Catholic Inquisition, spanning several hundred years, there were fewer people killed than Americans in the Iraq war so far. At the time, governments were executing people for every sort of minor crime from stealing bread to poaching rabbits. The Church showed miraculous restraint considering the culture of the times.

Ireland's "troubles" have nothing to do with religion, per se....it is a totally political struggle for power. One political/cultural group, whose ancestors were from a country whose religion happened to be Protestant, was the more powerful, prosperous and rich, felt an affinity with England, and wanted to be aligned with her. The other political/cultural group, whose ancestors were from a country whose religion happened to be Catholic, was powerless and poor & hated England, and wanted to be free of her.

Religion is an "identifier", like a gang tattoo, not a "cause".

The distinction between Marxism and Communism is the distinction between the blueprint and the building. You can't live in a blueprint. Marxism isn't "pure", it's merely an abstraction. As soon as it becomes 'actual', it is Communism. And it is an ECONOMIC philosophy. Any political or social bits were only appended in order to accomplish the primary goal: to eliminate private property, to render to THE STATE (prettily called "THE PEOPLE" in the abstract), control of all materials and means of production—of everything, which renders individuals utterly in thrall to said STATE and those who control it for the most basic requirements for life itself.

Economic slavery is total slavery. If you would eat, there is no option but surrender and obedience to THE STATE who controls the means, material and land to grow, harvest, store and deliver all the food. If you would be clothed, there is no option but surrender and obedience to the STATE who controls all the means and material to make clothes. If you would have shelter, there is no option but surrender and obedience to THE STATE who controls all the means and material to build shelter.

Submit or die. "Resistance is futile." (The Borg are the logical perfection of the Marxist collective.)

This, under no conceivable circumstances, is what Christianity remotely encouraged, or ever envisioned. Christianity celebrates the uniqueness of each soul, encourages its individual & private relationship with a personal God. Christianity promotes the development of our unique and individual talents—called gifts from God. Even angels have their own names...and are free to choose their own path of faithfulness or rebellion.

"Sharing" implies having something to share. "Charity" implies having something to give. People who own nothing have nothing to share. All are equally beggars and slaves to THE STATE.

Marxism/Communism and Christianity have virtually nothing in common. Any implied resemblance is a false idea promoted by those who seek to use Christian values to promote the ultimate, inhuman evil.

And the deplorable, violent, dangerous conditions in Europe where ancient cultures are being displaced by invaders, where long-enjoyed freedoms are being curtailed, where speech and thought are policed, where people are on trial for writing books, where Islamic violence is pandemic and natives are under assault both by their "guests" and their own governments are certainly what can be expected when people abandon their age-old values and do not replace them with anything but angst, doubt, guilt, self-indulgence, and purposelessness. They are "Post-Christian" indeed: lost and rudderless and on the verge of annihilation.

The Gunslinger