Religious communists

By the title, and the understanding of Marxism, some people would believe the idea of “Religious communists” to be a complete fairytale, but, in fact, there are those who are communist at heart, and spiritual by tradition. But before we move on in this article, let’s look at the full quote from Marx on religion, it is more than just the “Opiate of the masses.”

"The foundation of irreligious criticism is: Man makes religion. Religion does not make man. Religion is, indeed, the self-consciousness and self-esteem of man who has either not yet won through to himself, or has already lost himself again. But man is no abstract being squatting outside the world. Man is the world of man – state, society. This state and this society produce religion, which is an inverted consciousness of the world, because they are an inverted world. Religion is the general theory of this world, its encyclopaedic compendium, its logic in popular form, its spiritual point d’honneur, its enthusiasm, its moral sanction, its solemn complement, and its universal basis of consolation and justification. It is the fantastic realization of the human essence since the human essence has not acquired any true reality. The struggle against religion is, therefore, indirectly the struggle against that world whose spiritual aroma is religion. Religious suffering is, at one and the same time, the expression of real suffering and a protest against real suffering. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people. The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is the demand for their real happiness. To call on them to give up their illusions about their condition is to call on them to give up a condition that requires illusions. The criticism of religion is, therefore, in embryo, the criticism of that vale of tears of which religion is the halo."

It is important to take note the middle passage, where Marx expresses that religion is the “sigh” of an oppressed creature; the heart of a heartless world. Idealist in its form yes, but it is the creation by man to make living under an oppressive and cruel society more bearable. This is also relevant since during the time in which Marx wrote this, opium was considered one of many effective pain relievers, and still is in some parts of the world.

Both Marx and Lenin have made it clear, that religion is the belief held by the oppressed and down trodden. Only with the collapse of oppressive structures, can religion die on its own. Lenin stated, that to declare war on religion, while under oppressive systems like capitalism, will only drive the masses further toward religion. Only with the collapse of capitalism, and rise of world socialism, will religion no longer be a necessity of the masses.

Materialism:

Now, with this Marxist view of religion explained; on the subject of Materialism, the science in which Marxists use to study the world and class struggle, which opposes religious idealism: We have seen in history religious comrades use materialism to logically and scientifically study the world and class struggle. This has been seen with communists of many different religions from Christianity, to Islam, to Judaism, and so on.

Religious movements:

In history, there is not only evidence of religious communists, but also religious movements who adopt communist ideology based on religious beliefs. Such as Christian communists who support the economic theory and study of class consciousness, with the religious belief that the wealthy are less than the workers as a collective whole, for greed is considered a sin in religion, and with Marxism, greed's a damaging aspect to workers’ unity and lifestyle. Another example is Muslim communists, who support communism with the backing of their religious beliefs of Islam. Such principles as “No man may be a slave to another” and “Not a single piece of land may be privately owned.” Along with the firm beliefs of standing up for the oppressed, helping the needy, firm belief in self-defense, and to stay strong and never transgress.

With such movements, new terms have been created; terms like: Religious communism, liberation theology, Christian communism, Religious socialism, Islamic socialism, etc.

The point of this article is to make clear the words of Marx on the issue of religion, and the history of those who were and are religious that are an integral part of communist movements. It is to make clear, that our religious comrades are not any less significant, just because they follow a religion. If they have put their heart in to the liberation of the proletariat, their actions in to mass struggle and organization, and dedicate their study of materialism to analyze the world and class struggle, they are comrades of the workers.