Freedom of religion must exist for any future " socialist " government

In " Why I am not a Christian " Bertrand Russell expressed pretty much the same point of view . But he was a NOT a Marxist socialist with a working class perspective. He was not trying to build a mass movement . If I told all the religious working class people in my life that their FAITH was poison , they would almost certainly mentally block everything I had to say about the roots of exploitation and oppression under capitalism.

Bertrand Russell was wise in thinking that one's religious beliefs were simply irrelevant in the politics of the socialist movement.

Any " vanguard " socialist party that demands an anti-religion, anti-faith test for its members is doomed to historical insignificance.

Also arrogant certainty about remote ULTIMATE questions is unbecoming to a free thinker.
But again and again the leadership of organized religions have shown themselves to be quite treacherous to working class interests. I can't think of one TV evangelical or Catholic Church big wig on OUR side of the class struggle.

The unrest in these Islamic countries show that millions of common people still take religion very seriously . In ALL the great religions there are seeds of universal brotherhood and sisterhood and profound cries for JUSTICE.

It is wiser to build bridges to these people of faith than to join the obnoxious New Atheists in mocking them. I have observed that ALL the " celebrity " New Atheists are smug pro-capitalists and pro-imperialist and pro-Zionists with no apologies.

Years ago I witnessed a confrontation in front of a women's clinic on Broad St. in Cranston, R.I. between PRO-CHOICE and PRO-LIFE groups. The PRO-CHOICE were a haughty, college educated crowd from Boston . The RIGHT TO LIFE group seemed inspired by ignorant hysteria and possibly personal guilt about past abortions.

Rather than make any effort to communicate with the PRO-LIFE group the PRO-CHOICE group chanted : " KEEP YOUR ROSARIES OFF OUR OVARIES ". 
To be sure , the pious PRO-LIFE group would shout at women with an appointment at the clinic : " Please don't murder your baby ! "

I did not see a triumph of REASON on either side.
If some future " socialist " government were to tell its people that RELIGION IS POISON , how democratic do you think it will be ?


I think any future socialist government must enforce true separation of church and state - without trying to impose a dreary atheism on the whole human race with its eons old deep religious instincts. For intellectuals like the ancient Roman poet Lucretius , of course, materialism was anything but dreary taking the fear of hell and the wrath of the gods out of life ( " On the Nature of Things " )

But under " socialism "- worthy of the name- the masses will be able to educate themselves out of Dark Age ignorance and superstition. Taking the terror out of everyday life will help them progress very rapidly. At least away from pure nonsense.

Abortion war outside Cranston clinic