Religion In A Communistic Society

[Iohannis]

I'm a socialist, a real red socialist. But I have a question to you people. Is there room for religion in a communistic society? My views upon religion is somewhat different from most communists, who often quote Marx ("Religion is opium for the masses")

I think religion plays an important role for human beings, and should be tolerated and practised by those who choose to do so

[Janus]

Is there room for religion in a communistic society?

No.

The thing is that religion will be outdated and archaic in a communist society. If there are still those who hold onto it, then that's their business but they will definitely be in the minority.

By the way, could someone move this to Religion?

[Si Pinto]

Originally posted by Iohannis@Jul 11 2006, 04:12 PM
I'm a socialist, a real red socialist. But I have a question to you people. Is there room for religion in a communistic society? My views upon religion is somewhat different from most communists, who often quote Marx ("Religion is opium for the masses")

I think religion plays an important role for human beings, and should be tolerated and practised by those who choose to do so

Your a socialist so presumably you want to emancipate the working class from it's chains?

Can you think of a bigger chain around your neck than religion?

"Put up with the shit for now you proles because there is eternal bliss waiting for you when you die."

isn't that different from

"Put up with the shit you proles because i'll pay you enough to live on"

Think about it.

[Delta]

People will be free to hold their beliefs, but they will likely come into deep confrontation with the rest of the members of society if they wanted to use resources to built a temple for their god(s) or something of that nature. The social needs that some people fill with religion will be filled easily by increased solidarity among the people, and I think most will outgrow it.

[Iohannis]

but people choose to believe. I choose to put on these "chains" You may separate the church and state, but you can't force a person to believe something else.

[Janus]

You may separate the church and state, but you can't force a person to believe something else.

Of course not. But religion is something that is drummed into a lot of the people today even though there is no real need for it. Sure it makes some people feel a bit better but that's the only purpose it serves since we have progressed past our primitive states.

Like I said, religion will become outdated and archaic in a communist society and will probably be reduced to some type of hobby for history enthusiasts.

[Si Pinto]

but people choose to believe.

Really??

I would say that people are brought up to believe and have little or no choice in the matter until they decide to question their beliefs.

After that they can choose to believe or not.

I choose to put on these "chains"

As is your right, as it is mine not to.

but you can't force a person to believe something else

Unfortunately, the history of religion is all about 'forcing people to believe something else'.

A quick glance through the history books gives many examples of this.

[violencia.Proletariat]

I think this topic should be stickied since it comes up often.


The answer, NO! There will be no churches, religious organizations, etc. If people want to play fairytales they can do it in their homes. Preaching religion (especially to children) is abuse and reactionary. Something which should not be tolerated post-revolution.

[Delta]

Originally posted by Iohannis@Jul 11 2006, 08:26 AM
but people choose to believe

I don't think so. How can you explain that if someone's parents are a certain religion that makes it overwhelmingly likely that the child will also be of that religion?

Are the arguments in favor of Christianity more convincing in the west, and the arguments for Islam more convincing in the Middle East? Of course not. Thought has nothing to do with it.

[Eleutherios]

Will there be room for religion? Yes, in the sense that we're not going to put a gun up to every believer's head and force them to renounce their faith. But as science advances and society progresses, religion is slowly but surely dying off. I don't think in a communist society there would be much respect for ancient authoritarian superstitions. I bet as people come to terms with reality they will eventually consider Yahweh, Allah and Vishnu as silly as we consider Ra, Zeus and Quetzalcoatl.

[Sentinel]

I agree completely with violencia.Proletariat.

Superstition must be denied all publicity (except on history classes at school where they are exposed by materialist teachers as the bollocks they are) and children must be kept safe from it. All buildings and other landmarks of it must also be torn down and religion-based place names changed.

I consider superstition mass-insanity, just like a disease.

I agree with people here that it would wither away in a communist society by itself. But I see trying to hasten up the process necessary, as a sign of solidarity to the potential victims of superstition.

The christians have showed us that banishing a religion from public life makes it go away like nightmare in the morning:

They did that to the original, pagan religion of the Roman Empire.

I naturally wouldn't go as far the roman christians did in their "righteous fury against the heathen", I'm a rational and compassionate person after all.
I'm not advocating any "mass purges" or executions of anyone not outright counter-revolutionary. I think we should strangle superstition, not it's victims.

Breaking the chains of superstition is part of the process of liberating the proletariat. And it must happen swift, systematically and a s a p.

[Eleutherios]

Exactly. The war against religion needs to be waged, but it has to be a war of words. At least until they start shooting at us.

[Delta]

Originally posted by sennomulo@Jul 12 2006, 12:00 PM
At least until they start shooting at us.

If the past is any indication, a lot of the church establishment will be on the side of the capitalists, and so in the post-revolution world perhaps a lot of the large-scale church organization will have been destroyed.

[*[email protected]*]

Originally posted by sennomulo@Jul 12 2006, 08:00 PM
At least until they start shooting at us.

Shoot at us they will comrade (grab your helmet&#33.
If my Grandfather has prooven anything to me its the fact that:


CHRIST + CHE = NEGATIVE PEACE!

I choose to put on these "chains"

Fair enough,
just dont strangle me or others with them if they or I choose not to wear them