Re: [Marxism] Jesse Jackson / Marxism & Religion

[Adam <cleon42@xxxxxxxxx>]

There are many legitimate criticisms of Jesse Jackson; his opportunism,
his unseverable ties to the Democratic Party, his sexism.

I don't think his being a minister is one of those legitimate
criticisms.

First, it's important to remember that every revolutionary movement
since WWII has included clergymen who ascribe to "liberation theology."

But more importantly--how do we talk to people? Last I saw, atheists
and agnostics made up about 10% of the US population; it's probably far
less in places like Africa and South America. How do we talk to people
if we simply heap scorn on their religious beliefs and denounce any
role the clergy plays? I know in Atlanta if we took that attitude, we
would remain very, very white and have virtually zero contact with the
immigrant or black communities here.

If we go around denouncing religion, or denouncing people *because*
their religious, we will not be able to reach anybody. I think it was
James Connolly, the great Irish revolutionary socialist, who said,
"Socialists don't drive people out of churches. They get involved in
political action with people, and the priest says this is sinful, and
thus the priest drives people out of the church." It's important to
keep this sort of attitude in mind.

One could argue that Marxism is anti-religion. In a sense, it is;
Marxism recognizes that organized religion serves to preserve class
society. But while Marxism may be anti-religion, it is not
anti-religious-*people*. That is a serious distinction that we need to
be conscious of. When the vast majority of the oppressed are believers,
it's all well and good to stand up and announce "There is no God; you
are all just mystified by your capitalist oppressors. Follow me to
freedom!", but I don't think you're going to get a lot of people on
your side. It's important to reach out to people, even if we may
disagree on matters of faith.

Adam



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