God and Communism

A Tract Essay

By

Anthony J. Fejfar, B.A., J.D., Esq., Coif

© Copyright 2007 by Anthony J. Fejfar

In the Communist Manifesto, Karl Marx, its author, takes the position that God is

an infantile projection and that religion is the Opiate of the People. I argue that Marx

point has some validity, but overall is wrong

In his book, “The Two Sources of Morality and Religion,” philosopher Henri

Bergson discusses two types of religion and two types of God. In the first type of

religion, let us call this, Conventional Religion, religion is based upon inauthentic

authority. People are taught to “pray, pay, and obey,” and nothing more. Genuine

spirituality is suspect at best, considered evil at worst. Genuine spirituality or religious

experience is considered evil by conventional people because the spiritual person has a

direct pipeline to God, bypassing the religious authority system. I argue that spiritual

people are Intuitive Mystics who value autonomy, rational self interest, self actualization,

and helping others. Conventional people, on the other hand, value obedience, fitting in,

conformity, appearances, the status quo, authoritarianism, and meaningless religious

ritual.

The “God” of convention fits with the religion of convention. The Conventional

God is authoritarian, demand strict obedience, values appearances, values conformity,

hates spiritual experience. This conventional God is the false God criticized by Karl
Marx in the Communist manifesto. The religion criticized by Marx as the opiate of the

people is precisely conventional religion

The second type of religion that Bergson speaks of is Intuitive, or Spiritual, or

Intellectual religion. Intuitive religion is Spirituality. Intuitive religion is where the

participant actually actually comes into real contact with God. This is the God of Being,

not the God of authority. The God of Being inspires us to pursue Justice and Social

Justice, not conformity and not the status quo. The God of Being encourages us to wear

khaki shorts to church in the summer, not a three piece suit or a fancy dress. The God of

Being encourages an intellectual life based upon Reason. The God of Being encourages

artistic creativity. The God of Being despises, appearances, conformity,

authoritarianism, and empty religious rituals with no spirituality involved.

Karl Marx did not criticize the God of Being in the Communist Manifesto, only

the God of Convention. For the Spiritual Theist, Communism mean Equity, “To each

according to his need, from each according to his ability.” Keeping in mind of course

that those with abilities have needs too, such as, self actualization needs. Understood in

this sense, then, it is possible to believe in the God of Being and be a Communist. There

is no contradiction. Karl Marx did not criticize the God of Being.