Against religion

The Socialist Party has never sought to hide its hostility to all forms of religion. It frankly opposes all religious organisations. The Socialist Party, however, has never made the attacking of religion a main objective. Our opposition to capitalism covers the ground. Our Party is, nevertheless, the only political body which has issued a reasoned case against religion, “Socialism or Religion”, a pamphlet first published in 1910.

Many left-wing organizations claiming to be Marxist take refuge in the evasive principle that “religion is a private affair”; in other words, they are not going to risk alienating supporters by insisting on proper understanding. They urge people to accept that Christian belief in “the brotherhood of man” and “Christian charity” are in harmony with socialism. Socialism is not a philosophical idea, but the expression of the material interest of a class created by historical development.   It is founded on materialism, in opposition to idealism, the belief that ideas have an existence independent of natural and social causes. The claim that socialism is atheism ignores the fact that atheism is a negative attitude towards belief in God whereas the materialist view of history held by the Socialist Party leaves no room for gods or spooks in our outlook on the world, but explains the rise as well as the disappearance of ideas of Gods and the supernatural by the changes in the conditions under which men and women work and live. Socialist Party members do not set out to destroy the idea of God—that is the idealist, topsy-turvy policy of atheism. Our policy is to recognise the cause of social beliefs and to work for the establishment of a system whose social conditions men can understand without believing in the "Hand of God."

Our position is altogether different. Of course, we want more members and supporters, but on the essential condition that they understand socialism and its implications. That is why our attitudes and policies are stated unequivocally all the time. We say now what we said in 1910: “No man can be consistently both a Socialist and a Christian. It must be either the Socialist or the religious principle that is supreme, for the attempt to couple them equally betrays charlatanism or lack of thought.” 

When we say that socialist society will do without religious beliefs, it is greeted with indignation as a proposal to abolish. That is not the case; we simply remark that in a sane, rational world people will not need the consolation of illusions. 

Let those who are struggling for the establishment of a new society based on socialist principles be of good cheer, the troubles of the priests and parsons are our opportunities. We place before the world the only practical proposition that can now be entertained—the common ownership of the means of life and the establishment of production solely for use in place of production for sale. The ruling class, one and all, say they won’t entertain the idea. History says we must. And, what is more, act upon it. The material welfare of the working class is our sole aim and object.