Socialism and Religion: shut up and give me my opium. posted by Richard Seymour

Bruthas and sistas, we are gathered here tonight to remember that religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the spirit of spiritless conditions. It is the opium of the people.

That said, let us shoot up. While we are enjoying our alienated bliss, let's have a track of Lenin in the background:

Unity in this really revolutionary struggle of the oppressed class for the creation of a paradise on earth is more important to us than unity of proletarian opinion on paradise in heaven.

That is the reason why we do not and should not set forth our atheism in our Program; that is why we do not and should not prohibit proletarians who still retain vestiges of their old prejudices from associating themselves with our Party. We shall always preach the scientific world-outlook, and it is essential for us to combat the inconsistency of various "Christians". But that does not mean in the least that the religious question ought to be advanced to first place, where it does not belong at all; nor does it mean that we should allow the forces of the really revolutionary economic and political struggle to be split up on account of third-rate opinions or senseless ideas, rapidly losing all political importance, rapidly being swept out as rubbish by the very course of economic development.

Everywhere the reactionary bourgeoisie has concerned itself, and is now beginning to concern itself in Russia, with the fomenting of religious strife -- in order thereby to divert the attention of the masses from the really important and fundamental economic and political problems, now being solved in practice by the all-Russian proletariat uniting in revolutionary struggle. This reactionary policy of splitting up the proletarian forces, which today manifests itself mainly in Black-Hundred pogroms, may tomorrow conceive some more subtle forms. We, at any rate, shall oppose it by calmly, consistently and patiently preaching proletarian solidarity and the scientific world-outlook -- a preaching alien to any stirring up of secondary differences.

The revolutionary proletariat will succeed in making religion a really private affair, so far as the state is concerned. And in this political system, cleansed of medieval mildew, the proletariat will wage a broad and open struggle for the elimination of economic slavery, the true source of the religious humbugging of mankind.

You can talk to me about social justice and fighting the revolution, but don't dare take my opium away because I'll fuck you up. And if you didn't understand what I just said, let me put it in saner terms. It is never particularly persuasive to address believers as if they are idiots in need of education. It is not even that important to persuade them. If they want to fight for the things that we socialists fight for, then let them chill with Allah, Yahweh or Ahura Mahzda, the Wise Lord. The oppressed still need socialism whether they are god-botherers or not.

This has been a party political broadcast for the Respect Coalition .