Chasing Shadows
Since Man’s earliest days, he has looked for an explanation of the things he cannot understand. Not knowing why the sun rises and sets, why the weather changes or why blights and sickness occur, savage man created for himself gods to worship, placate and fear; gods who controlled the things he could not understand. With the advancement of knowledge, man’s ideas of the supernatural have changed constantly.
In the present day, when so much of the mystery has been explained and the world is no longer regarded as flat with heaven above and hell below, religion in “civilised” countries has subtly changed its role. In the mid. 20th century it has ceased to be the explanation of the unknown and has become instead the comforter. When the problems and insecurities of present-day life become overwhelming, it is soothing to put all one’s problems before an Almighty Being who, in infinite wisdom, will either solve our problems and relieve us of our troubles, or decide that we should bear them to prove our faith and devotion and build up credits in an after-life. How much easier it is to do this than to battle with the situations and attempt to solve the problems.
The thought that death is inevitable and final is an unpalatable one, especially at times when things go badly or dangerously. The belief that this life is only a preparation for the hereafter makes it easier to bear frustrations and less fearsome to think of death. To this can be attributed the fact that every war brings with it a religious revival.
Even the troubles and uncertainties of “normal” life are easier to bear if ons can believe that “the meek shall inherit the earth,” and this is well known and exploited by those in authority today. In wartime God’s help and protection in “Our Just Cause” is called for equally fervently by the leaders and churchmen of opposing sides. It must make it difficult for him to decide who has prayed the hardest and deserves to win. . . .
Christian churches have learnt to adapt themselves to modern life—not so much in the advice they give or the lessons they preach, but in the way this is done. Sales promotion and motivation research experts are engaged to determine the best ways of approaching the public; ministers are trained to look and speak so as to inspire confidence. Neon signs and slogans appear on churches and Billy Graham type crusades make Sunday afternoon band performances by the Salvation Army look like very poor relations. Religion today is adapted to life in the mid. 20th century. To be saved, you must pray; but there is little time to spare for it. There are even believers in Texas who are not worried by this if they have a little money to spare. In this day of ready-mix foods and self-service stores, “Tolerants” of San Antonio offer them an excellent service in their PRAY-ER Organisation. For the price of one dollar, they will mechanically pray 10,000 prayers for any individual contributor.
Socialists do not believe in life after death; our thoughts are firmly fixed on a worthwhile future in this life. We therefore expend our energies in working to abolish Capitalism and establish Socialism which, although no “heaven on earth,” will solve most of the problems besetting mankind today. It is the only safe and satisfying way of life of which we know. To achieve Socialism, the majority of men and women must understand it, want it and work for it. Unfortunately, unlike the PRAY-ER Organisation, we cannot offer to understand or work for it for them. The only assistance we can offer is what we are doing; explaining the system under which we live and showing how it is the cause of wars, periodic unemployment and the other insecurities we suffer today. We try to make them see that it is futile to use up energies to build up rewards in heaven while relying on an Almighty Being to solve their problems on earth.
E. C.