Its all in the Struggle

Today in Britain's secular society, those on the left of the political spectrum are mainly atheists, and they sometimes claim that this is their tradition. Some of the founders of socialist and revolutionary thought like Lenin and Trotsky were die hard atheists, and I can understand where they are coming from. Maybe they and their contemporary thinkers believed that the act of praying is not only a waste of time, but sowing false reformist illusions that God will change the world rather than human beings themselves.

Reformism (the idea that change comes about through deferment to another, rather than starting with activity that can be done yourself) is the dominant political persuasion and is encouraged by all major institutions from the media to the education system to religious institutions. The idea is that someone else will change things for you. A most influential proponent of this philosophy is the political establishment itself, particularly the Labour Party whose roots belong to ordinary poor and working class families (the ones who need change the most) and who are persuaded out of taking action directly.

There are some very committed and good people in the Labour Party, these days they are in a tiny and perhaps decreasing minority. In fact, parliament itself is a diversion from the real centres of power i.e leaders and bosses of major industries. Although parliament is the official political body, power struggles and structures more often take place outside of it and the outcomes of these struggles are the things that influence government policy most.

So reformism dominates peoples ideas, and so for religion too. The dominant ideas in religious establishment and among religiously minded people are a reflection of those that dominate in society, and just in any aspect of today's society, there room for a good debate ...

One of the wisest things you can do in debates, verbal interactions and philosophical positioning is to not take things too seriously. Especially true when it comes to religion. I might for the sake of debate assume a position of believing in God and all that results in assuming that position. But maybe I don't believe. Although I did had a 'religious moment' whilst at a conference in India in 1999. I believe it was politically necessary to make a stand of portraying myself as religiously minded whether I actually believed or not.

It was to do with the understanding that as one world, the vast majority of people believe in God, this does not stop them from struggling for better lives for themselves and their communities.

Isn't it better to forge political relationships with people that won't involve any attempt to talk a person out of having a belief system, and as comrades you are still prepared to take them seriously? When I was convinced that there is no scientific evidence one way or another, I believed that the philosophy associated with a belief system made the case for Socialism easier to project and defend, and gave you even more strength in your convictions.

Just because a group of people who identify with each other, are politically left wing and don't believe in God does not mean that God will go away. He is here and part of life, whether we like it or believe in it or not. It is futile to fight against something that no human being on earth fully understands or has evidence of its actual existence.

So for those who think there is some sort of fight against religion; I say get a life and get real, there are things far more pressing to be engaging in and things that will have a positive and practical outcome if victorious. In other words the so called fight against religion is surely just barking up the wrong tree...