Date: Sun, 18 Aug 1996 19:29:38 +0100
From: hariette-AT-easynet.co.uk (hariette spierings)
Subject: Re: A Changing Labor Movement  and the condescending saviours bestir themselves


>At 3:41 PM 8/18/96, hariette spierings wrote:
>
>>When the clerical "fire-brigades" multiply their condescending saviour
>>efforts it is a good sign that the pillars of the establishment are starting
>>to feel dizzy with the foundations rocking!
>
>I'm shocked to find myself coming to the defense of persons of the cloth,
>but they're not *all* condescending protectors of the status quo. There are
>many religious people who really really believe that capitalist
>exploitation is immoral and that social transformation is part of God's
>work. I think religion is a crock, but if clerics are making common cause
>with the working class, it's a very good thing. In itself, and not as a
>sign of ruling class anxiety.
>
>Doug
>


Common cause for what, Doug?  To bemoan the worse excesses of capitalism
while trying to persuade the working people that it is God's will?  

No.  The report spoke of Church "leaders" not of your little parish curate
who may have greivances of his own.  This is not accidental, it is usual for
the reactionary pillars of the establishment to vie for the ear of the
working people whenever the slightest rustle indicates that the class which
bears society upon its shoulders is getting restless with that burden.  The
question is where to they want to lead the class struggle?  To the overthrow
of capitalism?  The Church?  You must be joking!  More likely, to sell the
image of Christ - the cross bearer - as a consolation to the proletariat
together with a smattering of the old clerical socialism which Marx so well
characterised.  have a read of the Manifesto and tell me what is new in the
current wave of clerical "concern"?

The "concern" of the "clerical-socialists" is an indication that the working
class needs - in the eyes of the bourgeoisie - to be given a good shoulder
to cry on and forget all thoughts of class independent action, and  - heaven
forbid - all thoughts of seizure of power or proletarian dictatorship.

It is the same with the Liberation theologists and the priestly
ministrations to "nice and smiling  - and harmless from the point of view of
the social revolution - guerillas, such as the Zapatista.  Sorry to
dissapoint you, but one of the fundamental questions in order to
reconstitute a revolutionary class policy is to break this liberal penchant
to curry favour with "people of the cloth".  There is enough Jesuits already
going under the flag of revolution to put the slightest hope - or sell
illusions - on the "working class" getting any real support for its CLASS
AIMS from the real God merchants!

"Marxists" have forgotten that "religion is the opium of the masses".  They
see the "men of the cloth" flocking to the "working class".  What in hell
they think such worthies are going to be peddling to the restless masses but
their millenary and discredited opium?  It is nothing but the same old wine
in new bottles!


Adolfo





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