Communism, Christianity and Religion

The Most Famous quote of communists is ‘Religion is the opium of Masses’ attributed to
the principal architect of communism that is Karl Marx. Hence seemingly there could be
only matters of discord in these two subjects.
Communism rejects all concepts of God and religion. It says that only oppressed people
believe in religion. When they do not see any reprieve in their day to day life they seek an
illusory solace in Religion and God. Communism wishes to remove those distressful
conditions and make religion and God irrelevant.
Christianity in its original form must had started in around Jesus or immediately
thereafter as one of the scores of ism’s trying to bring solace to the oppressed and
desolate. It was a natural corollary to the Roman empire and its lack of human concern.
Roman Empire had made landlords into tillers, slaves out of citizens and peasants out of
noble. The onslaught of cruel Roman empire had subjected people to extreme physical
and emotional hardship.
The time was ripe for people who could claim to be Gods messenger and talk about
salvation. There must had been dozens of saints of the likes of Jesus Christ (if he ever
existed) competing with each other trying to give comfort to troubled and defeated souls.
Its only a matter of coincidence and the strength of its followers viz., John that
Christianity today can certainly be acclaimed as one of the greatest revolutions of the last
Few Milleniums of human written history.
Very much like Communism it also promised salvation to the oppressed and desolate.
The distinction was that it promised salvation and riches after death and Communism
before death.
There is one major fallacy in the statement of Marx when he says that ‘Religion is the
opium of Masses’ and goes on to talk about Christianity alone, as if it was the only
religion existing on the earth in the nineteenth century.
Hinduism unlike Christianity did not believe in any other God beyond Human Being.The
four Mahavakyas Prajnanam Brahm or Tat Twam Asi or Aham Brahmasmi or
Ayamatma Brahma principally do not distinguish Man from God. It believes in the
innate Godhood in Man. It replaces Gods Idol from the altar and puts human bust there.
So when Ludwig Feurbach one of the major Guru’s of Karl Marx says that God is the
merely outward projection of inward human nature, in Hinduism we do not find any
dichotomy. The four Mahavakyas said something similar at least four millenniums back.
Hinduism was beyond comprehension of the west in days of Marx. There was a major
language barrier as most of the works i.e., Upanishads (due to close door attitude of
Brahmins) existed only in Sanskrit.
Hinduism believed in re birth yet it did lay due stress on the acts and deeds during ones
life time. The Grihasth or the common family man leading a responsible life was placed
higher then Saints. The famous tale of Lord Vishnu and Narad went on to exemplify this.
The responsibilities towards ones family and society were to be maintained and fulfilled
by all.
Lords work, social service, was always complimenting it never substituting it.
So Religion per se Hinduism was never to be opiated with. It was the religion that Lord
Krishna described in the midst of most intense human activity i.e., a WAR. It teaches that
you fight. If you win you enjoy the riches of earth and if you lose you enjoy the fruits of
heaven. But battle is an essential activity. Don’t shy away from it. If you shy away from
Battle you would be committing the most grave impious act. Opium is related with stupor
and escapism. Far from that Hinduism teaches intense struggle and bravery. Opium is
Tamas , and it has no place in Hinduism