[Looking at history and our area’s unique political and religious attitudes.]

Calvin, the inquisitive 6-year-old asks his imaginary philosopher tiger, “It says here that ‘Religion is the opiate of the masses.’ What do you suppose that means?” The TV replies, ‘It means Karl Marx hadn’t seen anything yet.’

Although Marx was making a derogatory criticism of religion as a vehicle to help the working classes through their difficulties, that is precisely the nature of religion, to give people a framework for things they do not understand or control.

His acolyte Lenin defined the Marxist communism as a dictatorship of (over) the proletariat (working class) led by a revolutionary vanguard party.

Just look at what Lenin plainly stated. Communism is a dictatorship. There is no great egalitarian, but it is led by revolutionaries. As has been demonstrated for more than a century, that is precisely what happens. A small cadre use revolution to establish themselves in power to the destruction of the people by constant revolution.

It has never freed a society in any of its many failed iterations. It cannot work, because its premise is wrong. Socialism is precisely the same, but using more subversive intrusion for the small cadre to gain power. Once in power, socialism is indistinguishable from communism.

They are rebelling against a system, which has been available for humans since the beginning of recorded history, with a government system dictated by a few. How can a few possibly accomplish as much as the synergy of many independent persons? A problem is the diversity within religion.

Many religions are little different from the dictatorships. Look at one that is very different.  About 4000 years ago, a vizier of the Babylonian government had a son Abraham. A well-educated heir to government power, he left the corruption to become a very successful rancher, far from the city.

Did you ever think about, as a sheep-herder how he had access to kings and was able to defeat other kings in battle? He taught the world’s oldest recorded and used history of a mono-theistic God. Although he did not originate the teachings, he is the patriarch at that time, whose biography explains the concept. The rather phenomenal account has persisted through all recorded time. How and why?

About 4% of the people claim to be atheists. Even many of those say religion helps society by giving people meaning and purpose. That leaves 96% believing there is God, and more who accept that religion has value.

Were Marx and Lenin on the wrong track? Absolutely, but that observation also means there is a radical difference in the relationship to God and their interpretation of religion.

Can we prove there is a God?

Yes, by experience, observation, and analysis, just as much as how we learn science. Can you see electrons? No, but we can observe effects that we call electrons. Their evidence is in our lighting, air-conditioning, and communications. Likewise with God.

Let us track Abraham’s religion progeny to its largest segment, an early Jewish sect called Christianity. The group was founded with a Jewish rabbi, Jeshua, who was observed and documented by contemporaries to have many unique attributes. Read their very short story. There is no other like it. One of his primary teachings was personal responsibility, ‘You alone are responsible for you.’ If you err, you pay. If you do well, you have rewards.

What does Marx, Lenin, and communism provide? By their own record, it yields revolution and dictatorship.

What does Christianity provide? Hope and accountability providing the option for success. Our entire culture and the foundation of our government derives its success from those core values.

As many recent data releases show, large government led by a few, yields corruption among the players, just like Babylon of Abraham’s time. When government stays our of the way, in our personal-responsibility Christian culture, people excel, leading to a global acceptance for others, which some call peace.

As the President continues to demonstrate, fewer, smaller government agencies and more domestic enterprise reduces waste, fraud, and corruption. Our Founders did not think we needed a central bank and taxation on individuals. They advocated tariffs, which encourages domestic production. A communist dictatorship can never increase productivity long-term. Who wants to work under abusive conditions for no personal benefit?

The roots of entrepreneurship and freedom are in religious teachings of personal responsibility. This is not a repressive but expressive philosophy.

Think about it. Most people of the world want the results of what our nation and culture has, but they have not yet accepted the discipline that it demands, and the Abrahamic – Christian foundational premise.