The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-11-15
Hecker's Books Show
USSR Uses Education
To Combat Religion

{ thetic unity Of the two highest
currents Of philosoplic thought"
If there is oYer-emphasis on the
nlaterialistic aspect of this syn
thesis, Socratoy continues, an un-
warranted mechanistic Interpreters
ton Of Marxist philosophy is likely
to result. If on the other hand
there is oyer-emphasis on the
dialectic aspect, as uncalled for
idealistic Interpretation is the out
come.
Other topics that Dr.. Hecker
treats with notable cIearness and
insight are the three main laws Of
dtalectics, the objective existence
Of accident or chance (Which the
mechanist denies, the fundamen-
tai meaning of the class struggle,
and the misuse Of religious ter
minology by those who dislike to
acknowledge the frank atheism Of
Communist philosophy. I wish the
space were available to 20 more
fully into these and other points
that the characters in these dia-
logues discuss. But I must sum I'D
my impressions of this book by
saying that it is not only a splendid
introduction for those just Begin
ming the study Of dialectical ma
terialism but that it also has a
great deal to teach those who are
already fairly well versed in the
subject.
IN Religion and Communism" DR..
l Hecker handles a more limited
field with equal competence. There
is the same carefully worked out
historical background, the same re-
lating up Of theory to political and
economic realities, the same ability
to make understandable in simple
language the most technical uues-
tions. The author explains in de-
tail the intellectual and social
backwardness of the Greek Ortho-
dox Church in Russia, its unholy
alliance with the Tsarist State (of
which it was practically a depart
menD, and its bitter struggle
against the Revolution both before
and after Bolsheyiks seized power.
But Dr.. Hecker also makes it plain
that the philosophy of dialecticaL
materialism implies unceasing hos
tility to all forms Of religion. Com
munists," he writes, particularly
Lenin, have always emphasized that
reformed, modernized, sccialized
and every other improved religion,
is worse than the old orthodox
reactionary religion"
This is a most important point,
especially in England and America
where there is a tendency to inter-
pref Communist opposition to or
gained religion "as an opposition
to the abuses of religion. but not
to religion in its pure state" After
reading, therefore, DR.. Hecker's
description of the strength ard
sweep of the anti-religious move
ment throughout the y. S. S. r.,
its determination to eradicate once
and for all the social and economic
roots Of supernaturalism, and is
unrelenting antagonism to re-
formed as well IS traditional re-
Lgion, those who believe that
Somehow some cay a great religious
revival will occur in the Soviet
Union will put this book down
with heavy hearts.
There are many other things
about this volume worth mention
ing. Especially interesting to me
were the chapters about the
Church and the Inteuectuals,
about Tolstoy, and about the rela-
tionship between the anti-religious
campaign and the drive for co..
| lectivization of the farms. There is
also valuable appendix contain
ing the most important documents
of the Communist Party and the
Soviet Government regarding reli-
! gion and the Church.