The social desirability and value of religious freedom is as equally valid as the existence of any other form of freedom. Throughout time, men have acknowledged their own as well as society's moral, ethical and spiritual needs as a basis for quality of existence. Unfortunately, the issue of religious freedom itself stands as a barrier limiting cooperation between the opposing ideological systems of Capitalism and Communism; but I think only through a lack of understanding.It must first of all be fully recognized that religious freedom encompasses not only the freedom to believe, but the freedom not to believe, and the freedom to express uncertainty as well. Unfortunately, many well-meaning missionaries have been guilty of attempting to force their particular religious beliefs on other societies. Knowingly, or unknowingly they have been guilty of religious imperialism, which is a forceful suppression of religious freedom.
Despite obvious contradiction with the concepts of Christianity and brotherhood, churches used to be filled with slave owners. In fact, racially and economically segregated congregations still persist in America today.
It was not surprising then that when Communists first discarded the dominance of an elite minority, they also chose to discard the hypocrisy and oppression of the church. A resurgence of religious activity and freedom within the Communist countries could be ironically pointing to the fact that Communism may have too hastily thrown out the religious baby with the economic bath water.
People in all countries have traditionally looked to their spiritual leaders for guidance in finding a path out of their social problems. The expectation has not been unreasonable, and the role of the church as a conscience guiding social evolution is certainly valid. However the churches have been guilty of confusing their congregations by periodically displaying behavior that appears hypocritical of the values they traditionally purport to uphold.
It would do well to remember that the merits of a religion should not rely on how its clergy or congregations interpret and manifest the faith's religious dogmas, because social forces are capable of creating a substantial gap between the ideal behavior aspired to by a religion, and the conduct of the humans presently in charge of passing on the traditional beliefs to future generations.
Excesses and shortcomings can occur within religious systems as easily and surely as in secular systems, so it should therefore become an equally important responsibility to recognize and eliminate them in our religious systems. The administration of church wealth has played a detrimental role in the growth within the churches of an economically privileged elite who have been running their churches as Feudal empires, with economics playing an inordinate and inappropriate role. The conduct of our society's latest religious offspring, the TV evangelist, has brought the problem sharply into focus.
The need to address the shortcomings of religious administration becomes unavoidable in order to dispel the hypocritical behavior caused by the mismanagement of wealth within the churches. We can certainly recognize the shortcomings of church administration without casting any aspersions at the dogma of the religion itself.
The quest for spiritual awareness still plays a vital role in the planet's development. Not surprisingly, spiritual values remain an integral aspect of many cultures. However our regrettable lack of social harmony has occurred due to the fact that our focus on advances in science and technology has been at the sacrifice in growth of our spiritual tolerance, awareness and development.
Excerpted from the electronic book:
Feudalism ... Alias American Capitalism
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