Marxism dethroning God through the classroom must stop
By Bill Connor
“To dethrone God and destroy capitalism.” — Karl Marx explaining his object in life
This past week, Gallup published shocking results of a new poll (taken May 2-22), showing rising godlessness in America. Though the poll showed the majority of Americans still believe in a supreme being, the percentage of Americans without that belief has dropped a whopping six percent since 2017. The current 81 percent of believers is in contrast to the more than 90 percent of Americans believing in God up until 2011. Specifically, the polls showed this unbelief was almost exclusively among liberals and the young: “Conservatives and married adults have had essentially no change. The groups with the largest declines are also the groups that are currently least likely to believe in God, including liberals (62 percent), young adults (68 percent) and Democrats (72 percent). Belief in God is highest among political conservatives (94 percent) and Republicans (92 percent).” This new poll reflects the influence of Marxist ideology on our young through many classrooms, and we can expect this to increase alongside growing acceptance of the socialism. Time is drawing short to reverse it. Let me explain.
First, Karl Marx was not solely committed to ending capitalism; he was even more committed to godlessness as the predicate for his “utopian” socialist system. In summarizing his life work, Marx proclaimed that his object was to “dethrone God, and destroy capitalism.” The notable early Marxists like Lenin were equally vehement opponents of God. After the Bolsheviks took power in Russian and founded the Soviet Union, those Marxist leaders quickly created the League of Militant Atheists (also known as the “Society of the Godless”) with the motto “Struggle against religion is struggle for socialism.” Under Marx’s theories, religion was part of the superstructure upholding capitalism and the “original sin” of private property and must be dismantled. As famed author and anti-Soviet dissident Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn said of Marxism, “The world had never before known a godlessness as organized, militarized and tenaciously malevolent as that practiced by Marxism. Within the philosophical system of Marx and Lenin, and at the heart of their psychology, hatred of God is the principal driving force, more fundamental than all their political and economic pretensions.”
Recent polls also show support among young Americans for socialism is rising with increasing Godlessness, as occurred with early 20th century Marxists. A June 2021 The Hill article noted: “Fifty-four percent of Gen Z adults said they had a negative view of capitalism, while 42 reported having a positive view … The number of 18- to 34-year-olds who have a positive view of capitalism also appears to be shrinking. Forty-nine percent said they had a positive view of capitalism and 46 percent said they viewed it negatively … But two years ago, 58 percent said they viewed it positively, while 38 percent said they viewed it negatively.” These numbers are not surprising, considering that even back in 2016 studies found that openly Marxist professors outnumbered conservative professors by a wide margin. Conservatives, particularly Christians, are most likely to self-censor to avoid persecution in school by a wide margin. A multitude of articles have been written about the overwhelmingly anti-Christian and anticapitalist environment on college campuses. As senior fellow at the Goldwater Institute Jonathan Butcher has described in his book Splintered, Marxist ideology has entered K-12 education from our universities. According to Butcher, Marxism primarily came to American universities through “critical theory” ideology of the Frankfurt school Marxists. Butcher writes “this disdain [for American laws, government, and capitalism society] has infiltrated K-12 schools [from university education departments influencing teachers].” In Splintered, Butcher also described the connection of critical theory, including critical race theory, to Marxist ideology emanating from Frankfurt School Marxists.
The 20th century gave the world a chance to see the results of Marxism. Every country that attempted Marxism failed miserably — not only in Marxism’s catastrophic failures with economics, but destruction of life and freedom. More than 100 million are estimated to have died under Marxism during the 20th century, and that number doesn’t capture the level of suffering from lost property, lost freedom and lost dignity. Importantly, religious citizens were crushed under Marxism, as Solzhenitsyn and many others have made clear. In the few remaining Marxist states, religion remains the primary enemy of Marxist leaders. Thankfully, America stood strong throughout the Cold War and defeated Marxism through a strong faith in God and confidence in our free system.
It’s time for Americans, particularly those who came of age before the turn from God and freedom, to stem the tide. It is up to the older generations to help guide the younger to the future of proven success and away from the catastrophe of godless Marxism. The time is short, as Marxism will reach a critical mass when it will be nearly impossible to stop. Let’s follow the admonition of our Lord from Proverbs 14:34 that “Righteousness (godliness) exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” Teach our young to get back to that exalted nation, and condemn Marx and his attempts to dethrone God.
Bill Connor is a 1990 Citadel graduate, 30-year Army infantry colonel (ret.) and combat veteran. He is a writer and attorney and lives in the Charleston area.
