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The will to worship is communism's least super able obstacle.
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CCTfREEDOM of worship" means -L that no secular power can deny or obstruct the relation between an individual and the deity of his belief.
This freedom is mentioned in the constitutions of both the United States and the U.S.S.R. But the different intent of each constitution springs from contrasting historical back' grounds.
America was originally settled by groups seeking relief from religious persecution. Religious freedom was not necessarily tolerated within the individual groups themselves, but as the colonies banded together in a common cause, they saw the necessity of drawing up some instrument to protect the interests of each, includ' ing their religious freedom.
Our government is perhaps unique in that it gives no special recogni' tion to any sect or creed.
Russia holds a different story. At the turn of the 18th Century, Peter the Great forced the church into com' plete subjection to the Russian gov ernment. Until 1917, the people lived in fear of the church as an intimate partner to C2;arist tyranny.
Thus, it was natural that the Bol' sheviks should center their revolu' tionary attack on church policy. The famous decree of January 23, 1918,
officially separated the church and state.
But the constitution of July, 1918, was an even stronger attempt to sup' press religious activities. A similar measure, if adopted in the United States, would have outlawed parochial schools, all church literature, includ' ing the Bible, all social service work done in the name of the church and any anti' atheistic propaganda. This far-reaching suppression of religion stirred angry reactions among the people.
In the following years, the status of religion changed often.
By 1939 the Russian government seemed to have adopted a more friendly attitude. Direct action against religion was discontinued.
During the war years, the government welcomed the financial and social help of the church and named it a "useful and loyal element of society."
On October 8, 1943, the Soviet government seemingly furthered its policy of toleration by establishing a Soviet Council on Orthodox Affairs. Within a short time the Council an' nounced the opening of theological seminaries.
The reason for this change in policy is not hard to guess. Once the gov