The funny part being that they write it as if the ideas are preposterous. Putting religion at the very basis of the operation of the universe is one hell of a drug.

EDIT: Already made it a comment, but I feel it's important before people get that idea that these people are necessarily our enemies.

People write/read takes like this and come to radically different conclusions due to their different base axioms of human experience. For the target readership of catholicculture.org, they are ones that are trying to understand the universe, with the base assumption being the existence of a Christian god. Many an apologetic has attempted to synthesize the real observable world with a just, righteous god. Regardless of their flawed logics, they are at least interested in taking a holistic approach to the human experience rather than an individual, capitalist, exploitative experience. As someone who as a child dove into the catholic theological worldview, desperate for meaning in this clearly meaning deprived society, these people can be radicalized, and are capable of changing their basis of thought. It takes real effort and patience, but they are much more likely to be a devoted comrade to the human liberatory unification experience than a bourgeois hedonistic individualist, who only cares for themselves and the people closest to them, who would rather not ponder their experience let alone the collective human experience, but rather live their own lives in pursuit of illusory happiness in isolation.

  • Awoo [she/her]
    ·
    4 years ago

    I bumped this topic towards a socialist christian friend of mine for opinions and got this back:

    If you're interested in dipping into this topic I recommend what is called Liberation Theology; it's a school of theology that seeks to reject the false god of money, materialism and wealth.

    While they aren't perfectly complimentary to each other, both Liberation Theology and Dialectical Materialism have a lot of similarities in their attitudes towards indiviualism/collectivism, disdain of social class, and inference that God's benevolence is about breaking chains, not forging them.

    There's a fantastic paper from 2018 by Dr. Peter McLaren on this called:

    Karl Marx and Liberation Theology: Dialectical Materialism and Christian Spirituality in, against, and beyond Contemporary Capitalism

    He'll posit that, yes, it probably possible but not exactly on a conservative Biblical hermeneutic — you need to dip into wider Christian philosophy. Cartesian, I think.

    If you're more curious about it, I'm on a first name basis with a retired professor who specialised in Liberation Theology. He's the most left wing Christian I've ever met.

    TL;DR: yes, through a specific brand of theology that is growing more and more popular. I'm not qualified to talk about it knowledgeably, but can point you to where you can find those that are ^^

    In short -- Yes they think radicalising Christians by synthesising diamat and god's actions is extremely viable. You're at a distinct advantage with anyone that actually gets into real theological discussion because these are people that actually read and discuss things intellectually. This is very different to just radicalising work people or ignorant individuals that don't read. You can get into some very deep stuff with them.

    • DalaiLamarxist [none/use name]
      ·
      4 years ago

      If you want to radicalize a Christian don't immediately turn them to Marx. Introduce them to liberation theology. Even if they don't become a marxist itself it'll turn them into an ally.

    • cpfhornet [she/her,comrade/them]
      ·
      4 years ago

      I've often wondered if more effort with this approach could be a good counter to the current neo-fascist strategies. The american christianity that synthesized with capitalism ideologically (obviously not all christians, socialist christians are comrades no question) has lost a lot of sway in the past couple decades, and I feel that a large bulk of christian America is ready to hear something different with a message of real change and hope, real empathy and human prosperity, and we can't afford to lose them to the fascists as they condemn our movement and ideology as godless and evil.

        • cpfhornet [she/her,comrade/them]
          ·
          4 years ago

          I'm an atheist lol, I'm saying that a large chunk of American Christians are seeing more and more that the society we live in is deeply inhuman and amoral. As their faith in the current system wavers, they will seek alternatives, most keeping their theological framework (losing faith sucked, it takes time and we don't have time). If they're going to remain Christian, they can choose Liberation Theology adjacent rationale or the Christian national/fascist route. Do you think in a hypothetical American revolution that everyone will suddenly drop religion? We need to work with people where they are, as long as their base views don't conflict with their participation as a ideological proletarian/revolutionary.

          • DalaiLamarxist [none/use name]
            ·
            4 years ago

            I've long held the belief no far left movement will be successful if it's militantly secular. America is a very religious country and not enough people would be willing to drop God for politics. Allowing a way for the religious to become allies and have a place in the movement will go a long ways to reach the levels of mass support needed for a successful revolution.

      • Awoo [she/her]
        ·
        4 years ago

        I think you're onto something here and reading up on this Liberation Theology , in particular how socialists that were eventually murdered were making big inroads with it in LatAm were applying it.

        The " Preferential Option for the Poor " rhetoric is strong, not coded in left/right, has a third-way feel to it, and has potential to make a radical christian movement in favour of the most downtrodden. Learning this stuff is worthwhile if only for the fact that it arms you with rhetoric that can be used with the actually-well-read Christians. There is good rhetoric within this that is non-triggering and smartly coded to radicalise people leftwards without actually setting off their American red under the bed alarm bells.