Religion


• The sigh of the oppressed January 25 2007
  Gerry Downing looks at the origins of monotheism and assesses the attitude of communists towards believers
• Fantastic reality - Marxism and the politics of religion December 14 2006
  Religion is back with a vengeance. George Bush and the US christian right, holy Tony Blair and Britain’s islamophobia, Russia’s reinstalled orthodox church and India’s saffron communalism, the toxic evangelicalism sweeping Africa and Latin America, Saudi Arabia’s puritanical wahhabism and al Qa’eda’s terrorism of spectacle, the Iranian theocracy and everywhere, it seems, the escape into the trench warfare of religious identity. But what is religion? In this extract from the introduction to his new book, Jack Conrad shows that the answer is not as straightforward as it might first appear
• No bans on christian fundamentalists November 30 2006
  James Turley reports on the bureaucratic attempt to ban Exeter university’s christian student society
• Secular schools, not religious indoctrination November 2 2006
  Communists fight for the equality of believers and non-believers, says Jim Moody
• Support a woman’s right to wear the niqab. Support a woman’s right not to wear the niqabs October 12 2006
  Jim Moody comments on Jack Straw’s dangerous political manoeuvre
• Benedict XVI and the struggle for Europe September 21 2006
  There is more to the pope’s Regensburg speech than a crude attack on islam. Jack Conrad investigates
• No to faith schools April 13 2006
  The left is in a mess over secularism, says Michelle Euston in her report on the National Union of Teachers

The Weekly Worker takes a closer look at the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill and explains why communists must oppose them:

• SWP 'racism' fig leaf February 23 2006
  The furore following the Danish cartoons has not subsided, writes Peter Manson. But the position of many islamic groups - backed up by the Socialist Workers Party - plays into the hands of islamophobes
• Sops and imminent dangers (Jack Conrad)
• Censorship by stealth (Mike Macnair)
• Rees comes out for Blair’s laws September 29 2005
  Leaders of the Socialist Worker Party are galloping to the right at a breathtaking pace: John Rees supports the religious hatred laws, reports Mark Fischer
• History and fantastic reality July 8 2005
  In an excerpt from the introduction of forthcoming book Religion - communist approaches and analysis, Jack Conrad argues that those who would change the world must get to grips with the role of contemporary religion and how it comes down to us
• Secularism, what it is and why we fight for it May 19 2005
  Jack Conrad looks at the origins of secularism, pseudo-secularism and how the SWP got very confused over the question
• God's cold war warrior April 7 2005
  Cameron Richards investigates the role that John Paul II played in the downfall of official communism
• An autocratic reactionary April 7 2005
  Communists must stand firm against right-wing moralism and support the right of human beings to make an informed choice at every stage of life, argues Eddie Ford
• Right to choose, right to die March 31 2005
  Communists must stand firm against right-wing moralism and support the right of human beings to make an informed choice at every stage of life, argues Eddie Ford
• Rowan’s respect problem February 24 2005
  Cameron Richards examines the turmoil unfolding within the Anglican church.
• For the right to offend January 6 2005
  The Sikh protests and drama on and off stage at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre poses important questions for working class politicians, argues Ian Mahoney
• The genuine article November 25 2004 Why did the SWP vote down a motion on secularism at last month’s Respect conference? Peter Manson debunks some false definitions and explains why a secular approach is essential in our engagement with religious believers
• Secularism, atheism and Bolshevik lessons November 18 2004
  How must communists address the question of religion? Lessons can be drawn from Lenin's approach, argues Jack Conrad
• Islam and the Bolshevik body politic October 7 2004
  What should be the attitude of communists towards believers? Socialist Workers Party member Dave Crouch discussed the lessons of post-revolutionary Russia in his contribution to the CPGB’s Communist University 2004
• Mythical past, open future May 20 2004
  How should Marxists classify the Muslim Association of Britain? Is it of the "far right", a sinister clerical-fascist organisation, or is the truth more mundane? Ian Donovan gives some answers.
• Jesus: a revolutionary and a communist April 22 2004
  Jack Conrad presents a communist analysis of Jesus
• Opportunist wrongs February 26 2004
  Jack Conrad argues the communist position on religious belief and Party membership
• French left looks away February 26 2004
  While thousands marched against the banning of muslim headscarves, the French left was absent. Peter Manson argues this was a mistake
• Jacques Chirac’s Lutte Ouvrière policemen January 8 2004
  Sections of the French left, confused by interlocking issues of secularism, women’s rights and freedom of expression, are in disarray over president Jacques Chirac’s plans to scapegoat the oppressed five-million-strong muslim minority, writes Peter Manson
• Bible myths and modern Israel December 18 2003
  Jack Conrad argues that the Jehovah cult reflected the class antagonism between elite and masses
• Radical christianity and social resistance December 18 2003
  The CPGB’s Communist University 2003 was addressed by Ray Gaston, vicar of All Hallows church, Leeds, and a member of the Socialist Alliance. This is an edited version of his speech
• Women’s rights, political islam and secularism December 4 2004
  Radical Iranian writer Chahla Chafiq shared a platform with Salma Yaqoob at last month’s European Social Forum. The two sharply disagreed over the role of islam in politics. Afterwards she spoke to Peter Manson
• Secularism is no 'shibboleth' either July 24 2003
  Jack Conrad stands by defence of secularism, women's rights and homosexual equality
• Homosexuality and hypocrisy June 24 2003
  Michael Malkin investigates the latest furore in the Church of England
• Imperialism's Frankenstein May 22 2003
  Political islam is the child of the CIA, writes Ian Donovan
• Origins of islam February 13 2003
  Jack Conrad looks at the genesis of one world religion squarely in the public eye
• Against theocratic reaction January 23 2003
  Martyn Hudson questions the attitude of leading members of the CPGB to islamic political movements
• Secularism and self-determination June 13 2002
  Phil Kent welcome the return of working class politics in the debate on Kashmir
• Paedophile priests: Suffer the little children April 25 2002
  Maurice Bernal reports on the crisis in the Roman catholic church
• Separate church and state January 17 2002
  The Church of England is at the heart of the anti-democratic constitutional monarchy system of the UK state. Challenging it falls to communists and the working class, writes Michael Malkin