Monday, October 27, 2008
Fighting the Church
In the case that Switzerland were ever invaded, Major H. von Dach Bern wrote Total Resistance: Swiss Army Guide to Guerrilla Warfare And Underground Operations in 1957. What I find particularly interesting are the details given to how an occupying force undermines the society and brings the culture to its side. Note particularly how the Church is fought:
A. Enemy operations against the church
The totalitarian enemy will always label the church as a potential "enemy" and will fight it accordingly. He will proceed with the greatest cunning and will implement the dechristianization of life in stages so as not to be too conspicuous. He will not destroy the church in one attempt but will undermine it slowly over a period of several years. If he proceeds too quickly, general resistance would result.
Under the concept of "church" one must include the Catholic church, reformation church, and independent religious movements (i.e., Methodist church, Christian Science, Jehova's Witnesses, etc.).
Operations against the church will take approximately the following form: (1) slandering the church; (2) making the church an object of ridicule.
In an effort to prevent creation of martyrs, if at all possible, he will attempt to portray the church figures as common criminals. For instance, morals charges will be brought against priests or they will be accused of misdemeanors such as embezzlement.
B. Special measures
The enemy will resort to chicanery of all sorts to suppress the church, such as the withdrawal of coal allotments or the reduction of power supply. He will discontinue religious instructions in schools and will eliminate special religious instructions such as "chatechism lessons," "confirmation lessons," etc. Possibly he will replace it for instance by a state "youth initiation" or similar action.
The enemy will suppress Catholic schools and institutions; dissolve religious associations; remove Christian symbols (crosses, pictures, etc.) in public (for instance, schools, hospitals, etc.); prohibit religious magazines and books; limit and finally prohibit church services. Parents will be pressured to quit sending their children to church or religious instruction. After a while, such instruction will also be discontinued under the pretext that it is no longer necessary since it is attended only by a backward minority or not at all.
Similar procedure will be used to reduce church attendance. Church goers may be threatened with being black listed. They may be considered unsuitable for certain offices and positions for being a "backward church goer."
In many cases a so-called "public peace" is negotiated with the church after the initial wave of persecution. This is especially the case when subordinate elements have exposed themselves too much by their anti-church attitudes and have caused great attention. The subsequent period of calm is to smooth over the waves of indignation and pacify the aroused public. The church itself will, based on experience, strictly adhere to the agreements made so as not to bring on new persecutions. Through this action its hands are often tied for long periods of time.
C. Attitudes of Church in the Fight against Church
The fight against the church also has its positive aspects. It separates the former followers from the truly faithful. When the church makes sacrifices it will gain a closer relationship to those portions of the population which, until now, have remained aloof from its efforts and aims. When the church is being persecuted it will be able to do real missionary work. Greatest difficulties and highest chances of success are thus directly related.
The church must concentrate upon fighting against intolerance and a personality cult.
The church must emphasize the fact that each of God's commandments will be revenged sooner or later.
It must cultivate the concept of "help thy neighbor" and designate as such all persecuted persons.
It must call attention to the responsibilities of a Christian, such as resisting the misuse of power, disobeying edicts impinging on freedom to worship; and must remind the people that children not only belong to their parents but should be brought up by them.




1 Comments:
Gold. Pure gold. The last paragraph especially.
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