Pius XI taught that Socialism, along with its theoretical end-point, Communism, are intrinsically evil, entailing various fundamental violations of fundamental human rights, not least the right to property, freedom, religion, free enterprise and life. Almost invariably, such regimes end up brutally, with ubiquitous surveillance, mass deportations, imprisonments, labour camps, staged courts and summary executions. Paula Adamick has aptly summarized the Popes and their condemnations of this insidious ideology, as our own fair notion descends ever-further into the socialist morass.
One of the primary ways that socialism infects a society is through lies, and not in general the bold variety, but the subtle: Manipulating, hiding, obfuscating, warping, exaggerating the truth, in such a way that it really is a lie. Take the notion of ‘free’, universal medical care, when it is anything but free (rather far more expensive than private), and, as the untold thousands will attest who cannot ‘find’ a physician, far from universal as well.
To fight this deceit, we too must cultivate truth, in our hearts, minds and speech. Let our yes be yes, and our no, no. The more limpid is our minds and souls, the more we will be able to see through the falsity of all the current ‘isms’.
As Ms. Adamick points out, Pope John Paul II fought Communism not with violence, but with truth, in which his saintly life was immersed, in the truth of God, of Man, of all reality, the price of long hours spent in prayer, study, meditation.
One remark of the great Pope has always stuck with me: ‘An excuse is a lie, guarded’. How often we make ‘excuses’, white lies to cover an uncomfortable truth. But such small deceits often lead to much larger ones, and before we know it, we blind ourselves. We should be more simple and straightforward, speaking the truth as we see it, insofar as the other has a right to what we have to say. Sometimes, perhaps oft-times, as Christ taught, silence is the better way.
Only by living a life founded on truth will we be given eyes to see, and ears to hear, to distinguish between truth and falsity, good and evil, and so choose the path that leads to salvation.