A History of Communism – Part 2
A Christian Perspective and a Marine in Vietnam
Major Ronald D. Ray, USMC returned from Vietnam on March 21, 1968 with two Silver Stars and a Purple Heart. During his year tour, Ron lived and fought with the South Vietnamese Marines against the North Vietnamese Communists. America was in the midst of a Cold War against Communism and the enemy was engaged in Korea and Vietnam against this foe. Understanding Vietnam became a study for Ron. He came to the conclusion that the fight against Communism is ultimately a fight against materialism and a fight for God. God’s concept of Work is at the core of America’s system of Free Enterprise and is supported by Christian principles.
God ordained work and work ethics in the Garden of Eden. Adam was given the commission to till the Garden and name the animals (Genesis 1:27-30; 2:15-20). The 4th Commandment tells us that we shall labor for six days (Exodus 20:8-9). God gives instructions in Leviticus 25:3 for sowing the fields, pruning the vineyards and gathering the crops, assuring the people that if they follow His decrees and carefully obey His laws they will live safely in the land (Leviticus 25:18).
The writer of Proverbs refers the sluggard to the ant to learn how to work and store food at harvest so that poverty will not come on us (Proverbs 6:6-11). The same author instructs us to work at whatever our hands find to do in Ecclesiastes 9:10.
God’s concept of work carries over into the New Testament as related in the Parable of the Ten Pounds (a pound was about three months wages) (Luke 19:11-27). Don’t miss the part where the man did not put his money to work. His master took it away and gave it to the man who invested his saying; “That everyone which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him” (v. 26). Paul teaches us to give of ourselves fully to the work of the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58), and to “serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men” (Ephesians 6:7).
In order to be blameless children of God in a crooked and depraved generation, we must do everything without complaining or arguing (Philippians 2:14). We are to obey our employers by working hard and cheerfully, even when they are not looking (Colossians 3:22-25). Paul continues to drive home his work ethic in 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, calling those who do not work busybodies. He adds that they shall not eat, warning us to stay away from them. Paul gives Timothy guidelines for caring for the extended family, including those who have been widowed. If a man does not provide, especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith (1Timothy 5:8).
The most positive work ethic comes from 2 Timothy 2:15, 24; “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach and not resentful.”
All of our understanding of God’s economy, governmental order and family structure lies foundationally upon the process of transmitting the fruit of man’s labor from one generation to the next. America’s system of free enterprise is bound up in God’s design for man to work. Communism is a system devised by Man in direct opposition to God’s order. The following quotes provide an insight into the Communist view of God and His order:
- “Communism is based upon the granite foundation of materialism dedicated to the liquidation of religion. Communism leaves no room for religion.” The Lexicon of Atheism. Moscow, 1959
- “Marxism is materialism. As such it is with out mercy for religion. Every religious idea, every idea of God, even flirting with the idea of God is unutterable vileness.” Vladimir Lenin
- “Let us drive out the capitalists from earth and God from heaven.” Soviet Slogan
- “Our enemy is God. Hatred of God is the beginning of Wisdom.” The Philosophy of Communism, Fordham, 1952
- “In this revolution we will have to awaken the devil in the people, to stir up the basest passions.” Dzerjinskii, Paris, 1936
- “We do not fight against believers and not even against clergymen. We fight against God to snatch believers from Him.”Moscow Newspaper, 1975
- “The soundest strategy in war is to postpone final military operations until the moral degeneration of the enemy renders the mortal blow both possible and easy.” Karl Marx
Over the years since returning from Vietnam and fighting communists, Colonel Ron Ray struggled to come to terms with the great ironies of the war in Vietnam. He sought out an understanding of God’s law order by becoming a lawyer; he built the Kentucky Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Frankfort, Kentucky; and amassed an extensive collection of over 1,500 books and materials on Communism. Many of the books in his collection were written by witnesses in the second half of the 20th century. Over fifty years have passed and Colonel Ray now understands the fight and the ancient and deep divide between Communism and God’s Christian order. At FPP our goal is to preserve the truth of history to insure that following generations never lose sight of the Communist threat to America’s Free Enterprise system and God’s order for Work in the Kingdom on Earth.
A list of the books in the collection is available upon request. [email protected]
For more documents and more information on American History please visit the American History Restoration Project Archive.
