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BOX-FOLDER-REPORT: 36-1-180
TITLE:             Topical Questions of Atheistic Education
BY:                
DATE:              1976-10-27
COUNTRY:           Hungary
ORIGINAL SUBJECT:  RAD Background Report/219
THEMATIC SUBJECTS: Hungary--1976-1989, Church and State, Education

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RADIO FREE EUROPE Research

This material was prepared for the use of the
editors and policy staff of Radio Free Europe.

RAD Background Report/219
27 October 1976

TOPICAL QUESTIONS OF ATHEISTIC EDUCATION
(A translation with comment by the Hungarian Unit)

Summary and Introduction: Translated below is almost the
full text of an article that appeared in the September
1976 issue of Ifju Komunista (Young Kommunist.), the
Communist Youth League's theoretical and methodological
monthly. The author, Zoltan Kovacs, discussed questions
of the atheistic education of youth in light of the still
powerful influence exerted by the Churches and religion
 in Hungary. He also considers the obstacles the KISZ. has
to surmount in discharging its responsibilities for the
ideological education of youth.

The article starts by reiterating the official standpoint
that the relationship between state and Church is
developing in harmony with the interests of socialism. This view 
was vigorously affirmed at the recent congress of the
Patriotic People's Front by speakers representing both
state and party, and the Church leaders have not
rejected it. Kovacs believes that the Church must partipate
in the building of socialism and the creation of an
antiimperialist front -- otherwise it will be isolated.
He continues as follows.

 * * *

..... Despite to this, there still exist in all Churches
forces of regression -- representatives of clerical reaction who
have continued to function alone without any mass basis, who avoid
open political conflict and do not risk a frontal attack
on socialism, but at certain times and in certain
situations "warn" everyone that they have not given up the struggle
against socialism. Nowadays they try to shatter good relations
between state and Church, as well as political détente, mainly by
indirect methods, by the use of democratic slogans, and by simple
demagogy. One of the most widespread techniques used by clerical
reaction is to exaggerate our society's difficulties, its
correctable mistakes and shortcomings. These reactionary maneuvers can
however, be averted through systematic -- and mainly
preventive -- political action.

[page 2]

Since the conclusion of the Conference on Security and
Co-operation in Europe it has been generally found that the reactionary
and anticommunist forces adopt a cold-war interpretation of the
principles included in the Final Act in order to attack the
socialist countries. Under the pretence of the "free flow" of people,
ideas, and information they claim the right to indulge in the
propagation of antisocial views and ideas, and they would like to activate
the reactionary forces that still exist in our country in this
direction. At the same time, under the guise of "defending" human rights,
they mount crude attacks on the Soviet Union, the socialist states,
and the Churches in our country. In the intensified ideological
struggle the cold-war imperialist forces consider these reactionary
clerical forces one of their most important allies .

Church Activities Among Youth

The inner life and mass influence of the Churches has
undergone important changes since the liberation. The Churches have no
significant influence on relations among the social classes, but it
would be a mistake to believe that their influence has ceased
completely on the life of society and the individual man. The
religious Weltanschauung has still deep roots but its role in
regulation society has narrowed down and among the petite bourgeoisie
in the cities and villages it has been virtually limited to
formalities and outward appearance. The Churches drive to hold and win
youth -- mainly from the intelligentsia -- for the religious
Weltanschauung has, however, increased. It is noteworthy that both at
home and abroad antisocial forces allot (in a typical division of
labor) a larger role to religious activity. In some cases we find
that religious ideological activity, in open or concealed ways, and
especially with regard to its objectives and political content,
includes consciously reactionary activity.

The religious influencing of youth and holding onto it is a
fundamental objective of all the Churches and religious sects. The
Churches endeavor to be represented at all the major events of
human life: they offer christening, religious instruction, first
communion, confirmation, religious services for children and youth,
instruction to engaged couples, and marriages ceremonies, and their
activities are manifold. The Churches are aware of the fact that
the social roots of a religious Weltanschauung have been loosened
everywhere, and that the forms, content, and methods of the
religious life can not be taken for granted for all time. In our country
the building of socialism and our social, political, and economic
conditions have a strong impact on the consciousness of the people,
including the young. Most children attend religious instruction
because they are forced to do so by their parents, and many formerly
enthusiastic and diligent altar boys turn their backs on the Church
when they leave primary school. It is often said that children
can be persuaded to perform the duties of altar boys only in
exchange for some kind of present or for money. The clergy are
aware of this and are endeavoring to build up a more conscious
religious basis and to concern themselves systematically and
purposefully with smaller groups.

[page 3]

The Churches realize that today the traditional forms of
religious life have little appeal to youth. In its Weltanschauung
and way of life youth is moving ever further away from the
principles of the religious life and its teachings. To maintain and
deepen their influence, the Churches are using new and appealing
methods. They are bringing religious ceremonies up-to-date to
give them a greater appeal, introducing beat masses and concerts,
and reviving old religious traditions . They modernize their
teachings about the world and the Church which have been deemed
obsolete and out-of-date, and try to develop a "human-faced" picture
of the Church which "is acceptable to modern people and youth."
The Church is presented as a democratic institution always ready
and able to revive and to represent the new to everyone.

To maintain their religious influence and to develop the
"Church of the future," the Churches try to enter into active
relations with the family. They participate in the main family
ceremonies and visit the sick; on such occasions they try to include
everybody present, including those who do not belong to the family,
in their common prayers. They use believers in the family as a lever
to ensure that children participate in religious instruction at
church or in a Bible circle. The clergy are becoming more and more
family-centered in their approach. In Budapest and the larger
cities club-type afternoon Bible circle meetings for young people
and religious services are often held which are attended by
nonchurchgoing youth. Cultural lectures are given, beat music is
played, and political Weltanschauung discussions are held. The
majority of the clergy endeavor to develop among the young a basis
closely linked to the Church. Some groups have gone so far as to
publish illegal papers, to give publicity to writings illegally
smuggled into the country, and have organized literary and debating
societies in schools, picnics, and institutionalized vacations.
Intervention is justified in such flagrant cases. Patient informative
and educational work is the primary requirement in dealing with these
who become the victims of illegal actions by reactionary clergymen
or others.

The worries, problems, and difficulties that beset individuals
 and various communities are fertile soil for religious belief.
Successful solution of such difficulties and the development of our
social life, on the other hand, narrow down and decrease its
appeal. The rapid development of science, the advance of the
scientific Weltanschauung, systematic Marxist-Leninist education,
and the continuous raising of the cultural level of our people
impede the expansion of the religious Weltanschuung -- mainly among
the young.

Tasks and Methods in the Ideological Struggle

Ideological indifference in the course of youth work is
impossible. We must carry on our ideological work circumspectly,
systematically. and consistently against all forms of idealist
Weltanschauung. The scientific outlook of the next generation
must be developed and shaped through patient educational work, the

[page 4]

resolute introduction of the foundations of a Marxist-Leninist
Weltanschauung, followed by its consolidation. In this field, too,
the two-front principle must prevail: a stand must be taken
against opportunistic views derived from false sensitivity,
and distrust, impatience, and a hurtful attitude must be rejected.
Ideological illiteracy and indolence cannot be corrected by administrative
measures, nor can they be covered by cynical unprincipledness or
convenient unconcern. No compromise is possible in the ideological
struggle.

We are naturally aware that the development of a socialist
consciousness is the outcome of a long process. It would be
illusory to believe that religious conviction can be destroyed
from one day to the other. We are well aware of the fact that
human consciousness cannot be changed in a mechanical way. In
the struggle against the religious Weltanschuung, therefore, the
stress has to be put on patient political and educational work.
It would be a mistake to narrow down the tasks of socialist ideological
work to the struggle against religious views.

The program adopted by the 11th HSWP Congress defined the
fundamental objective in this field: "The development of social
consciousness and the changing of the people's way of thinking
and their moral attitudes are an impereative part of the socialist
development of our society." The struggle for the consciousness
of the believer is in turn part of this, and here we have already
achieved some results. Our ideas and the norms of a socialist way
of life and attitude have become the accepted determinant of a wide
circle of people.

The struggle giants the religious Weltanschauung is therefore
a complex task. It is being carried on for the people and not against
them. It is the primary task of our schools, teachers, and young
Communists to educate the young to be faithful to the idea of
socialism. Our main means of fighting down the religious outlook is mass
political education, the propagation of a scientific Weltanschauung,
and the consistent and high-level profession of the ideas of
Marxism-Leninism .

There are few opportunities for the spread of the old bourgeois
way of thinking among youth and this helps their alienation from
religious influence. On the other hand, as we said earlier, this
does not mean that religious influence ceases spontaneously or that
the scientific way of thinking will win an immediate
victory -- whichever objectively determined social process is in question. The
estrangement of youth from religion does not begin with a change of
attitude but with the gradual omission of religious acts . But even
this can be perceptible only in a field and in a community in which
the wider as well as the immediate environment attributes no social
value or importance to religious ceremonies, and where the
individual's transcendence is measured by the criterion of a socialist
way of thinking and life.

Family and social ceremonies still have an, important role to
play in ideological educational work. In our country, in the last
15 years, the state organizations, mass organizations, and
educational institutions have made great efforts to gain acceptance for

[page 5]

and publicize new and modern forms of socialist ceremonies. The
results are increasingly tangible in the name-giving ceremonies
and socialist weddings KISZ, the Pioneer organizations, and youth
guards are engaging in valuable organizational and cultural
activities. What is happening here needs to be studied and
strengthened and it is important that use should be made of
experience gained in other socialist countries.

Ideological Educational Work by Personal Example

Unless there is consistency between words and deeds a successful
struggle against religion is impossible, since the contradictions
encountered in this field are especially damaging and lead to the
adoption of a false and opportunistic attitude. We can prove the
superiority of socialist morality over religious morality only by
setting an example in our individual and communal life, by our moral
attitude, life style, and pleasure in work, and by our family life
Here too, as everywhere else, young Communists have to be a. step
ahead of the rest of the world.

We must be careful that the ideological struggle against the
religious Weltanschauung does not develop into a personal attack
on young believers or an attempt to limit the practicing of their
religion by administrative means. On the other hand the Churches
cannot be allowed to demand any limitation of our freedom to propagate
a scientific-materialistic Weitanschuung. Attempts by the clergy to
take advantage of youth's inexperience must be determinedly rebuffed.
This cannot be allowed in any of the denominations.

Special attention must be devoted to attempts by Western
reactionary circles and their clerical supporters, since the European
security conference, to propagate freely among youth "ideas and
information" that are politically harmful and to call in question the
achievements of our socialist development. Under the pretext of
conducting a dialogue they infiltrate the progressive, socialist
revolutionary forces and do all they can to upset their unity of
action and to bring about an ideological loosening up and general
disturbance. By misunderstanding the fundamental divergences
between capitalist and socialist societies and by hiding behind
ultraleftist and Maoist ideas, they often incite disturbances and
agitation against our established social order. This must be
stopped. It is impermissible that the confused ideas prevailing
ins some youth organizations and circles in the Western Churches
should be granted any scope in our country. The ideological battle
with the representatives of such organizations must be openly
joined. We must strengthen the co-ordination between political
and ideological work in the party organization, KISZ, the cultural
institutions, and especially among the teachers. It is important
to improve the standard of patient and consistent ideological
educational work and to take a stand against ideological indifference,
for which there may be various reasons. This was especially stressed
at the 11th HSWP Congress:

The party has always had a special concern for youth. It
sees in the younger age groups not only the trustees of the

[page 6]

future but also the active participants in and shapers of
life today. Thanks to our party's policy, society's concern for
the young has increased. Their living and working conditions
have improved, as have their education (including higher
education) and opportunities to spend their leisure time
usefully. At the same time, youth is still struggling with
many problems which, we must endeavor to solve. To improve
their situation additional central measures must be taken
and it is important to, make better use of local
potentialities and resources .

The development of our society, the advantageous state of our
Church policy, and developments in international life guarantee
favorable conditions for our ideological work. This is, however,
only an opportunity, and it needs to be used more effectively than
before by all the state and social organizations whose task is to
educate the masses -- especially youth -- and shape them ideologically.
We must make everyone aware that any kind of synthesis between the
various ideologies is impossible; it is impossible to obliterate
divergences between Weltanschauungen and we cannot make any
concessions to alternative doctrines or non-Marxist views. The wide
circle of devoted, zealous, and well-trained teachers and
propagandists who through their daily actions and consistent solution
of everyday tasks contribute to the implementation of socialist
ideas must undertake this work and accept this objective
precondition.

Those who adhere to a Marxist-Leninist Weitanschuung are no
saints. No mysterious miracles are associated with the heroes of
the communist movement, but their lives are exemplary and worth
following. Everybody, young and old alike, needs ideals. An ideal
breeds moral courage, a virtuous public and private life, and a
principled attitude to life. We feel a desire to follow the
outstanding figures of world history -- including those from our
nation -- because of their ethical nobility and their other valuable
qualities. Our younger people can undertake the tasks they have
to shoulder in the building of the new society if, following its
ideals, they tackle with undiminished faith and sense of responsibility 
difficulty encountered in the work of creation and building. It is
in this struggle that the elite of our youth become new socialist
individuals, an ideal worthy to be followed, and a socialist
model for their descendants. In socialism lies the future of
Hungarian youth. Providing the necessary ideological training is
a responsible task.

- end -

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