It has long been noted that the fall of the Iron Curtain did not spell the end of Communism. It is still alive and well, mainly in Western universities, and amongst many of our ruling elites. Because this ideology still has such a powerful hold, it would be premature to throw out your collection of anti-Communism books.
One such book was the 1960 volume by Dr Fred Schwarz. While copies of the original may be harder to find nowadays (although the 1962 edition I still own speaks of 750,000 copies in print), we can now easily find this volume again, thanks to the efforts of David Noebel of Summit Ministries in Colorado.
You Can Still Trust the Communists: To be Communists, Socialists, Statists, and Progressives Tooby Frederick Schwarz (Author), David A. Noebel (Author)
Fifty years on from when this volume was first released, Noebel has presented us with an expanded and revised edition of this classic work. All of the original work is still here, but at the end of each chapter by Dr Schwarz there is now a selection of titles for further reading.
And Noebel has added five new chapters of his own as well, along with an extensive bibliography at the end of the book. Noebel reminds us that Marxist ideology did not cease with the fall of the former Soviet Union. It is certainly quite active, and can be seen even in the current Obama administration.
Thus he offers important chapters on the direction America is now headed in the new millennium, and discusses how the socialists and progressives are keeping the Communist dream (or nightmare) alive. He also looks at the religious left, and leading figures such as Jim Wallis of Sojourners magazine, noting their role as fellow travellers, or “useful idiots” as Lenin put it.
Thus this second edition picks up where Schwarz left off, and takes us right up to the current situation. But even without all this new, up-to-date material, simply having this vital volume back in print is good news indeed. If you do not already have a copy of his first edition, this volume will be a welcome addition to your library.
Dr Schwarz of course was an Australian doctor, who decided to give up a lucrative career to move to America and warn the world about the dangers of totalitarian Communism. He thus formed the Christian Anti-Communism Crusade in 1953, and soon became a world-renowned expert on the threat of the Marxist ideology.
His original 1960 volume was one of the earlier clarion calls for the free West to wake from its slumber and recognise the menace of atheistic Communism. He of course was reviled and abused for his efforts, and he had to pay a very heavy price indeed for alerting us to the truth about the Communist deception.
In this book we have a wealth of information about how the Communists operate. He offers detailed chapters on such topics as:
-The Recruiting of a Communist;
-The Moulding of a Communist;
-Techniques for Seizing Power;
-Consolidation of Power;
-Allies of Communism;
-Brainwashing; and
-The Communist Program for Survival.
It was Santayana who once warned us not to forget the lessons of history, lest we repeat the mistakes. Although the military might of Communism has largely subsided (although Marxist police states still exist), the ideological warfare of the Communists remains.
Thus the importance of Noebel’s revisions and updates. This ideological struggle is certainly not over, and the radicals are still seeking to bring their version of utopia to earth, even if it will be a coercive utopia. Indeed, the same techniques and deception can be found in the work of today’s radicals and activists.
Just as the early Communists sought to dupe the Christian churches into supporting their agenda, and were successful in co-opting many church leaders for their cause, so too today. The struggle for the soul of the church is far from over. As Noebel documents, such activities are still eagerly being pushed.
He highlights the case of Jim Wallis. He reminds us of how he has continuously promoted an anti-American agenda, even siding with her enemies. When the Vietcong overran South Vietnam, Wallis effused, “I don’t know how else to express the quiet emotion that rushed through me when the news reports showed that the United States had finally been defeated in Vietnam.”
However, as Noebel notes, “like Jane Fonda, Wallis said next to nothing about the Communist genocide that followed the wars in Vietnam and Cambodia.” And this same Wallis is now a “spiritual advisor” to President Obama! No wonder the US is in such sad shape today.
The ideological battle between the free West and its enemies has not abated, but taken on new forms and trajectories. But the underlying war of worldviews remains. We all owe Fred Schwarz a great debt of gratitude for his original work. And we all owe David Noebel a great debt of gratitude for presenting us again with this work, along with his own updates to it.
10 Replies to “A Review of You Can Still Trust the Communists…to Be Communists. By Fred Schwarz and David Noebel.”
In Australia they’re known as “The Greens”!
James Riley
Yes quite right James
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
When I navigated to this unbelievable The End Of Nations opinion piece I realized that Bill Muehlenberg’s commentators totally should be able to discuss this link: http://hubpages.com/hub/Global-Union-The-End-Of-Nations
Bhanu Tiwari
More specifically, Lee Rhiannon, who is almost certainly elected to the Senate for NSW:
Thanks again Bill I love your articles, book reviews and ability to illuminate things.
Communism (and the spirit behind it) never died it just evolved over to a higher level under numerous names. It amazes me to think how even Australia has ended up with a PM who just 9 years ago was involved in a group involved in recruiting communists into the Labor party.
I hope I don’t seem to be some raving idiot pushing some crazy conspiracy theory but it alarms me, not as some intellectual but as an ignorant tradie who struggles even with his English how forms of Hegelian-ism and transformational Marxism (call it communism if you like) has infected so much of our societies thinking (including most churches) yet we seem to be oblivious to it.
A few years ago I spent some effort trying to come to grips with what a brother Dean Gotcher founder of the Authority research institute (Google it) in the USA was trying to say to us. For me personally it was heavy going but in the end opened my eyes right up to what was going on around me under my nose even in my small town. Since then I have identified exactly what Prof Gotcher is exposing in all sorts of places from our schools (and I have discussed this with school teachers at length, one who said straight out there was something quite evil going on in her school ) to government consultation meetings I have attended as an Electrical contractor. Local community meetings sponsored by the local council and even in church growth seminars.
Maybe it might not mean much to many but I believe an inspired Gotcher is identifying and exposing to the light of Gods word, “the process” of world transformation every believer should be aware of. Something far more dangerous than Communism.
A Link to Gotchers paper. http://www.professionalserve.com/doublespeak/index96IAR.html
Rob Withall
The old communism does seem to manifest itself in secular humanists today who think they have found an enlightened ideology which supersedes spiritual belief in a creator which surpasses our understanding. They have prematurely done away with the airy fairy notion of God for a more practical lifestyle. This legislates being kind, patient and inclusive and “everyone being equal” – qualities normally associated with religious belief. However the resulting political correctness lacks moral compass and ends up with all sorts of PC absurdities and any dissenting voice is shouted down by the liberal elite, who just want to tell all the proles what to do, They pull the wool over their own eyes with their talk of fairness as they seek power and justification that they can do what they like. Far from enlightenment I think history will judge us as an age of stupidity.
Rachel Smith
Communism is indeed alive and well today.
Communism by any other name is still Communism, and unfortunately that’s where a large proportion of Australian and American Christendom get suckered in – just use a buzzword like “social justice” or “equality”, without defining it, and Christians will flock to whatever you’re teaching.
I’ve read Schwarz’s book, and it was very interesting. +1 for the recommendation.
Jonathan Field
Thank you, Bill, for your insightful comments on You Can Still Trust Communists by Schwarz and Noebel.
And thank God for Summit Ministries founded by Noebel.
Peggy Powell
Hello Bill,
You and your readers may find this link very interesting.
It gives some insight into Obama’s so called Christian faith.
The review of “You Can Still Trust the Communists to Be Communists” is good. I read the original a couple of times and then the updated version just recently.
One thing the book does not do is tell what should replace Communism. I have a free book (no strings, no ads) at http://jeremiahbezalel.org that addresses human rights and civil government from a thoroughly biblical perspective. You might take a look at it. It does address collectivism directly, but its emphasis is on what God requires of us in the areas of freedom, government and how we treat one another generally.
In Australia they’re known as “The Greens”!
James Riley
Yes quite right James
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
When I navigated to this unbelievable The End Of Nations opinion piece I realized that Bill Muehlenberg’s commentators totally should be able to discuss this link: http://hubpages.com/hub/Global-Union-The-End-Of-Nations
Bhanu Tiwari
More specifically, Lee Rhiannon, who is almost certainly elected to the Senate for NSW:
http://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2010/guide/snsw-results.htm
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-election/the-watermelon-party-20100730-10zsb.html
http://blogs.theaustralian.news.com.au/jacktheinsider/index.php/theaustralian/comments/lets_put_the_greens_in_charge_no_really/desc
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/disunity-growing-in-the-greens/story-fn59niix-1225907977567
Jereth Kok
Thanks again Bill I love your articles, book reviews and ability to illuminate things.
Communism (and the spirit behind it) never died it just evolved over to a higher level under numerous names. It amazes me to think how even Australia has ended up with a PM who just 9 years ago was involved in a group involved in recruiting communists into the Labor party.
I hope I don’t seem to be some raving idiot pushing some crazy conspiracy theory but it alarms me, not as some intellectual but as an ignorant tradie who struggles even with his English how forms of Hegelian-ism and transformational Marxism (call it communism if you like) has infected so much of our societies thinking (including most churches) yet we seem to be oblivious to it.
A few years ago I spent some effort trying to come to grips with what a brother Dean Gotcher founder of the Authority research institute (Google it) in the USA was trying to say to us. For me personally it was heavy going but in the end opened my eyes right up to what was going on around me under my nose even in my small town. Since then I have identified exactly what Prof Gotcher is exposing in all sorts of places from our schools (and I have discussed this with school teachers at length, one who said straight out there was something quite evil going on in her school ) to government consultation meetings I have attended as an Electrical contractor. Local community meetings sponsored by the local council and even in church growth seminars.
Maybe it might not mean much to many but I believe an inspired Gotcher is identifying and exposing to the light of Gods word, “the process” of world transformation every believer should be aware of. Something far more dangerous than Communism.
A Link to Gotchers paper.
http://www.professionalserve.com/doublespeak/index96IAR.html
Rob Withall
The old communism does seem to manifest itself in secular humanists today who think they have found an enlightened ideology which supersedes spiritual belief in a creator which surpasses our understanding. They have prematurely done away with the airy fairy notion of God for a more practical lifestyle. This legislates being kind, patient and inclusive and “everyone being equal” – qualities normally associated with religious belief. However the resulting political correctness lacks moral compass and ends up with all sorts of PC absurdities and any dissenting voice is shouted down by the liberal elite, who just want to tell all the proles what to do, They pull the wool over their own eyes with their talk of fairness as they seek power and justification that they can do what they like. Far from enlightenment I think history will judge us as an age of stupidity.
Rachel Smith
Communism is indeed alive and well today.
Communism by any other name is still Communism, and unfortunately that’s where a large proportion of Australian and American Christendom get suckered in – just use a buzzword like “social justice” or “equality”, without defining it, and Christians will flock to whatever you’re teaching.
I’ve read Schwarz’s book, and it was very interesting. +1 for the recommendation.
Jonathan Field
Thank you, Bill, for your insightful comments on You Can Still Trust Communists by Schwarz and Noebel.
And thank God for Summit Ministries founded by Noebel.
Peggy Powell
Hello Bill,
You and your readers may find this link very interesting.
It gives some insight into Obama’s so called Christian faith.
http://video.foxnews.com/v/4319679/beck-obamas-faith
Regards
Mario Del Giudice
The review of “You Can Still Trust the Communists to Be Communists” is good. I read the original a couple of times and then the updated version just recently.
One thing the book does not do is tell what should replace Communism. I have a free book (no strings, no ads) at http://jeremiahbezalel.org that addresses human rights and civil government from a thoroughly biblical perspective. You might take a look at it. It does address collectivism directly, but its emphasis is on what God requires of us in the areas of freedom, government and how we treat one another generally.
Jeremiah Bezalel