A Conversation with a Communist

During my youth, many nations were engulfed in the Cold War. It was a period of intense competition between the United States and its allies against the spread of communism. By the early 1990s, the Soviet Union, the dominant communist power, had collapsed due to financial difficulties. That marked a turning point for the former Eastern Bloc nations, as they experienced freedom for the first time in years. However, communist governments still exist in China, Cuba, Laos, Vietnam, and North Korea. 

Last Sunday, I embarked on a prayer walk and evangelized in the vicinity of George Floyd Square. The first person I approached had given me a flyer promoting the Communist Party USA. I offered him a gospel tract in exchange. Matt and I went on to have a cordial conversation that lasted approximately five minutes. Instead of attempting to refute his political beliefs, I focused on explaining the importance of eternal life. Matt revealed that his son is Catholic and has been attempting to convert him to Catholicism. I emphasized that true Christianity is a relationship with the Living God.


It wasn’t until the next morning (which happened to be Memorial Day) that I realized Matt should speak with individuals who endured communism. One immigrant I’ve had the privilege of conversing with on several occasions is Georgian Banov. This worship leader fled his homeland of Bulgaria due to government suppression. In an interview with CBN, Georgian referred to communism as “…an anti-Christ system. They became God. ‘Praise us. Glorify the communists.’ So it’s a religion.”


Richard Wurmbrand, a Romanian priest, endured much harsher conditions. He publicly declared that communism and Christianity were incompatible. Consequently, he was imprisoned and tortured for fourteen years before eventually finding freedom in America. He went on to establish a ministry now known as Voice of the Martyrs, an international nonprofit organization whose mission is to defend the human rights of persecuted Christians. Anyone who entertains the idea of embracing communism should see the movie “Tortured for Christ”, based on Wurmbrand’s book of the same name. 


Matt made a claim that I’ve often heard from other atheists: “Religion has caused more wars that anything else.” Communist governments have killed millions of their own citizens. Many people are being deceived into believing that a socialist economy will benefit everyone. However, this ultimately leads to the erosion of personal freedoms. That is why numerous individuals defected to the West. Remember the Berlin Wall? It was constructed by communists to prevent East Berliners from escaping, not to deter immigration from West Berlin.


It’s no coincidence that communists oppose Christianity. They want to control others. I heard one preacher point out that communism doesn’t work because it doesn’t produce fruit. True freedom only comes from knowing Jesus Christ.


“Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” - John 8:36

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