***** Worse, the growing commercialism of America has made it all the more possible for the churches to increase their wealth. Between 1916 and 1926, the value of church buildings rose $2,160,000,000; that is, an increase of one hundred and twenty-nine per cent. The most striking example in America, probably, of this land values is Trinity Church (Episcopal) at the head of Wall Street. It owns about $15,000,000 in real estate, with an income from that alone of $1,460,000, and it has a surplus of $14,000,000. And all from property practically given to it, and more, in so far as concerns portions of it which can be listed as of service to religion, tax exempt.
That the laws of this or any country should permit any such sums to fall into organizational hands, and especially such organizational hands as set up such claims and commands as those of our religionists, is obviously wrong. More, it is economically unsound, since most of it is untaxed, and permits the rise and support of a privileged class which does little, if anything, more than befog the human mind, For as any one can see for himself, religious doctrines are based on so-called revelation, not reality. And worse, with such wealth to direct, what political, and worse, mental, harm cannot be done! The unlimited use of propaganda! The millions spent on foolish campaigns designed to shape or change public opinion in regard to this or that: divorce, birth control, the falseness of the Darwinian theory, or almost anything in connection with science and history! The blather about saints and cures and bringing all to Jesus, the while taxes are evaded and the scummy politicians whom they endorse, or even nominate and elect to office, proceed to rob the public in favor of the corporations and churches whom they serve! No wonder ignorance, no wonder illusion, when those with power in the religious field knowingly delude and mislead the masses! The things told them! That it is important to vote for this or that crook; uphold religion; it is good for the people to go to war, to put religion in the schools, to give into the hands of these mental bandits the care and education of all children, so that they may be properly enslaved by religion! (A slave, in my opinion, is the man who does not think for himself. A man with knowledge is not powerless.) But always with suave and polished words. For it is not men who are talking, as they assert, but God through them! and so through the mouths of tricksters and social prestidigitators, and no more and no less, comes all this hooey in regard to the hereafter! No wonder then that Russia swept religion away! And it should so be done here! Men should be educated concerning the data of this world and the value to men of a properly organized social life, and the how of that organization, so that they may really live better and be better mentally and physically. But, no! Whisper! God has told me, and I will tell you, and you shall follow and sustain me as my servant who am the servant of God! <http://www.infidels.org/library/historical/theodore_dreiser/church_and_wealth_i n_america.html> *****
Here's a trenchant and hard-edged criticism of religion from a materialist point of view. Dreiser seems unafraid of offending religious sensibilities of Americans. And keep in mind that at the time the above was published, the American Left was in some sense (though not in all) in much better shape than we are. I think Carrol is correct in his hunch that from the beginning of the 30s till maybe the expulsion of communists from public life, Americans were likely much less religious than they are now. (I've seen a study that demonstrated as much, but for the life of me, I can't recall where I read it.) The 30s was probably the high point of honest and unabashed American atheism.
Someone should undertake a study of the wealth and power of our contemporary moral entrepreneurs.
Yoshie