what Bolshevism is,– still why give any latitude to what is by far
the worse of the two?Sri Aurobindo
Autobiographical Notes
and Other Writings of Historical Interest
Part Three. On Indian and World Events 1940–1950
2. Notes and Letters to the Editor of Mother India 1949–1950
On Cardinal Wyszynski, Catholicism and Communism1
As to your proposed article on [Wyszynski]2, it seems to me that it is better to drop the
subject. It had and has no value except as a stick with which to beat the
Soviets and their allies. The sole question is in that case whether the man was
justified in his stand for liberty even in that restricted area of religious
freedom and the freedom especially of the Catholic religion to be itself, as
every religion has a right to be in all civilised countries and whether it was
worth while fighting out that question when the real question is how to get rid,
if now it is at all possible, of the Bolshevik monstrosity and the tyranny with
which it threatens the world. That can’t be done by subtly philosophical and
even metaphysical articles balancing the rights and wrongs on each side and the
relative wickedness of the Soviets and the Western nations. Many readers might
even take it as a justification or at least a partial condemnation of the
prosecuting Government and the martyrdom it has chosen to inflict on the
rebellious Cardinal. And what is the pertinence of the past history of the Roman
Catholic Church, especially at a time when we have one of the most liberal
minded Popes or even the most liberal minded Pope in Roman Catholic history?
Even if it is only a fight between the Holy See of Rome and the unholy See of
the Kremlin the fight is between one centre of religious intolerance and another
centre of a still more damnable and intolerant religion,– for that is what Bolshevism is,– still why give any latitude to what is by far
the worse of the two?
3 August 1949
1 Stefan Wyszynski (1901–1981) was made archbishop of Gniezno and Warsaw and primate of Poland in 1949, and a cardinal in 1953. He was an opponent of the Communist government’s efforts to limit the influence of the Catholic Church.
2 MS (dictated) Midsentzy