Soviet Evangelicals Since World War II, Walter Sawatsky, 1981

d passed, the opposition began to engage in psychological warfare which became ever more refined. The purpose of the psychological warfare was to change the thinking of Soviet citizens, to cast doubt on the communist world-view. Even détente, purely a tactic for the so-called doctrine of bridge building between imperialist and socialist coun- tries, was intended to contribute to the erosion of socialism. Religion would play a significant role in contemporary psychological warfare because it was the single ideology existing in the Soviet Union which was in opposition to Marxist-Leninist ideology. The introduction of religious literature was an elaborate camouflage for fostering anti-Soviet ideology. They hoped thereby to create disbelief among believers in Soviet legislation on religion and toward the policies of the Communist Party. The religious forces did so by falsifying the real conditions of religion in socialist countries. Assessment of East European Mission Societies 391 These charges have been repeated regularly without any attempt to discuss whether in fact all religion was anti-socialist, whether all clergymen were anti-communist imperialists, etc. In contrast to East Germany, for example, there has been no acknowledgement of the great variety within Christianity in its attitudes toward society. A recent booklet did distinguish between constructive and reactionary religious organizations and indi- viduals who had involved themselves in the negotiations for the Helsinki Agreement. The Vatican had managed to get two of its three major concerns approved in the final Helsinki Declaration, but the writers of this brochure still insisted that the ultimate goal of these progressive Christians who worked for peace was to assure safer living conditions that would permit the church to expand its influence in East European countries, And the expansion of religion, regardless of protests to the contrary, meant op- position to communism.” Western observers, on the other hand, charged that the entire purpose of détente, including the Helsinki Agreement, were tactical maneuvers to facilitate increased communist propaganda in Western countries. Newsweek's Moscow correspondent said the Helsinki Agreement “has to be scored heavily as a one-sided Soviet success.” George W. Ball called it ‘“‘a Western defeat.’”’® While state authorities were signing friendly agreements with Western powers, Soviet newspapers and books were increasing their verbal attacks on capitalist imperialism and state administrators increased the pressure on religious dissidents. The volume of Samizdat listing viola- tions of human rights has expanded dramatically. Is this simply a propa- ganda contest with both sides engaging in fabricated charge and counter- charge? A growing number of research centers are helping turn the balance against Soviet propagandistic accusations. Their effectiveness is illustrated by books like Diversion