Communism introduced into the world a substitute for true

Ezra Taft Benson, prophet and statesman, once declared with thunderous clarity: “Communism introduced into the world a substitute for true religion. It is a counterfeit of the gospel plan.” In these words he laid bare a warning: that when men seek to build heaven on earth without God, they risk creating not paradise but tyranny. For true religion is rooted in divine freedom, in the dignity of the soul, in the sanctity of choice. Communism, he warned, mimics these promises—speaking of equality, justice, and brotherhood—yet delivers control, bondage, and the silencing of the spirit.

The ancients knew this danger well. They told of idols that glittered with gold but were hollow within, of kingdoms that promised peace but brought slavery. Benson’s cry echoes the warnings of old: beware of the counterfeit, for it looks like truth but leads to ruin. Communism, he said, is such an idol. It claims to be a gospel for the poor, but it denies the God who sanctifies the poor. It proclaims equality, yet enforces it with chains. It is a shadow of the gospel, but without the light.

Consider the story of the Soviet Union. It promised the workers of the world liberation, bread, and dignity. But in its rejection of faith, it stripped away the deepest freedom: the freedom to worship, to choose, to dream of more than the state. Churches were closed, prayers forbidden, and millions were silenced. What was promised as salvation became a prison of the soul. Here we see Benson’s truth: Communism is not salvation, but substitution; not the gospel, but its parody.

Yet Benson’s words are not only condemnation—they are also a call to discernment. For throughout history, men and women have been drawn to false gospels, systems that promise what only God can provide. The Roman emperors demanded worship of Caesar as lord. The French Revolution enthroned Reason as a goddess. Each time, the state sought to take the place of God, offering a counterfeit religion to its people. Each time, the result was not liberty, but blood.

The meaning of Benson’s words is therefore twofold: first, that true religion must always be guarded from counterfeits; and second, that when the state attempts to play the role of savior, the soul of humanity is endangered. Religion teaches that man is more than matter, that he is a child of God with eternal dignity. Communism, by reducing man to an economic unit, denies his soul and thus robs him of his highest destiny.

The lesson for us is clear: be wary of promises that sound like the gospel but deny its source. Equality without God, justice without freedom, order without love—these are not the fruits of heaven but the devices of counterfeit faith. Look beyond the slogans, beyond the banners, and discern the spirit that animates them. True religion uplifts, frees, and ennobles. Counterfeit religion enslaves, even when it speaks of liberation.

Practical actions follow. Anchor your life in principles of faith, freedom, and compassion. Defend the right of every person to worship according to conscience. When you hear movements proclaiming salvation through human systems alone, weigh them against the eternal truths: does this honor the dignity of the soul? Does it preserve choice? Does it cultivate love? If not, beware—for it may be another counterfeit.

O seeker, remember Ezra Taft Benson’s warning: Communism is a counterfeit of the gospel plan. But let this truth be larger still: the world is filled with counterfeits, and only through discernment can the soul remain free. Hold fast to the true light, and do not be deceived by shadows. For in a world of imitations, the greatest act of courage is to cling to the eternal, to walk in truth, and to honor the God who alone grants both freedom and salvation.