--who pretend to believe in Universal Brotherhood, and that
they do not love the world or the things of the world and say that they
are merely "Pilgrims on their way to a better land". As for why I
don't do it--why should I? I don't pretend to be a Christian. But
you're all "Christians"--why don't you do it?'

'We're not talkin' about religion,' exclaimed Crass, impatiently.

'Then what are you talking about? I never said anything about "Sharing
Out" or "Bearing one another's burdens". I don't profess to "Give to
everyone who asks of me" or to "Give my cloak to the man who take away
my coat". I have read that Christ taught that His followers must do
all these things, but as I do not pretend to be one of His followers I
don't do them. But you believe in Christianity: why don't you do the
things that He said?'

As nobody seemed to know the answer to this question, the lecturer
proceeded:

'In this matter the difference between so-called "Christians" and
Socialists is this: Christ taught the Fatherhood of God and the
Brotherhood of Men. Those who today pretend to be Christ's followers
hypocritically profess to carry out those teachings now. But they
don't. They have arranged "The Battle of Life" system instead!

'The Socialist--very much against his will--finds himself in the midst
of this horrible battle, and he appeals to the other combatants to
cease from fighting and to establish a system of Brotherly Love and
Mutual Helpfulness, but he does not hypocritically pretend to practise
brotherly love towards those who will not agree to his appeal, and who
compel him to fight with them for his very life. He knows that in this
battle he must either fight or go under. Therefore, in self-defiance,
he fights; but all the time he continues his appeal for the cessation
of the slaughter. He pleads for the changing system. He advocates
Co-operation instead of Competition: but how can he co-operate with
people who insist on competing with him? No individual can practise
co-operation by himself! Socialism can only be practised by the
Community--that is the meaning of the word. At present, the other
members of the community--the "Christians"--deride and oppose the
Socialist's appeal.

'It is these pretended Christians who do not practise what they preach,
because, all the time they are singing their songs of Brotherhood and
Love, they are fighting with each other, and strangling each other and
trampling each other