Communist recognizes God's punishments

by Francis Slobodnik   

I am currently reading a very interesting book titled, "The Forsaken, An American Tragedy in Stalin's Russia."  This book tells the tragic stories of Americans who traveled to Russia in the 1930's seeking employment.  The overwhelming majority never made it back or even survived.

    I am reading a section right now about Stalin's show trials.  One of the communists on trial during a Stalin purge was, Henrikh Yagoda, former head of the GPU or what today would be called the KGB.  Mr. Yagoda had sent thousands upon thousands to their own deaths after cruel tortures or, after inhuman conditions in concentration camps in Siberia. 

    While in prison awaiting his trial and inevitable bad end, Mr. Yagoda said something very interesting to one of his jailers.  He told his jailer that he began to believe in God, because, he said, Stalin should have showered him with gratitude for all that he had done for him instead of being placed in his current situation.  He also told his jailer that because he had violated God's commandments a thousand times, ( a low estimate I am sure) he merited the severest punishment from God. 

    Therefore, because of all of his deeds of loyalty to the party which were demonically evil, he recognized that he was being chastised to the point of humiliation, imprisonment, torture, and death by Almighty God.  This monster, recognized too late that God does indeed punish the unrepentant deeds of the wicked.