Engels deliberately emphasized the words 'in relation to the state,' as a straight thrust at the heart of German opportunism, which had declared religion to be a private matter in relation to the Party, thus degrading the party of the revolutionary proletariat to the level of the most vulgar 'free thinking' philistinism, which is prepared to allow a non denominational status, but which renounces the Party struggle against the religious opium which stupefies the people.