(upbeat music)

- [Paul] Georgian Banov

leads worship across the world.

Not only does he love rocking out for God,

he's also a classical violinist.

While Georgian rejoices inhis freedom as a Christian,

he still mourns over thosewho suffered for decades

in his childhood home of Bulgaria,

trapped behind the iron curtain.

- They immediately went afterkilling every capitalist

because according to Karl Marxcapitalism is the main evil.

They made them dig the ditch,

they throw 'em in the ditch,

they put fire on them, Imean oil, and burn 'em.

- We stand here at theVictims of Communism Memorial,

dedicated to the morethan 100 million people

killed by the communists.

It's important to rememberthat system and socialism,

are inextricably linked.

After all, the communist USSR,

was the Union of SovietSocialist Republics,

a system controlling everything,

that levels its citizens out

by crushing individual incentive.

- Everybody makes thesame amount of money.

So if you're good atcertain and work hard,

you don't get a dime more than the guy

that sit and do nothing.

So the productivity goeslow, and low, and low.

This is very destructiveto successful economy.

- [Paul] Georgian points out how shortages

inevitably follow.

- There's nothing to buy becauseeverything is so depleted.

The only thing you couldbuy every day is bread.

- [Paul] Georgian remembersbeing one of the five families

packed into a five room home

and he remembers the constant fear.

- [Georgian] Now everybody's poor

and unless you're sayingthing that are in line 100%

with the communistpropaganda and doctrine,

you get pulled out andeventually you disappear.

- [Paul] And in the schools,your life, profession,

and even your beliefsare all dictated to you.

- You are directlycontrolled by a supervisor,

who is over the teacher.

So making sure everything is safe,

supports the communist.

- [Paul] Georgian points out,it's not just about economics,

but snuffing out God.

He explains Karl Marx,the man behind socialism

and communism, despisedGod and wrote these words.

- [Georgian] "God I hateyou and I'll hurt you

"by destroying the peopleyou created for your glory."

So the whole system isactually an anti-Christ system.

They became the God.

"Praise us, glorify the communist."

So it was a religion.

- [Paul] Georgian saw how Bulgaria

clamped down on Christianswith an iron fist

and especially targetedspirit filled believers.

- They had power.

The Holy Spirit gives you power,

so the Holy Spirit peoplewere the most persecuted

'cause they're the mostunsubmissable, unsubmissive.

They didn't give their membership,

they meet in secret only, underground.

Bibles were confiscated andevery Bible press was destroyed.

- For those who think America

can have a softer, kinder socialism,

Georgian wishes they could understand,

for this system to succeed,it has to take total control

and that means taking away freedoms.

He contrasts that to theGod who gives us freedom,

gifts, and power to lovingly care for all.

- You don't need to empower the government

to fix your problems.

We the people are wellable to fix our problems.

So instead of fallingfor what the communists

will do for you, askwhat God will do for you

with the gift He's given you.

- [Paul] It was Georgian's gift of music

that got him into troublewith the communists.

- [Georgian] We're thefirst rock band ever

to come on national television.

We weren't even that good,

but there was no bands to compare.

- [Paul] These rockers would drive

their Bulgarian audiences wild

and eventually catch thecommunists' watchful eye.

- Young people standing and clapping,

would to them is like revolution.

There is a no clapping during songs.

- [Paul] And finallythe communists shut down

the rock and roll in themiddle of a big concert.

- Unplugged all ourguitars and instruments.

"You all going home,no more rock and roll,

"this is out of control."

That pushed me to want to get out of there

and I says, "That's it,I can't handle this."

Eventually I got, escapedthrough iron curtain

and made it to the free country, yay.

- [Paul] And here in America,he met the Jesus people

who led him to a personalencounter with God.

- That's the first time I felt freedom

that I longed for on the inside.

- A freedom Georgian wants people to know

they'll never find under socialism

and the control it will clamp on them.

Paul Strand, CBN News, reporting

from the Victims of CommunismMemorial, Washington.