"I still call myself a communist, because communism is no more what Russia made of it than Christianity is what the churches make of it"

Pete Seeger's quote is a reflection on the power of concepts and how they can be distorted and manipulated by those in power. He is saying that communism, like Christianity, is an idea that has been distorted by those in power. He thinks that communism is still a valid idea, in spite of the way it has been misshaped by Russia. He is saying that the concept of communism is still legitimate, and that it should not be evaluated by the method it has been carried out in Russia. He is also stating that the same holds true for Christianity, which it ought to not be judged by the method it is practiced by churches. He is suggesting that ideas must be judged on their own benefits, and not on how they are executed by those in power.