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Religion
In reply to the discussion: Militant atheism has become a religion [View all]SpartanDem
(4,533 posts)91. The elimination of religion was a major a ideological goal of the Soveit Union
According to Lenin: Religion is the opium of the people: this saying of Marx is the cornerstone of the entire ideology of Marxism about religion. All modern religions and churches, all and of every kind of religious organizations are always considered by Marxism as the organs of bourgeois reaction, used for the protection of the exploitation and the stupefaction of the working class
Further he went on say: Atheism is a natural and inseparable part of Marxism, of the theory and practice of scientific socialism
Since religion was the ideological tool that kept the system in place, Lenin believed atheistic propaganda to be of critical necessity. To this effect, before the revolution Lenins faction devoted a significant portion of their meagre resources to antireligious propaganda, and even during the civil war, Lenin devoted much of his personal energy towards the anti-religious campaign. The influence of the Orthodox Church especially needed to be weakened in order to undermine the Tsarist régime. The populace also needed to be prepared in order to make a transition from religious beliefs to atheism, as Communism would require of them.[28] Lenin considered atheism and theoretical ideas, not as important in themselves, but as weapons to use in the class struggle in order to overthrow the ruling classes that supported themselves with religion. For this reason he considered it important to maintain an intellectually enlightened Party that did not hold religious superstitions, and he considered that a true socialist must be an atheist
.
Further he went on say: Atheism is a natural and inseparable part of Marxism, of the theory and practice of scientific socialism
Since religion was the ideological tool that kept the system in place, Lenin believed atheistic propaganda to be of critical necessity. To this effect, before the revolution Lenins faction devoted a significant portion of their meagre resources to antireligious propaganda, and even during the civil war, Lenin devoted much of his personal energy towards the anti-religious campaign. The influence of the Orthodox Church especially needed to be weakened in order to undermine the Tsarist régime. The populace also needed to be prepared in order to make a transition from religious beliefs to atheism, as Communism would require of them.[28] Lenin considered atheism and theoretical ideas, not as important in themselves, but as weapons to use in the class struggle in order to overthrow the ruling classes that supported themselves with religion. For this reason he considered it important to maintain an intellectually enlightened Party that did not hold religious superstitions, and he considered that a true socialist must be an atheist
Throughout the history of the Soviet Union there was very systematic attempt to eliminate religion from that society. This ranged from anti-religious propaganda to taking church property and murdering clergy. IMO it is a major why atheist have not generally been liked in this country, it was one of the biggest foreign criticisms of the Soviet Union. For many generations of Americans the only real exposure to atheism was through hearing about the acts of the Soviet Union and the Cold War only intensified the feeling of American and patriotic= being religious. It's not surprising to me that much of the sharp rise in non believers is 30 or younger. I turned 30 this January, the SU collapsed when I was 7 and so did some that cultural pressure to be religious, because they weren't.
The main target of the anti-religious campaign in the 1920s and 1930s was the Russian Orthodox Church, which had the largest number of faithful. Nearly all of its clergy, and many of its believers, were shot or sent to labour camps. Theological schools were closed, and church publications were prohibited.[1] More than 85,000 Orthodox priests were shot in 1937 alone.[2] Only a twelfth of the Russian Orthodox Church's priests were left functioning in their parishes by 1941.[3]
In the period between 1927 and 1940, the number of Orthodox Churches in the Russian Republic fell from 29,584 to less than 500.
The campaign slowed down in the late 1930s and early 1940s, and came to an abrupt end after the commencement of Operation Barbarossa.[1] The challenge produced by the German invasion may have ultimately prevented the public withering away of religion in Soviet society.[4]
.......
Stalin called "to bring to completion the liquidation of the reactionary clergy in our country".[41] Stalin called for an "atheist five year plan" from 19321937, led by the LMG, in order to completely eliminate all religious expression in the USSR.[42] It was declared that the concept of God would disappear from the Soviet Union.[42]
........
The published anti-religious propaganda was not as conspicuous as it was during the 1920s, but this did not bear reflection on the level of actual persecution. The verbal propaganda was increasingly relegated to public organizations, such as party branches, the Komsomol, the Young Pioneers, the League of the Militant Godless, Museums of Scientific Atheism, Workers' Evening Universities of Atheism under the auspices of Trade Unions, and others.[31]
All forms of behavior and policies of the Churches were treated in the official propaganda as insincere and aiming to overthrow Communism (including both believers that were pro-soviet and anti-soviet). Even acts of loyalty by religious leaders to the system were considered to be insincere attempts to curry favor in order to retain their influence over the believers and protect religion from its final liquidation as the sworn enemy of the workers.
Religious behavior was presented in the official propaganda as being linked to psychological disorders and even criminal behavior. Textbooks for schoolchildren tried to evoke contempt for believers; pilgrims were depicted as morons, repulsive-looking alcoholics, syphilitics, plain cheaters and money-grubbing clergy.[32] Believers were treated as harmful parasites that spread ignorance, filth and disease, and which needed to be liquidated.
The press was filled with slogans like "let us deal a crushing blow to religion!" or "we must achieve liquidation of the Church and complete liquidation of religious superstitions!".[29] Religious belief was presented as superstitious and backward.[11] It often printed pictures of former churches that had been demolished or turned into other uses.
In the period between 1927 and 1940, the number of Orthodox Churches in the Russian Republic fell from 29,584 to less than 500.
The campaign slowed down in the late 1930s and early 1940s, and came to an abrupt end after the commencement of Operation Barbarossa.[1] The challenge produced by the German invasion may have ultimately prevented the public withering away of religion in Soviet society.[4]
.......
Stalin called "to bring to completion the liquidation of the reactionary clergy in our country".[41] Stalin called for an "atheist five year plan" from 19321937, led by the LMG, in order to completely eliminate all religious expression in the USSR.[42] It was declared that the concept of God would disappear from the Soviet Union.[42]
........
The published anti-religious propaganda was not as conspicuous as it was during the 1920s, but this did not bear reflection on the level of actual persecution. The verbal propaganda was increasingly relegated to public organizations, such as party branches, the Komsomol, the Young Pioneers, the League of the Militant Godless, Museums of Scientific Atheism, Workers' Evening Universities of Atheism under the auspices of Trade Unions, and others.[31]
All forms of behavior and policies of the Churches were treated in the official propaganda as insincere and aiming to overthrow Communism (including both believers that were pro-soviet and anti-soviet). Even acts of loyalty by religious leaders to the system were considered to be insincere attempts to curry favor in order to retain their influence over the believers and protect religion from its final liquidation as the sworn enemy of the workers.
Religious behavior was presented in the official propaganda as being linked to psychological disorders and even criminal behavior. Textbooks for schoolchildren tried to evoke contempt for believers; pilgrims were depicted as morons, repulsive-looking alcoholics, syphilitics, plain cheaters and money-grubbing clergy.[32] Believers were treated as harmful parasites that spread ignorance, filth and disease, and which needed to be liquidated.
The press was filled with slogans like "let us deal a crushing blow to religion!" or "we must achieve liquidation of the Church and complete liquidation of religious superstitions!".[29] Religious belief was presented as superstitious and backward.[11] It often printed pictures of former churches that had been demolished or turned into other uses.
The anti-religious campaign of the Khrushchev era began in 1959, coinciding with the twenty first Party Congress in the same year. It was carried out by mass closures of churches[2][3] (reducing the number from 22,000 in 1959[4] to 13008 in 1960 and to 7873 by 1965[5]), monasteries, and convents, as well as of the still-existing seminaries (pastoral courses would be banned in general). The campaign also included a restriction of parental rights for teaching religion to their children, a ban on the presence of children at church services
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marxism_and_religion
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_the_Soviet_Union
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This seems a good time to point out that was marions ghost's 1st post in this thread
muriel_volestrangler
Mar 2013
#32
"We all know that organized religion's achilles heel is what SOME of its practitioners get up to"
AlbertCat
Apr 2013
#71
Personally, I think people are referring to emergent properties of physical things, when they use
patrice
Apr 2013
#248
When it comes to personal religious beliefs, those who feel the need to convert others are insecure.
Starboard Tack
Mar 2013
#63
Reality is that not everyone shares your world view. Deal with it, Albert.
Starboard Tack
Apr 2013
#88
I'm not trying to disprove objectivity, only it's relevance to the perception of reality.
Starboard Tack
Apr 2013
#116
"Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one." - Albert Einstein
patrice
Apr 2013
#234
No, not really--the Interfaith SOP doesn't marry well with topics that involve challenges to belief
MADem
Apr 2013
#105
It's not a "play nice" group, it's a "generally agree with me or leave" group.
cleanhippie
Apr 2013
#109
I made fun of no one. When ideas are not open to scrutiny and criticism and left to stand or fall
cleanhippie
Apr 2013
#111
You don't have any clue as to my beliefs or lack thereof. I've made it a point to not share
MADem
Apr 2013
#138
Blah blah blah. You wanted an "agree with me or leave" group and you got it. Enjoy.
cleanhippie
Apr 2013
#140
Thanks SO much for your demonstration of incivility! You are working SO hard to prove my point!
MADem
Apr 2013
#141
Thanks SO much for demonstrating that you are unable to see past your own prejudices.
cleanhippie
Apr 2013
#143
I told you--I don't think you'll find that here. It's not an issue. If it becomes one,
MADem
Apr 2013
#142
So, since you're determined to dodge my questions and project upon me for asking simple questions,
deucemagnet
Apr 2013
#172
No. We simply don't tolerate rudeness and name-calling in the group. You get your drama on here.
MADem
Apr 2013
#173
I answered it from the git-go, you just didn't like the answer and pretended to not understand.
MADem
Apr 2013
#176
It's not ironic, it's fucking hypocritical. Shows the true "agree with me or leave" nature
cleanhippie
Apr 2013
#188
Which is worse, calling creationism absurd or calling people who believe creationism dumbasses?
cleanhippie
Apr 2013
#186
I don't really care--you can call anyone whatever you want, you just aren't going to do it in a
MADem
Apr 2013
#189
Exactly. You don't care if one of your own does it, just those you hate, like me.
cleanhippie
Apr 2013
#206
Sounds to me like you're choking on a fishbone, with all this snark and phony ROFL-ing.
MADem
Apr 2013
#212
Enjoy your "agree with me or leave group." And continue to have a nice day.
cleanhippie
Apr 2013
#216
Atheists have used things like guns and bombs to enforce their ideas
Fortinbras Armstrong
Mar 2013
#21
The two examples that I gave were of atheists who enforced atheism BY FORCE
Fortinbras Armstrong
Mar 2013
#46
Ok, change it to Stalin and Hoxha tried really, really hard to force atheism on their peoples.
Fortinbras Armstrong
Apr 2013
#132
We're "arseholes"? That's rich, coming from a bigoted moron. Fuck off back to church,
mr blur
Apr 2013
#222
There are no moderators. There are hosts who can block the poster if they all agree.
MADem
Apr 2013
#249
Hold the ad-hominems if you want anyone to take your arguments seriously. n/t
backscatter712
Apr 2013
#250
Not much use to deny Stalin took extreme measures. After he ended his stay in seminary for politics
dimbear
Mar 2013
#61
Did these figures from history act because they believed in atheism or because they despised
dimbear
Apr 2013
#69
The elimination of religion was a major a ideological goal of the Soveit Union
SpartanDem
Apr 2013
#91
For the record, I do not believe anyone suggested this be posted in interfaith group.
cbayer
Mar 2013
#6
Yes, I saw that. I was also involved in the hosts discussion about the lock and the
cbayer
Mar 2013
#11
Agree. I tink it would be a trainwreck to have something this divisive in that fledgling group.
cbayer
Mar 2013
#26
Another guy attacking an non-existent strawman, also sick of the "militant" label...
Humanist_Activist
Mar 2013
#15
By the time you reposted here, the title and subtitle on Salon had changed
muriel_volestrangler
Mar 2013
#17
A good article that was completely mistitled, and misrepresented by it's headline.
kwassa
Mar 2013
#54
That's certainly a polite attitude, but occasionally I point out that where there is much religion
dimbear
Apr 2013
#106
Who does that? Who "proclaim(s) absolutely and loudly that there are no gods..."?
cleanhippie
Apr 2013
#81
No, I want you to find them for you. You say they exist, yet refuse to provide any evidence at all
cleanhippie
Apr 2013
#83
You make a claim to disparage an entire group then refuse to support that claim with evidence.
cleanhippie
Apr 2013
#85
I never said that atheists had a dogma, unless they are hard atheists, of course.
kwassa
Apr 2013
#151
I've spent endless time on this group talking to atheists who think they have no beliefs and are not
kwassa
Apr 2013
#178
Given the persecution of atheists in places like Bangladesh, maybe we should be militant.
backscatter712
Apr 2013
#191
What happened in 1995? And how do you equate the New Age movement with progressive
cbayer
Apr 2013
#205
you can't claim the civil rights movement or anti-vietnam as religious revivals.
Phillip McCleod
Apr 2013
#207
I don't claim anything at all. You, on the other hand, would be wildly off base
cbayer
Apr 2013
#208
I will agree not to make this about you, as it really does not serve any purpose.
cbayer
Apr 2013
#211
No matter how wrong religion is, INDIVIDUAL religious persons CAN stand at the nexus between
patrice
Apr 2013
#230
Ha, ha. I was actually referring to previous usages, by others & then you proved THEIR point. wow.
patrice
Apr 2013
#239
A rationalist reads my mind???? wow, again. You don't know shit about what I think. nt
patrice
Apr 2013
#242
we don't get to define words for ourselves and impose them on the world.
Phillip McCleod
Apr 2013
#238
So, words have no connotative meanings. Poetry means nothing. & Usage NEVER changes.
patrice
Apr 2013
#241
my point is one individual cannot unilaterally make up terms and impose them.
Phillip McCleod
Apr 2013
#243
I get along with the athiests here because I try to be respectful of their views.
hrmjustin
Apr 2013
#270
Would you agree there are atheists that are hard edge and are uncomprimising as some religious folk.
hrmjustin
Apr 2013
#254
i would agree that there are some atheists who are willing to speak openly..
Phillip McCleod
Apr 2013
#263