[travel] Commmunism tainted atheism

[mattbell]

I think one thing that atheists such as myself who grew up in a post-Cold-War environment don't realize is that, for earlier generations, atheism has a strong link to communism. The communist leaders of Russia, China, and other countries worked as hard as they could to eradicate all traces of religion and religious authority. Religious buildings (churches, syangogues, mosques, temples etc) were bulldozed or repurposed,* religious leaders were sent to labor camps or executed, and religious rituals were banned. Religion was seen as an ideological competitor and a power threat by the communist leaders, so they did away with it.

Thus, from the perspective of a God-fearing Cold-War era American, atheists are linked ideologically to the communist ideology. Thus, for you atheists out there, if you're talking to an older religious person about atheism, keep this in mind.

*Fortunately for the future tourist industry, the largest and most beautiful monuments were often spared because there would have been huge popular uproar if they were destroyed.

Comments

[plymouth.livejournal.com]

I knew about the atheism/communism link but I think what I never put together is that that may be why we're seen as so threatening and as if we're trying to recruit everyone even when we're not. I usually think the accusations about recruitment are more projection - afterall religions try to recruit so they would logically assume that we would be too, right?