Attention Atheists

[benlehman]

Attention atheists who say "atheists don't do horrible things in the name of their religion."

Please go read a book about the cultural revolution.

Comments

[chris-goodwin.livejournal.com]

Ben, if you have an argument to make, then by all means make it, and cite your sources. Why should we do your homework for you?

[chris-goodwin.livejournal.com]

Okay, I did read the Wikipedia article. I'll admit it was pretty vile. On the other hand, it looks to me like it was one faction of Chinese Communism doing vile things in the name of Communism, or at least in the name of "not sharing authority over other people". If you have a source that says otherwise, I'd appreciate hearing about it.

[icecreamemperor.livejournal.com]

That sounds right, but I can't really get behind this idea that the word 'religion' just means 'anytime people believe something a lot.' I guess I'm not a religious scholar but I always thought there was more to it than that -- and so refuting a statement about religion with evidence about communism just seems kind of weird.

The original statement just seems to be true by definition, and so also kind of weird.

[benlehman.livejournal.com]

Atheism, at the time, held a specific status as the most favored religious belief in China, enshrined in the Constitution. I can look up the exact article for you if you like.

Atheism still holds privileged status in the PRC, although no longer (that I know of: the latest constitution is a mess) constitutionally.

The actions of the cultural revolution were taken in the name of atheism, exactly as much as the actions of the crusades or the inquisition were taken in the name of Christianity.

yrs--
--Ben

[benlehman.livejournal.com]

Thanks for doing your homework. Or, at least, reading the crib notes.