Vladimir Lenin wrote regarding atheism and communism: "A Marxist must be a materialist, i. e., an enemy of religion, but a dialectical materialist, i. e., one who treats the struggle against religion not in an abstract way, not on the basis of remote, purely theoretical, never varying preaching, but in a concrete way, on the basis of the class struggle which is going on in practice and is educating the masses more and better than anything else could."
At a very early age, while still a pupil in the ecclesiastical school, Comrade Stalin developed a critical mind and revolutionary sentiments. He began to read Darwin and became an atheist.
G. Glurdjidze, a boyhood friend of Stalin's, relates:
"I began to speak of God, Joseph heard me out, and after a moment's silence, said:
"'You know, they are fooling us, there is no God. . . .'
"I was astonished at these words, I had never heard anything like it before.
"'How can you say such things, Soso?' I exclaimed.
"'I'll lend you a book to read; it will show you that the world and all living things are quite different from what you imagine, and all this talk about God is sheer nonsense,' Joseph said.
"'What book is that?' I enquired.
"'Darwin. You must read it,' Joseph impressed on me"
Like all Communists Pol Pot was an atheist so religion was banned. People caught practicing Buddhism were executed and Buddhist temples were desecrated. Family relationships were banned (on the grounds that parents exploited their children). Furthermore the smallest infringement of the rules resulted in execution. Although they were half starved people caught foraging for food were executed. People were also executed for being lazy. Needless to say anyone who complained was executed.
http://www.localhistories.org/polpot.html
China’s Communist Party Reaffirms Marxism, Maoism, Atheism
The Communist Party of China (CPC) is letting its members know that the party’s official adherence to militant atheism has not changed; Party members are not allowed to be Christians, or to hold any other religious beliefs. That is the clear message sent by a top Party official in an editorial published on November 14 in the Global Times, the international version of People’s Daily, the official newspaper and mouthpiece of the CPC.
The editorial, written by Zhou Weiqun, chairman of the Committee on Ethnic and Religious Affairs of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, blasted Chinese academics who suggest that Communist Party members can also adhere to any religion. This prohibition against religion has been a “consistently upheld principle” since Mao Zedong, the founder of the People’s Republic of China, declared Zhou. “It’s impossible to have another choice besides the dialectical materialist worldview.”
http://www.thenewamerican.com/world-news/asia/item/19567-china-s-communist-party-reaffirms-marxism-maoism-atheism
Mao Tse Tung said that religion is the poison for the masses.
My God is none other than the people. Only the popular masses are omniscient and omnipotent and almighty on earth. Therefore my lifetime motto is: "The people are my God."
Kim Il-sung
Kim attended school and received a typical Chinese education, though as a young teenager he rejected the family’s religious beliefs and instead became interested in left-wing political ideas. In 1927, 15-year-old Kim was imprisoned for his political views by the anti-communist Kuomintang government. Three years later he was released, before returning to Korea to join resistance groups there who were fighting against Japanese occupation. According to ‘official’ North Korean histories of Kim Il-Sung, he became an important resistance leader, commanding a regiment of several hundred men and earning a place on a Japanese ‘hit list’. During World War II Kim crossed into the USSR and enlisted in the Red Army, serving as a captain.
http://alphahistory.com/coldwar/kim-il-sung/
------------------------------------------------------------------
+freezy said:
TRUE LIBERTY said:
Kirito said:
TRUE LIBERTY said:
We should include being to atheist in that group also. Since atheist leaders have killed far more then religious zealots. But the middle east these days is determined to break that record.
Care to give any examples of people killing in the name of atheism?
I did above. Most of those dictators banned religion.
i answered above...
and just because dictators banned religion doesn't automatically makes them atheist...
Thats not answers that is lies.