Was Stalin really an Extremist/Radical Atheist?
Offline This is another common argument I've run into with theists. This may have been brought up before, but I honestly am not entirely sure of what the answer is. From theist arguments; they claim that Stalin was an Atheist and a radical one at that. Aside from anti religion propaganda, teaching it in schools, promoting anti religion etc etc, the extremism actually occurred when he began to send his soldiers out to kill priests and put people in concentration camps or re-education camps, along with all the other bad things Stalin is normally associated with. With this argument; theists claim that this is proof that Atheists are:
A: Proof why an Atheist run government is intolerant, bad or evil.
B: Atheists can be just as bad as radical religious fanatics, therefor it discredits them and makes them just as illogical or as irrational as religious folk.
Upon my own research I read that although Stalin did promote atheism and wanted it further educated, alongside demoting religion, he did in fact still allow people to believe in what they want, but it came with scrutiny.
So what is true about Stalin's atheism? Did he hate it and scrutinize it while still allowing people to practice it?
Or did he really simply begin killing the religious?
Either way: Why or why not is Stalin a good example for theists to use as a reason as to discredit or prove that Atheism is evil?
Thanks!
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He was a genocidal madman/malignant narcissist
Focusing on monikers like "radical" and "extreme" is irrelevant: he seemed to champion himself, in the place of a deity.
Some potential info on Stalin's personality: predatory-aggressive personality
“A meritocratic society is one in which inequalities of wealth and social position solely reflect the unequal distribution of merit or skills amongst human beings, or are based upon factors beyond human control, for example luck or chance. Such a society is socially just because individuals are judged not by their gender, the colour of their skin or their religion, but according to their talents and willingness to work, or on what Martin Luther King called 'the content of their character'. By extension, social equality is unjust because it treats unequal individuals equally.” "Political Ideologies" by Andrew Heywood (2003)
He was an atheist, but I don't remember hearing about him killing anyone in the name of atheism.
Some theists like to claim that atheists actually believe in god, we just don't want to conform so we "deny" god. I don't deny god, I'm sure "god" is fiction. But I imagine there are some who do deep down believe, and may claim atheism as a means to disregard the whole thing so they can do what they want to do. Is Stalin an example? I wouldn't presume to know.
Faith is the word but next to that snugged up closely "lie's" the want.
"By simple common sense I don't believe in god, in none."-Charlie Chaplin
from theists is an ad-hom in a top hat. Call bullshit on this. Or start quoting death figures at the behest of organised religions - islam, christianity, the mayans - african witch doctors, whatever.
Stalin was a paranoid psychopath and his atheism provided no ammunition for the endless slaughter he indulged in.
"Experiments are the only means of knowledge at our disposal. The rest is poetry, imagination." Max Planck
No atheist will ever dispute that Stalin was an atheist and a bad man. There are theists who were bad men. The current Pope's excuse for allowing rampant pedophilia under his watch is testimony to the latter point. And theists by and large do not doubt that there are and were bad theists. What they are in fact really trying to convince the masses is the following:
Widespread atheism and denial of God will lead to a genocidal totalitarian society.
Any ideology taken to extreme can indeed become totalitarian.
Go to any college football game and see the rage among some fans hurling hateful epithets against the opposing team and it reminds me of the goose stepping orgasmic frenzy of the Fuhrer's devoted masses. Yes even a church going, devout Catholic Steeler's fan can transform into a mindless authoritarian at Heinz Field.
And let's not forget those warm and cuddly Christians at the McCain/Palin rallies or at Tea Bagger protests whose blood lust would even make even the homocidal Uncle Joe cower in fear.
And what about those kind Christian Hutus who machete'd close to a million Tutsis.
Religions of all stripes both secular and theistic can reach irrational extremes. And atheism simply does not fall into this category. Atheists span the political and ideological spectrum. From porn stars like Nina Hartley to radical feminists like Germaine Greer, other than an unbelief in God, nothing else ties them together. There is no Zamyatin's We among atheists.
And I'll end with this quote from the atheist white supremacist Tom Metzger to reflect my point:
"My race is my religion"
It doesn't matter if he was or not. What matters was a sick power monger got power. The Churh of the dark ages and Inquisition were just as sick and base in their absolute rule. Just as sick and base as the absolute rule in Iran.
Stalin, was a trained theologian before he got to power. So like many god believers, even he utilized the appeal to authority and emotional blind loyalty to keep his power.
The argument of "labels" is bullshit because what is going on here is human behavior. In our species history power has been taken by those who strangle dissent. What has happened in these cases is that those in power re write history to justify their harm of outsiders. Once the oppressed become the oppressor.
Fascism is not religious or atheist, it is the attitude taken by humans that only the insiders should have control and outsiders should be delt with. A theocracy is just as bloody and fascist as Stalin.
This horrible argument is drudged up as an act of desperation when someone cant make a case for their deity.
There ARE plenty of atheists who were not raised in Russia under Stalin. Plenty of atheists who were not raised in Germany under Hitler. Plenty of atheists who live now in western pluralistic societies who despise fascist monsters like Stalin and theocratic fascists like Sadam.
What these jerks are doing when pulling this crap would be like saying, "All Catholics are child molesters because of the Pope's cover up".
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
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