Atheism and dictators

[es35]

Atheism is often blamed for causing Communist dictators like Stalin and Mao to murder. But did you know that dictators hate rational atheists just as much as the religious do and for the same reason? We don’t take their orders!! We demand evidence and reason which they have a lethal aversion to.

[Doreen]

1. Dictators hate anyone who does not worship a deity.

People who blindly worship a deity are more easily controlled. When you are taught to blindly follow and obey without question you tend to be more likely to do that with a ruling party/person tells you to do. I know that Buddhists are not liked very well by dictators because Buddhists are taught never to follow blindly and to question everything and everyone including our teachers.

[trotsky]

2. Yeah it's a bullshit defense employed by religionists who've already lost the argument.

"But but STALIN! MAO! POL POT! OMGWTFBBQLOL!!!" The real stupid ones even try and throw Hitler in with the atheists too.

The difference of course is that religious dictators and murderers find justification for their crimes in their religion. The holy books of various faiths are filled with such behavior, and it's either condoned or commanded by their god. The worst part about religious belief too is that you can't prove someone's religious beliefs wrong. Believers LOVE to wave this around like it justifies religious belief - "You can't prove there ISN'T a god! Nyah nyah nyah!" - but it's the fatal flaw and central problem of religion, and the reason it turns so deadly so often. If you are convinced your god wants you to murder someone, you need to do it. Period.

There is no such motivation or justification to be found in atheism. Contrary to what some pathetic individuals insist (in order to define atheism for their own purposes), it's not a belief system. It's not a religion. It never has been. There is no guidebook, no official teaching, no prophets, no popes, no priests, nothing. It's just the default state of not accepting a particular claim. Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot - none of them killed in the name of atheism or because of their atheism told them to. But this is unpalatable to the typical believer who needs to fit atheism into a box so they don't have to worry about it questioning their beliefs, and so the "StalinMaoPolPot" refrain will continue.

[rurallib]

3. excellent post

may I add a thought?

The linkage of a "mad" dictator to atheism also adds the concept that atheism is by definition, crazy. Anyone who shares the "religion" of the mad dictator must also be mad, because atheism is only held by the crazy.

[trotsky]

5. Great point and I concur. n/t

[beam me up scottie]

4. Spot on!