Communism persecution of religious people question

[Sparkleberry 103]

I read somewhere why that happend.

Basically reason why Orthodox Christian priests during USSR rule was persecuted and murdered was communists saw religion as a way of exploiting working people. And thats why they kind of got supressed back then. So its interesting outlook of it interms of history. But what do you think?

 

 

Edited May 27, 2020 by Sparkleberry

[Fluttershyfan94 5,738]

I think it has more to do with God being the highest authority as it has been for a long time. The power was bestowed from God and this gave someone authority but this also meant that they would have to answer to God a higher authority then themselves.

Communism being authoritarian wants to be the highest authority so they would not want to have to answer to a higher authority I believe it is more about principle then anything else really. Someone that is granted power from a higher authority has to answer to them, while in communism they do not. Most dictatorships do this.

[Sparkleberry 103]

57 minutes ago, Fluttershyfan94 said:

I think it has more to do with God being the highest authority as it has been for a long time. The power was bestowed from God and this gave someone authority but this also meant that they would have to answer to God a higher authority then themselves.

Communism being authoritarian wants to be the highest authority so they would not want to have to answer to a higher authority I believe it is more about principle then anything else really. Someone that is granted power from a higher authority has to answer to them, while in communism they do not. Most dictatorships do this.

May be what it led too. But its mainly ideas in marxism that led them to do what they did in a sense. Its also why they thought if people would lose morale and spirit if they didnt have something else to worship. So mother earth became a thing

[ShadOBabe 18,984]

9 minutes ago, Sparkleberry said:

May be what it led too. But its mainly ideas in marxism that led them to do what they did in a sense. Its also why they thought if people would lose morale and spirit if they didnt have something else to worship. So mother earth became a thing

Maybe I’m misunderstanding you, but I’m pretty sure the concept of Mother Earth is much older than communism.

[Sparkleberry 103]

Just now, ShadOBabe said:

Maybe I’m misunderstanding you, but I’m pretty sure the concept of Mother Earth is much older than communism.

Ah sorry . I meant Motherland. Protect Motherland. That type of stuff

[ShadOBabe 18,984]

Just now, Sparkleberry said:

Ah sorry . I meant Motherland. Protect Motherland. That type of stuff

Ahhhh, I gotcha.

[Sparkleberry 103]

5 minutes ago, ShadOBabe said:

Ahhhh, I gotcha.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motherland_Monument

 

 

Edited May 27, 2020 by Sparkleberry

[Oleks 1,983]

4 hours ago, Sparkleberry said:

communists saw religion as a way of exploiting working people

Rather the communist party saw it as a threat to their monopoly on exploiting working people, and brainwashing them too. Just like today’s North Korea, the USSR basically replaced worshipping a deity with worshipping the party and its leaders. Commies had their own equivalents of prophets, holy scriptures, paradise (the “bright future”), places of worship and even a literal mausoleum with a mummy inside. Interestingly enough, during WWII Stalin allowed religion again (namely the Russian Orthodox church), but this time it was strictly controlled by special services, and many priests were KGB agents. Some other churches were persecuted still.

As for the cult of Motherland, it wasn’t new. And you can totally be religious and fanatically love your homeland at the same time. 

[SharpWit 2,472]

There's a number of reasons for this. As was previously brought up, deities are usually considered to be the highest authority, but this doesn't bode well in a society that claims power comes from the people, rather than preordained or just given by association. It's supposed to be given based on merit or taken by force for the greater good, or at least threats what the propaganda would leave you to believe. Merit by force can also be an option in this kind of a society.

The bigger issue isn't say, "God" himself, but the religious institutions based around him. If a church and it's leadership claim that power was granted to them by god, then this undermines the power of the state in two ways. They can justify any action not approved by the state by saying it was done so in the name of god, and it's openly saying that there is a power greater than the people. This along with possibly some of the teachings under religious texts, directly go against some of the ideals that founded communism.

There's also the thought that religion isn't typically democratic which goes against power coming from the people, and while communist regimes also aren't typically democratic, their leadership is still bound to the physical realm, and is able to get around religious persecution by saying if god had any issue with it he'd intervene. Then again, some believe you have to suffer in order to prove your faith so this can become cyclical pretty easily.

Finally, there's simply the wealth and corruption that can be found in not all, but many places of worship. Authoritarians can justify seizing the former because of the latter. As I've heard many times but can't seem to quote from anywhere, "ANYONE WHO SAYS OTHERWISE IS AN ENEMY OF THE STATE!" 

[Sparkleberry 103]

3 minutes ago, Oleks said:

Rather the communist party saw it as a threat to their monopoly on exploiting working people, and brainwashing them too. Just like today’s North Korea, the USSR basically replaced worshipping a deity with worshipping the party and its leaders. Commies had their own equivalents of prophets, holy scriptures, paradise (the “bright future”), places of worship and even a literal mausoleum with a mummy inside. Interestingly enough, during WWII Stalin allowed religion again (namely the Russian Orthodox church), but this time it was strictly controlled by special services, and many priests were KGB agents. Some other churches were persecuted still.

As for the cult of Motherland, it wasn’t new. And you can totally be religious and fanatically love your homeland at the same time. 

Oh i mean communism itself is a bad system, since it believes that one guy or ideology can fix an entire society for whatever reason, instead of believing in system is about building, making stuff work and basically building society. Communism is basically one way ticket to dictatorship

Edited May 27, 2020 by Sparkleberry