• Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      As I said above- Stalin persecuted specific religious groups. The Russian Orthodox Church continued without abuse. Yes, atheism was promoted, but it was the non-Orthodox Christians that got persecuted.

      As for Mao, same thing. Buddhists were allowed to continue practicing Buddhism under Mao. Mao just used Buddhism (and China still does) as a tool to wield power through government control. Again, it’s the people who do not practice this form of Buddhism that are persecuted.

    • JeSuisUnHombre@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      Dictatorships are an inherent perversion of communist ideals. Also China is not coming from an atheistic place.

    • kamenoko@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      Stalin and Mao created cults of personality around themselves. They share a lot more in common with religious extremism than secular humanism.