God 
I love atheists because they don’t try to takeover the government to force their lack of beliefs on others.
Brian R. Sala 🍻@godpod
Apparently you have not heard of China?
Brendan OhUiginn@godpod @docbrianS China isn’t forcing atheism on its population. They officially recognize several religions including Catholicism, Protestantism, and Islam.
Their Constitution says a lot of things that aren't true. E.g.,
“Citizens of the People’s Republic of China shall enjoy freedom of speech, the press, assembly, association, procession and demonstration” (Article 35).
@godpod @docbrianS
True, and Article 5 says that they shall be governed by the rule of law, but the government frequently breaks their own laws.
And yet religions like Taoism, Confucianism, and folk religions are a deep and significant part of culture in China. Chinese who claim to be atheism make up just under half the population. The rest believe in many forms of religion.
@BOhUiginn @godpod
Agreed that there are many believers. But not publicly so in the Party. Religiosity is highly suspect, no? And in some cases (e.g., Uyghurs), cause for oppression.
Agreed that there are many believers. But not publicly so in the Party. Religiosity is highly suspect, no? And in some cases (e.g., Uyghurs), cause for oppression.
@docbrianS @godpod Religiosity is public displayed by about half the population. While certain forms of public displays of belief are banned, religiosity is not. And many within the party see Chinese folk religions and the Chinese culture as inseparable. The Chinese government suppresses and oppresses devout believers not BECAUSE it’s atheist, but because it sees that belief as a threat to its absolute authority.
👑🦉🗡@docbrianS @godpod yeah op probably didn't consider that. would've been more correct to say humanism
Martin Dennehy@docbrianS @godpod Yup. This is a very America take, which proves god must be an American
Paul@docbrianS @godpod Fair call
LisaAnnOr the Soviet Union
Math Lover@docbrianS @godpod while true that for a long while China didn’t support religion, that isn’t the case now. Plenty of active religious communities openly practicing throughout China including Buddhist, Christian, Muslim groups. Also, the current Chinese government didn’t start with atheism as a motivating factor.
All that may be true, but the Cultural Revolution still happened. Abrahamic religions suffered significantly during that period. And Uyghurs today suffer significantly, mostly due to their religion.
@docbrianS @godpod Absolutely. But that was quite a long time ago. China today is not the same as China then. It wasn’t Abraham religions suffering in particular but much of the country and for many reasons such as having the wrong family, being a teacher or professor, landowner, and many other things. Society was in complete chaos and many died and suffered from all parts of society.
There are maybe 80-100 million Christians in China presently. It isn’t a country where religion is banned.
There are maybe 80-100 million Christians in China presently. It isn’t a country where religion is banned.
@Mathlover @godpod
I think you are seriously discounting the efforts of the regime to control religious practice, e.g. through the Catholic Patriotic Church, and significant efforts to suppress House churches in some areas. The Chinese State is no friend of free religious expression or belief.
I think you are seriously discounting the efforts of the regime to control religious practice, e.g. through the Catholic Patriotic Church, and significant efforts to suppress House churches in some areas. The Chinese State is no friend of free religious expression or belief.
@docbrianS @godpod why is your source of information?
@Mathlover
The Economist provides ample coverage of China, from which you can find plenty evidence of the Chinese government attempting to control Christian religious practice through its manipulation of both Catholic and Protestant institutions and (admittedly sporadic) efforts to suppress independent churches.
Or, you know, you could read up on Wikipedia.
@docbrianS maybe you could listen to actual Chinese people or live in China for a time as I did or have family there as my husband does and talk with them. Perhaps you could take college courses about China as I have. Maybe you don’t know everything on this particular topic.
Whatever China is doing regarding religion, it certainly isn’t pushing atheism on people given the many Chinese who are part of organized religions. Your original claim sounded to me as though you were saying that
I am happy to learn that China today is a paradise. Thanks for enlightening me.
@docbrianS not paradise. But not what you are thinking in seemingly black and White terms. I don’t like their fo of government. However, there are things that are better there than here and vice versa. You appear to have a one dimensional view that China is all bad. That’s not the case.
@Mathlover
You have way over-inferred my views from this thread.
It started from a somewhat tongue-in-cheek reply to godpod's jest about non-religious state regimes.
It is irrefutable that the Chinese regime has sought to control or suppress rival sources of social organization and power whenever and wherever it has seen a threat to the Party.
The Party wields huge economic and social power. And it has deterred, suppressed, interfered with and sought to control much religious practice since the oppression of the Cultural Revolution. The evidence is obvious, from what it has done to Uyghurs and Tibetan Buddhists, to Catholics and Protestants.
None of that reflects anything at all about Western states. I made no claim that things are perfect here in the US, or elsewhere in the West.