Godless Communists

Exploring the confrontation between atheism and the lower classes' traditional beliefs, this work offers a fresh interpretation of early Soviet efforts to create an atheistic, scientific society. Contrary to Bolshevik assertions, religious practice proved to be not merely an expression of gullibilit [...]
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Exploring the confrontation between atheism and the lower classes' traditional beliefs, this work offers a fresh interpretation of early Soviet efforts to create an atheistic, scientific society. Contrary to Bolshevik assertions, religious practice proved to be not merely an expression of gullibility and ignorance but a firmly entrenched system for ordering family and community relationships. Efforts to abolish the Church failed because the proponents of atheism underestimated how tightly religious beliefs were woven into the fabric of Russians' daily lives.