(July 6, 2012 at 10:34 am)CliveStaples Wrote: Well, suppose (and if you don't think it's plausible, just suppose it for the sake of argument) that it could be shown that Communism was directly responsible for the deaths caused by Stalinism. And suppose (again, for the sake of argument) that it could be shown that Communism implements atheism.
Wouldn't it be true, then, that the core belief system motivating the deaths caused by Stalinism was atheist in nature?
It WOULD be, were that the case, but it isn't, and it simply isn't possible since Marxism [true communism; never implemented] simply said "take away the oppression and you take away the need for religion," little else. Marxism was basically apathetic to religion, so it wouldn't be capable of implementing atheism. I can see where you're getting at, though. Basically, you're saying there IS the possibility that someone could feasibly kill in the name of atheism. You are correct. They could. They could just as easily kill in the name of bare theism. The question is, what is their justification in doing so? Atheism has no tenets to adhere to, nothing about atheism ever stipulates killing or not killing, or anything else. So the justification would be hollow and purposeless, see?
