Strengthen Targeted Propaganda of Marxist Atheism

Major theoretical achievements—Mao Zedong’s thought on religious work and strengthening research on religious issues, the theory of socialism with Chinese characteristics on religion, and the Party’s theory on religious work in the New Era.

大理论成果——毛泽东关于宗教工作和加强宗教问题研究的思想、中国特色社会主义宗教理论和新时代党的宗教工作理论。

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee has put forward a series of new concepts and new measures regarding religious work, answering major theoretical and practical questions such as how to understand religion, how to handle religious issues, and how to do the Party’s religious work well in the New Era, and has proposed the “Party’s theory on religious work in the New Era” with the “Nine Musts” as its main content.[1]1 The “Nine Musts” (九个必须) are a set of principles for religious work in the New Era, including must uphold the Party’s leadership over religious work, must adhere to the direction of sinicizing religion in China, and must uphold the rule of law in religious affairs, among others.

党的十八大以来，党中央提出一系列关于宗教工作的新理念新举措，回答了新时代怎样认识宗教、怎样处理宗教问题、怎样做好党的宗教工作等重大理论和实践问题，提出了以“九个必须”为主要内容的“新时代党的宗教工作理论”。

The Party’s theory on religious work in the New Era is a theoretical summary and elaboration of the Party’s practice and policies on religious work. It is the latest achievement of the integration of the Marxist view on religion with the concrete realities of China’s religious work in the New Era and with China’s fine traditional culture, the latest development of the theory of socialism with Chinese characteristics on religion, and the general outline for doing religious work well in the New Era. The Party’s theory on religious work in the New Era expresses the political will to effectively strengthen the Party’s leadership over religious work, and shows that the historic changes since the 18th National Congress have endowed religious work in the New Era with profound theoretical connotations and clear action orientation. Compared with some previous theoretical summaries, the summary and elaboration of the Party’s theory on religious work in the New Era are clearer, more precise, and more to the point, reflecting its epochal character, dominance, practicality, and guidance, and mirroring the features, connotations, and driving forces of the New Era.

新时代党的宗教工作理论是对党的宗教工作实践和方针政策进行的理论概括和阐述，是马克思主义宗教观同新时代中国宗教工作具体实际相结合、与中国优秀传统文化相结合的最新成果，是中国特色社会主义宗教理论的最新发展，是做好新时代宗教工作的总纲要。新时代党的宗教工作理论表明了切实加强党对宗教工作领导的政治意志，显示了十八大以来的历史性变革赋予新时代宗教工作以深刻的理论内涵和鲜明的行动导向。与以往的一些理论概括相比，新时代党的宗教工作理论的概括和阐述，更加明确清晰、更加精准到位，体现了时代性、主导性、实践性、指导性，反映了新时代的特征、内涵和动力。

In 2022, the China Atheism Society achieved two new advances in implementing the spirit of the National Conference on Religious Work and carrying out propaganda and education on Marxist atheism:

2022年，中国无神论学会在贯彻落实全国宗教工作会议精神，开展马克思主义无神论宣传教育方面，取得了两个新的进展：

First, a teaching unit on “Marxist Atheism” was added to training courses for religious cadres run by relevant departments. With the support of relevant departments, three lectures were given—Lecture 1: “Marxist Atheism and Freedom of Religious Belief,” covering viewpoints and policies; Lecture 2: “Principles of Scientific Atheism and a Brief History of Chinese Atheism,” covering principles and history; Lecture 3: “History of Western Atheism,” covering world conditions and trends. Professor Li Shen was very emotional while lecturing, even choking up at one point. During the interaction with trainees after class, the trainees laughed, and Professor Li Shen cried. This was because it was a suggestion put forward in a report to the Central Committee by the China Atheism Society, led by Ren Jiyu, in 2003, and now it had finally been realized. He was deeply moved.

一是在有关部门举办的宗教干部培训班上，增加了“马克思主义无神论”教学单元。在有关部门的支持下，共开了三讲——第一讲：“马克思主义无神论和宗教信仰自由”，讲观点、讲政策；第二讲：“科学无神论原理和中国无神论简史”，讲原理、讲历史；第三讲：“西方无神论史”，讲世情、讲趋势。李申教授讲课时很激动，甚至一度哽咽，在课后与学员们互动时，学员们笑了，李申教授哭了。因为这是2003年任继愈先生领衔中国无神论学会给中央的报告中提出的建议，现在终于实现了，他十分感慨。

Second, experts and scholars from the Atheism Society supported and assisted a university in the northwest in offering a course on “Marxist Atheism” for undergraduate and graduate students. To implement the spirit of the National Conference on Religious Work, this university, closely integrating local realities, proposed offering a course on Marxist atheism for undergraduate and graduate students. Through the coordination of the relevant department of the Ministry of Education, it contacted the China Atheism Society, seeking help and support. The China Atheism Society attached great importance to this, organized experts and scholars, held two video discussion meetings, and conducted one video exchange meeting with the university’s atheism teaching team.

二是无神论学会的专家学者支持和帮助西北某高校开设面向大学生、研究生的《马克思主义无神论》课程。为贯彻落实全国宗教工作会议精神，这所大学密切结合当地实际，提出要面向大学生、研究生开设马克思主义无神论课程，经教育部有关司牵线搭桥，找到了中国无神论学会，希望给予帮助和支持。中国无神论学会高度重视，组织专家学者，开了两次视频讨论会，并与这所大学的无神论教学团队开了一次视频交流会。

In addition, since 2002, experts from the China Atheism Society have also undertaken propaganda and education projects on atheism commissioned by relevant units.

此外，2002年以来中国无神论学会的专家们还承担了有关单位委托的无神论宣传教育课题。

To strengthen targeted propaganda of Marxist atheism, we must first fully, accurately, and comprehensively study and grasp the spirit of the National Conference on Religious Work.

有针对性加强马克思主义无神论宣传，首先要完整准确全面地学习领会全国宗教工作会议精神。

I. Be adept at observing and analyzing religious issues from a political perspective

一、善于从政治上观察和分析宗教问题

The National Conference on Religious Work proposed strengthening theoretical armament, thoroughly studying and deeply understanding General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on religious work, raising the political stance, being adept at observing and analyzing religious issues from a political perspective, and thinking about and advancing religious work from a political height.

全国宗教工作会议提出，要加强理论武装，把习近平总书记关于宗教工作的重要论述学深悟透、提高政治站位，善于从政治上观察和分析宗教问题，从政治高度思考和推进宗教工作。

1. Grasp the “Three Hows” and their response from a political perspective

1.从政治上把握“三个如何”及其回应

The 2016 National Conference on Religious Work posed the “Three Hows” question to the entire Party, and the 2021 National Conference on Religious Work provided a response.[2]2 The “Three Hows” (三个如何) refer to: how to maintain Marxist atheism as the mainstream ideology dominating the minds of the masses, how to handle the relationship between freedom of religious belief and propaganda of atheism, and how to prevent the spread of theism from eroding the ideological foundation of the Party and the state. The “Three Hows” have an internal connection and logic. The first “How” clearly and directly raises the political requirement in the ideological domain to “always maintain Marxist atheism as the mainstream ideology occupying a dominant position in the minds of the masses.” This is the fundamental solution to the second and third “Hows.”

2016年全国宗教工作会议向全党提出了“三个如何”之问，2021年全国宗教工作会议做出了回应。“三个如何”有着内在的联系和逻辑，第一个如何是旗帜鲜明地从正面提出在意识形态领域，要“始终保持马克思主义无神论作为主流意识形态在人民群众思想中占据主导地位”的政治要求。这是解决第二、第三个如何的治本之策。

The response to the “Three Hows” is rich in content. One important viewpoint is to grasp the relationship between freedom of religious belief and ideological struggle. In 2022, the Party Central Committee and the State Council issued opinions on adhering to the direction of sinicizing religion in China and doing the Party’s religious work well in the New Era. The content on atheism propaganda was expanded from a few sentences in the past to a paragraph on “strengthening targeted propaganda of Marxist atheism,” proposing to firmly uphold Marxism’s guiding position in the ideological domain, carry out propaganda and education on Marxist atheism, systematically propagate Marxist dialectical materialism and historical materialism, and make atheism deeply rooted in people’s hearts. Improve the targeting of atheism education, promote atheism education to enter textbooks and classrooms with full confidence, and help young people firmly establish a scientific worldview, outlook on life, and values. The conference also proposed not to relax propaganda and education on Marxist atheism for the broad masses, and to prevent the unhealthy development of religion and the spread of theism from eroding socialist ideology. This clarifies the guiding principles, key content, and practical requirements for research, propaganda and education on Marxist atheism in the New Era.

对“三个如何”的回应，内容十分丰富，其中的一个重要观点是要把握宗教信仰自由与意识形态斗争的关系。2022年党中央、国务院发出了关于坚持我国宗教中国化方向，做好新时代党的宗教工作的意见，其中关于无神论宣传的内容从以往的几句话，充实发展为“有针对性加强马克思主义无神论宣传”的一段话，提出牢牢坚持马克思主义在意识形态领域的指导地位，开展马克思主义无神论宣传教育，系统宣传马克思主义辩证唯物论和历史唯物论，让无神论深入人心。提高无神论教育的针对性，推动无神论教育理直气壮进教材、进课堂，帮助青少年牢固树立科学的世界观、人生观、价值观。会议还提出不能放松对广大人民群众进行马克思主义无神论宣传教育，防止宗教不健康发展和有神论蔓延对社会主义意识形态产生侵蚀。这就明确了新时代马克思主义无神论研究和宣传教育的指导原则、重点内容和实践要求。

General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on upholding and propagating Marxist atheism not only inherit the Party’s fine traditions but also have strong practical relevance, possessing long-term guiding significance for governing the country. There are two key points. First, it profoundly points out that atheism and theism also involve a contest in the ideological domain. This is a political awareness, political security, and political responsibility raised from the height of maintaining ideological security. Second, it explicitly requires Party members to be firm Marxist atheists, not only to uphold Marxist atheism but also to actively propagate Marxist atheism. This emphasizes the Party’s political discipline, political responsibility, and political principles from the height of Party building. These two key points can be summarized in two sentences: maintain ideological security, and shoulder the responsibility of Party members. The former is political awareness and political stance, the latter is political responsibility and practical requirement.

习近平总书记关于坚持和宣传马克思主义无神论的重要论述，既是对党的优良传统的继承，也有很强的现实针对性，具有治国理政的长远的指导意义。其中有两个重点。第一，深刻地指出，无神论和有神论也有意识形态领域的较量。这是从维护意识形态安全的高度提出的政治意识、政治安全、政治担当。第二，旗帜鲜明地要求共产党员做坚定的马克思主义无神论者，不仅要坚持马克思主义无神论，而且要积极宣传马克思主义无神论。这是从党的建设高度，强调了党的政治纪律、政治责任、政治原则。这两个重点可以概括为两句话: 维护意识形态安全，肩负共产党员责任。前者是政治意识、政治站位，后者是政治责任、实践要求。

Religious work is highly political and policy-oriented. We must “be adept at observing and analyzing religious issues from a political perspective, and thinking about and advancing religious work from a political height,” rather than treating religious work merely as administrative or routine work. Religious work, religious studies, and atheism research must raise and unify their ideological understanding to General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on religious work and the important spirit of the two National Conferences on Religious Work. This is the theoretical guidance and fundamental principle for doing religious work, religious studies, and atheism research well in the New Era.

宗教工作是政治性、政策性很强的工作，要“善于从政治上观察和分析宗教问题，从政治高度思考和推进宗教工作”，而不能把宗教工作仅仅当作行政工作、事务性工作。宗教工作、宗教学和无神论研究要把思想认识提高到、统一到习近平总书记关于宗教工作的重要论述和两次全国宗教工作会议的重要精神上来，这是做好新时代宗教工作、宗教学和无神论研究的理论指导和根本遵循。

2. Correctly understand the two “essences” concerning religion

2.正确理解涉及宗教的两个“本质”

On religious issues, there are two summaries regarding “essence”: the first is that the essence of religion is illusoriness; the second is that the essence of religious work is mass work. Engels profoundly pointed out in *Anti-Dühring* that “all religion, however, is nothing but the fantastic reflection in men’s minds of those external forces which control their daily life.” Mao Zedong once said: “The essence of religion is the worship of supernatural forces, believing that supernatural forces dominate individuals, society, and the world. This arises entirely from the fact that people do not understand natural and social forces.” The renowned Chinese philosopher and religious scholar Ren Jiyu pointed out, “As an ideology, religion also has illusoriness, intuitiveness, exclusivity, and penetrability. These four properties have their own laws of ideological movement,” and “with illusoriness as the core, only with illusoriness can it be religion.” What is the relationship between the “four properties” Ren Jiyu spoke of and the “five properties” of religion we often mention—long-term nature, mass nature, ethnic nature, international nature, and complexity? I believe the two are summaries of the characteristics and features of religion from different aspects. The “four properties” are a summary of the attributes of religious ideology, with illusoriness as the core; the “five properties” are a summary of the social attributes of religion, with mass nature as the core.

在宗教问题上，有两个关于“本质”的概括：第一个是宗教的本质是虚幻性；第二个是宗教工作本质上是群众工作。恩格斯在《反杜林论》中深刻指出，“一切宗教都不过是支配着人们日常生活的外部力量在人们头脑中的幻想的反映”。毛泽东曾经说过：“宗教的本质是崇拜超自然力，认为超自然力支配个人、社会及世界。这完全是由于不理解自然力及社会力这个事实而发生的。”我国著名哲学家、宗教学家任继愈先生指出，“作为意识形态，宗教还有幻想性、直观性、排他性、渗透性，这四种性质，有它思想运动的规律”，“以幻想性为核心，有了幻想性才是宗教”。任继愈先生说的“四性”，与我们经常说的宗教“五性”即长期性、群众性、民族性、国际性、复杂性是什么关系呢？我认为两者是从不同方面对宗教特征和特点的概括。“四性”是对宗教意识形态属性的概括，核心是虚幻性；“五性”是对宗教社会属性的概括，核心是群众性。

The “two generalizations” concerning the essence of religion and the essence of religious work cannot replace each other, nor can they negate each other. One cannot deny that the essence of religion is illusory simply because religious work is essentially mass work, and at the same time, one cannot deny that religious work is essentially mass work simply because the essence of religion is illusory.

对宗教的本质和宗教工作的本质的“两个概括”，不能互相代替，也不能互相否定。既不能因为宗教工作本质上是群众工作，就否认了宗教的本质是虚幻性，同时，也不能因为宗教的本质是虚幻性，就否认宗教工作本质上是群众工作。

Precisely because the essence of religion is the fantastical, illusory nature of worshipping supernatural forces, it is necessary to strengthen atheist propaganda and education, and to uphold and propagate Marxist atheism, which pursues the ideological and spiritual liberation of humanity. Precisely because the essence of religious work is its mass character, it is necessary to consolidate and develop the Party’s patriotic united front with religious circles, and to take the ability to unite the broad masses of religious believers around the Party and the government as the fundamental criterion for evaluating the effectiveness of religious work.

正因为宗教的本质是崇拜超自然力的幻想性、虚幻性，所以要加强无神论宣传教育，坚持和宣传追求人的思想解放、精神解放的马克思主义无神论。正因为宗教工作的本质是群众性，所以要巩固和发展党同宗教界的爱国统一战线，把能不能把广大信教群众团结在党和政府周围作为评价宗教工作成效的根本标准。

These two generalizations of “essence” are the basis for maintaining ideological security and also the basis for carrying out united front work in religious circles. They must be comprehensively grasped and comprehensively implemented.

这两个“本质”的概括，是维护意识形态安全的依据，也是开展宗教界统一战线工作的依据，要全面把握、全面贯彻。

3. Deeply Understand the Essential Difference between the Bourgeoisie and the Proletariat on “Freedom of Religious Belief”

3.深刻认识资产阶级与无产阶级的“宗教信仰自由”的本质区别

Freedom of religious belief is a basic policy of the Party. Among its aspects, there is an important issue that needs further clarification. This is to deeply understand the essential difference between the freedom of religious belief policy implemented by the bourgeoisie and that implemented by our Party. On the surface, both the bourgeoisie and the proletariat speak of “freedom of religious belief”—the same six characters, not one missing—yet in reality there is an essential difference between the two.

宗教信仰自由是党的基本政策，其中有一个重要问题，需要进一步明确。这就是要深刻认识资产阶级和我们党实行的宗教信仰自由政策之间的本质区别。从表面上看，资产阶级和无产阶级都在讲“宗教信仰自由”，六个字，一个也不差，实际上二者之间有着本质不同。

The attitudes of the European bourgeoisie toward religion at the beginning of their revolutions varied. For example: In Germany, Luther’s religious Reformation and two uprisings against the Roman Church all failed. “Religion could serve as a cloak for uprising, but it could not determine the success or failure of the uprising. For what determined the success or failure of an uprising were various real political, economic, and military factors.” [3]3 This is a paraphrase of a common Marxist analytical point, not a direct citation from a single source; it reflects the view that religion serves as a superstructural element subordinate to material conditions. In England, the outcome of the bourgeois revolution was, politically, the establishment of constitutional monarchy; economically, the broadening of the path for capitalist development. In religious terms, Protestantism gradually gained equal status with the state religion, and freedom of religious belief was proclaimed. In France, the bourgeois revolution completely abandoned the banner of religion. The revolution fought entirely under political and economic slogans and thoroughly abolished the lofty status of religion in national politics. However, after the success of the bourgeois revolutions, Europe witnessed a resurgence of religious forces, and the bourgeois classes of various countries ultimately all became devout believers. The reason was their fear of the influence of materialism and socialism on the workers. Religion was not only the “general theory” of the old system but also became a spiritual tool for the bourgeoisie to prevent proletarian revolution, and Christianity also became a spiritual tool for promoting colonialism. In capitalist society, “the factual basis of religious reflection,” that is, the root of religion, continues to exist, and “religious reflection itself,” that is, religious activity itself, continues to exist along with this basis, so a policy of freedom of belief must be implemented. The proletarian party inherited this major achievement of human progress and also made freedom of belief a necessary part of its political program. However, the freedom of belief advocated by the proletarian party is essentially different from the freedom of belief of the bourgeoisie: “The ‘freedom of belief’ of the bourgeoisie merely tolerates the freedom of various kinds of religious belief, while the workers’ party strives to free belief from the witchcraft of religion.” [4]4 This is a paraphrase of Lenin’s argument in “Socialism and Religion” (1905), where he distinguishes between bourgeois toleration of religious freedom and the proletarian goal of liberation from religion. In contemporary China, this can be amended to “free it from the shackles of religion.” Although this is a long-term process, the goal of the struggle should not be forgotten, nor should the direction of progress be lost. Religious work cadres and religious studies researchers should all clearly understand this essential difference and firmly grasp the correct direction of religious work.

欧洲资产阶级无论在革命之初对待宗教的态度如何。例如：在德国，Luther的宗教改革和两次反抗罗马教会的起义，都失败了。“宗教可以作为起义的外衣，但却无法决定起义的成败。因为决定起义成败的，是政治的、经济的和军事的种种现实的因素。”在英国，资产阶级革命的成果，政治上实行君主立宪；经济上为资本主义的发展拓宽了道路。宗教方面，则是新教逐渐取得了和国教平等的地位，宣布实行宗教信仰自由。在法国，资产阶级革命则完全抛弃了宗教的旗帜。革命完全是在政治和经济的口号下作战，并且彻底取消了宗教在国家政治中的崇高地位。然而在资产阶级革命成功以后，欧洲都迎来了宗教势力的回潮，各国资产阶级最后又都变成笃信宗教的人。其原因是他们害怕唯物主义和社会主义对工人的影响。宗教，不仅是旧制度的“总理论”，而且也成了资产阶级为防止无产阶级革命的精神工具，基督教还成为推行殖民主义的精神工具。在资本主义社会中，“宗教反映活动的事实基础”，也就是宗教的根源还继续存在，“宗教反映本身”也就是宗教活动本身，也同这个基础一起继续存在，所以必须实行信仰自由的政策。无产阶级政党继承了这个人类进步的重大成果，也把信仰自由作为自己政治纲领的必要内容。不过，无产阶级政党所主张的信仰自由，和资产阶级的信仰自由有本质的区别：“资产阶级的‘信仰自由’不过是容忍各种各样的宗教信仰自由而已，工人党则力求把信仰从宗教的妖术中解放出来。”在当下中国，可以改为“从宗教的束缚中解放出来”。虽然这是一个长期的过程，但不应忘记奋斗的目标，不能失去前进的方向。宗教工作干部、宗教学研究者，都应该清楚地认识这个本质区别，牢牢把握宗教工作的正确方向。

II. Clarify the Ideological Obstacles Facing Atheist Propaganda and Education

二、澄清无神论宣传教育面临的思想障碍

Reviewing recent investigations and studies, there are three main obstacles in ideological and theoretical aspects to strengthening atheist propaganda and education:

梳理近年来的调查研究，加强无神论宣传教育在思想理论方面的障碍主要有三个：

The first is not taking atheist propaganda and education seriously. Some comrades engaged in ideological and political education and theoretical propaganda often believe that we are conducting Marxist propaganda and education every day, and that propagating materialism is propagating atheism, so there is no need to emphasize atheism specifically. Theoretically, dialectical materialism and historical materialism indeed inherently contain the premises and conclusions of atheism. However, this does not mean that everyone who generally acknowledges and believes in Marxism recognizes the rich ideological content of atheism it contains. Atheism still needs to be demonstrated, which requires propaganda and education. Therefore, we must propagate both dialectical materialism and historical materialism, and also propagate Marxist atheism.

首先是不重视无神论宣传教育。一些从事思想政治教育和理论宣传的同志往往认为，我们天天都在进行马克思主义宣传教育，宣传唯物论就是宣传无神论，没有必要再去强调无神论。从理论上说，辩证唯物主义、历史唯物主义的确内在地包含着无神论的前提和结论。但是，这并不意味着总体上承认和相信马克思主义的人都认识到了它所包含的无神论的丰富思想内容。无神论仍然需要展示出来，这就需要进行宣传教育。所以，我们既要宣传辩证唯物主义、历史唯物主义，也要宣传马克思主义无神论。

Lenin pointed out in his article “On the Significance of Militant Materialism”: “A Marxist who thinks that … only through the straight path of purely Marxist education can one escape from a state of ignorance is making the greatest and worst mistake. They should be provided with all kinds of atheist propaganda materials, told about facts from all aspects of real life, … awaken them from their religious delusions, and use various methods to rouse them from all sides.” [5]5 This is a paraphrase of Lenin’s argument in “On the Significance of Militant Materialism” (1922), where he advocates using diverse atheist materials to awaken the masses. In contemporary China, general theoretical propaganda and education cannot replace the propaganda and education of Marxist atheism. We should also provide the masses with various atheist propaganda materials, especially by skillfully using examples from everyday life, such as: fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, achieving comprehensive poverty alleviation, developing the economy, science and technology, and culture, meeting the growing material and cultural needs of the people, etc., telling the masses facts and principles from all aspects of real life, and conducting vivid and effective propaganda and education using facts and comparisons, rather than confining atheist propaganda and education merely to theories, principles, and concepts.

列宁在《论战斗唯物主义的意义》一文中指出：“一个马克思主义者如果以为，……只有通过纯粹马克思主义的教育这条直路，才能摆脱愚昧状态，那就是最大的而且是最坏的错误。应该向他们提供各种无神论的宣传材料，告诉他们实际生活各个方面的事实，……唤醒他们的宗教迷梦，用种种方法从各方面使他们振作起来”。在当代中国，一般的理论宣传教育，也不能代替马克思主义无神论的宣传教育。我们也应向人民群众提供各种无神论的宣传材料，特别要善于运用身边发生的事例，例如：抗击新冠疫情，实现全面脱贫，发展经济、科技、文化，满足人民群众日益增长的物质文化需求等等，告诉人民群众实际生活各个方面的事实和道理，用事实和对比进行生动有效的宣传教育，而不是把无神论宣传教育仅仅停留在理论、原则和概念上。

The second is the belief that propagating atheism is useless. Some comrades say: Those who believe in atheism—you don’t need to propagate atheism to them, they are already atheists; those who believe in theism—propagating to them is useless. The conclusion is that there is no need to propagate atheism. This view actually limits the target of atheist propaganda and education and narrows the scope within which atheism can function.

其次是认为宣传无神论没有用。有的同志说：信无神论的，你不必向他宣传无神论，他就是无神论；信有神论的，你向他宣传也没用。结论就是不必宣传无神论。这种观点，实际上是限制了无神论宣传教育的对象，缩小了无神论发挥作用的范围。

Atheist propaganda and education should indeed not target religious circles and religious believers. Party policy stipulates, “One should not conduct atheist propaganda in religious venues, nor initiate debates between theism and atheism among religious believers.” [6]6 This refers to a long-standing policy of the Chinese Communist Party, articulated in documents such as the 1982 “Document 19” on the basic viewpoint and policy on the religious question during the socialist period, which prohibits atheist propaganda in religious settings. However, these policies and requirements should not be misunderstood or misread as policies and requirements for the whole society. One should not abandon carrying out rational, beneficial, and effective atheist propaganda and education in mass media targeting society and in school education simply because religious circles and religious believers are not the targets of atheist propaganda.

无神论宣传教育的确不应该把宗教界和信教群众作为对象。党的政策规定，“不应当到宗教场所进行无神论的宣传，或者在信教群众中发动有神还是无神的辩论”。但不能把这些政策和要求，误解、误读为是对全社会的政策和要求，不能因为不以宗教界和信教群众为对象宣传无神论，就放弃在面向社会的大众传媒、学校教育中开展有理有利有效的无神论宣传教育。

Atheist propaganda and education must not only be carried out, but must be carried out persistently, generation after generation. This is because the continuously emerging new generation of young people has not experienced the previous process of social consciousness development. “If they are not given a ‘basic’ education, they will become ignorant and foolish on issues concerning the ‘basics’.” [7]7 This is a paraphrase of a general Leninist principle on the need for continuous ideological education, not a direct quotation from a specific text. In the New Era, atheist propaganda and education should be carried out with confidence and persistence, allowing atheist education to enter textbooks, enter classrooms, and enter the minds of the vast number of young people, making atheism deeply rooted in people’s hearts.

无神论宣传教育不仅要进行，而且要坚持不懈地一代一代地进行。这是因为，不断出生的新一代年轻人，没有经历以前社会意识的发展过程，“如果不对他们进行‘基础’教育，他们就会在有关‘基础’的问题上成为无知者和愚昧者”。在新时代，要理直气壮、坚持不懈地开展无神论宣传教育，让无神论教育进教材、进课堂，进广大青少年的头脑，让无神论深入人心。

In a certain sense, we can regard atheist education as a “vaccine” in the ideological field. Carrying out this education among young students helps people understand reason, follow the right path, and resist and oppose the erosion and harm of religious extremism.

在某种意义上，我们可以把无神论教育看成是思想领域的“疫苗”，在青年学生中开展这个教育，有助于人们明事理，走正路，抵御和反对宗教极端主义的侵蚀和危害。

The third is a sense of difficulty. Propagating atheism requires studying religion and criticizing theology; it requires studying various manifestations of idealism and criticizing theism and feudal superstition. One of the difficulties is criticizing theology. Without touching on specific theological viewpoints, criticism easily becomes vague; touching on specific theological viewpoints easily provokes resistance and exploitation from certain people in specific religions. Therefore, in ideological education and social propaganda, there is often a sense of difficulty regarding propagating atheism, with the belief that atheism is not easy to discuss, and that discussing it poorly can easily trigger incidents and affect social stability.

第三是有畏难情绪。宣传无神论就要研究宗教，批判神学；就要研究唯心论的种种表现，批判有神论和封建迷信。其中的一个难点是批判神学。不涉及具体的神学观点，批判就容易流于空泛；涉及具体的神学观点，又容易引起特定宗教中某些人的抵触和利用。因此，在思想教育和社会宣传中，对宣传无神论往往有畏难情绪，认为无神论不好讲，讲不好就容易引发事端，影响社会稳定。

Recently, a noteworthy incident occurred in the world. During a televised debate at the end of May, Nupur Sharma, a spokesperson for the Bharatiya Janata Party in India, made remarks about contradictions between Hinduism and Islam that were seen as blaspheming the Islamic prophet Muhammad. This sparked discontent among Muslim groups within India and subsequently provoked anger in Islamic countries. This former spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party is not a materialist but a Hindu nationalist. However, this incident and the reactions it triggered deserve our attention and vigilance.

最近，世界上发生了一件值得注意的事，在5月底的一场电视辩论中，印度人民党发言人努普尔·夏尔玛（Nupur Sharma）在谈论印度教和伊斯兰教的矛盾问题时，说出了一番被视为亵渎伊斯兰先知穆罕默德的话。在印度国内穆斯林群体中引发不满，随之激起伊斯兰国家的愤怒。印度人民党这位前发言人不是唯物主义者，而是印度教民族主义者。但是这件事及其引发的反应，值得我们重视和警惕。

In his book *Foundations of Marxist Religious Studies*, Professor Li Shen interprets Marx’s views on the critique of religious theology from two aspects: first, the purpose of criticizing theology is to make people no longer cling to illusions, enabling them to think and act as people without illusions. Second, the function of criticizing theology is to begin the critique of harsh reality. By removing this sacred, illusory flower of religion, the true face of harsh reality is revealed, and people will then seek to change that harsh reality, rising up themselves to pluck the real, true flower. The path to plucking the true flower is difficult and may even prick one’s hands, but it is the only means to attain happiness.

李申教授在《马克思主义宗教学基础》一书中从两个方面解读了马克思关于对宗教神学批判的观点：一是批判神学的目就是要人们不再怀抱幻想，能够作为一个不抱幻想的人来思考，来行动。二是批判神学的作用，是批判苦难现实的开始，摘下宗教这个神圣的、虚幻的花朵，现实的苦难就现出了它的真象，人们就会设法去改变那个苦难的现实，自己起来去摘取现实的、真正的花朵。摘取真实的花朵道路艰难，还可能会被刺扎手，但那是获得幸福的唯一手段。

Not taking it seriously, claiming it is useless, and fearing difficulties—these three ideological obstacles need to be addressed, clarified, and eliminated. The struggle between infiltration and counter-infiltration, and between disorderly expansion and counter-disorderly expansion, in the field of religious work plays an important role in national security, social stability, and economic development. Strengthening the promotion and education of atheism among the masses is an important foundational task for preventing and defusing major risks in the religious domain. Doing this work well requires both profound theoretical and academic accumulation and great political wisdom. This will become a difficult yet meaningful task in carrying out atheism promotion and education and in constructing the disciplinary system of atheism.

不重视、说没用、怕困难，这三个思想障碍，需要回答，需要澄清，需要破除。宗教工作领域中的渗透和反渗透，无序扩张和反无序扩张的较量，对于国家安全、社会稳定和经济发展具有重要作用。加强对人民群众的无神论宣传教育，是防范和化解宗教领域重大风险的一项重要的基础性工作。做好这项工作，既需要深厚的理论学术积淀，也需要极大的政治智慧，这将成为开展无神论宣传教育，构建无神论学科体系中艰难而有意义的工作。

III. Ideas for Achieving Targeted Strengthening of Marxist Atheism Promotion

三、实现有针对性地加强马克思主义无神论宣传的思路

1. Enhancing the Targeting of Promotional Content

1.增强宣传内容的针对性

The difficulty in atheism research and promotion education is “criticizing theology.” How to solve this problem? In terms of work approach, it must be clarified that: (1) Criticizing theology should be strictly limited to the ideological domain. Religion is both a social entity and an ideology. Politically, we must unite religious believers; ideologically, we must criticize theology. These are two aspects that cannot be neglected. (2) Criticizing theology means criticizing the core concepts of religion, not targeting religious groups or criticizing religious people. Religious ideology is also differentiated. For example, religion and other forms of consciousness, such as art, interpenetrate each other, involving both critique and inheritance. (3) The means of critique is promotion and education, not simply adopting administrative measures, so as not to give others a handle. (4) Occasions and targets must be distinguished; atheism should not be promoted in religious venues. In terms of criticizing theology, there have been successful experiences in the past. For example, the *Marxist Atheism Cadre Reader* compiled by the Chinese Atheism Society summarized the core ideas of traditional theism into four issues: the “immortality of the soul,” the “existence of gods,” “heavenly mandate,” and “divine miracles,” analyzing and critiquing them. It explains that there are no gods in the world, the world was not created by gods, and the fate of the country, society, and individuals is not controlled by gods. This experience is worth learning from.

无神论研究和宣传教育的难点是“批判神学”。怎么解决这个问题呢？在工作思路上要明确：（1）批判神学，要严格限制在意识形态领域。宗教既是社会实体，又是意识形态。政治上要团结宗教信众，意识形态上要批判神学。这是不可偏废的两个方面。（2）批判神学，是批判宗教的核心观念，不是针对宗教群体，不是批判信教的人。对宗教的意识形态也是加以区分的。比如：宗教和艺术等其他意识形式，相互渗透，既有批判，也有继承。（3）批判的手段，是宣传教育，不是简单地采取行政措施，不能授人以柄。（4）要区分场合和对象，不到宗教场所宣传无神论。在批判神学方面，以往也有成功的经验。例如：中国无神论学会编写的《马克思主义无神论干部读本》把传统有神论的核心思想概括成四个问题，即：关于“灵魂不灭”、关于“神灵存在问题”、关于“天命”问题、关于“神创奇迹”问题，加以分析批判。说明世界上没有神，世界不是神创造的，国家、社会和人的命运不是神主宰的。这个经验值得借鉴。

Opposing the “integration of religion and ethnicity” and the “binding of religion and ethnicity” is an important issue in forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation and opposing religious extremism. Research must be continuously deepened in practice, absorbing new experiences and achievements, and promptly transforming them into new content and highlights for atheism promotion and education.

反对“教族一体”“教族捆绑”，是铸牢中华民族共同体意识，反对宗教极端主义的一个重要问题。要在实践中不断深化研究，吸收新经验、新成果，及时转化为无神论宣传教育的新内容、新亮点。

We must go deep into reality to discover and summarize the issues, methods, and effects of “targeted strengthening of Marxist atheism promotion” in the New Era. For example, the development of high-tech fields such as artificial intelligence and life sciences has sparked interest in the “two darks, one black, three origins” issues (referring to dark matter, dark energy, black holes, the origin of the universe, the origin of life, and the origin of consciousness). In areas where science cannot yet provide answers, religious consciousness and influences often emerge. In fact, the end or boundary of science is the unknown world, not theology. Science must continuously pursue and explore this unknown world. When science understands and solves these issues, it expels various forms of theism from these domains. As Engels pointed out: “The history of science is the history of gradually eliminating this ignorance.” We must inherit and strengthen the “alliance of the two sciences” between social science workers and natural science workers, targeting doubts and confusions with reasoned explanations. [9]9 “Party schools” (党校) are educational institutions under the CPC that train Party cadres at various levels; “academies of governance” (行政学院) train government officials; “socialist institutes” (社会主义学院) train united front personnel, including non-Communist figures. The historical process of religious evolution first involved the separation of religion and politics, with religion losing control over political power. Next came the separation of education and religion, with religion losing control over social life. However, religion still has a non-negligible influence on religious believers. One key focus of preventing and defusing major risks in the religious domain is preventing and defusing the harm and influence of religious extremism. Atheism promotion and education must persist and keep pace with the times, following economic development, social progress, scientific advancement, and civilizational enrichment, working steadily and persistently over the long term.

要深入实际，发现和总结新时代“有针对性加强马克思主义无神论宣传”的问题、方式和效果。例如：人工智能、生命科学等高科技的发展，引发了对“两暗一黑三起源”问题（指暗物质暗能量，黑洞，宇宙起源、生命起源、意识起源）的兴趣，在科学还不能回答的领域，往往会产生一些宗教性意识和影响。实际上，科学的尽头或者说是边界，是未知的世界，而不是神学。科学要不断追寻和探求这个未知的世界，科学认识了、解决了，就把形形色色的有神论从这个领域驱逐出去了。正如恩格斯所指出的：“科学的历史，就是逐渐消除这种愚昧的历史”，我们要继承和加强社会科学工作者和自然科学工作者的“两科联盟”，有针对性地、有理有据地解疑释惑。

The historical process of religious evolution begins, first, with the separation of religion from politics, as religion loses its control over political power; second, with the separation of education from religion, as religion loses its control over social life. Nevertheless, religion still exerts an influence on religious believers that cannot be ignored. In preventing and defusing major risks in the religious sphere, one key task is to prevent and defuse the harm and influence of religious extremism. Propaganda and education on atheism must keep pace with economic development, social progress, the advancement of science, and the permeation of civilization, persisting unremittingly, advancing with the times, applying steady effort over the long term, and achieving lasting results through sustained exertion. [11]11 绵绵用力、久久为功 (miánmián yònglì, jiǔjiǔ wéi gōng): A four-character idiom meaning to apply steady, continuous effort over a long period in order to achieve lasting results.

宗教演变的历史过程，首先是政教分离，宗教失去了对政治权力的控制，其次是教育与宗教分离，宗教失去了对社会生活的控制，但是，宗教对信教群众仍有不可忽视的影响。防范化解宗教领域重大风险，重点之一是防范和化解宗教极端主义的危害和影响。无神论宣传教育要随着经济的发展、社会的进步、科学的昌明、文明的浸润，坚持不懈，与时俱进，绵绵用力、久久为功。

2. Enhancing the Targeting of Promotional Audiences

2. 增强宣传对象的针对性

The audiences and domains of atheism promotion and education generally fall into four areas: cadre education, school education, social promotion, and academic research. Different audiences must be distinguished to determine different emphases and requirements for atheism promotion and education.

无神论宣传教育的对象和领域，大体有四个方面：干部教育、学校教育、社会宣传、学术研究。要区分不同对象，确定无神论宣传教育的不同重点和要求。

The requirements put forward by the National Conference on Religious Work to “strengthen the targeted promotion of Marxist atheism,” especially the task to “improve the targeting of atheism education, promote atheism education to enter textbooks and classrooms with full confidence, and help young people firmly establish a scientific worldview, outlook on life, and values,” must be implemented, focusing on key points to achieve breakthroughs. Currently, two key points need to be addressed:

要把全国宗教工作会议提出的“有针对性加强马克思主义无神论宣传”的要求，特别是“提高无神论教育的针对性，推动无神论教育理直气壮进教材、进课堂，帮助青少年牢固树立科学的世界观、人生观、价值观”的任务落到实处，抓住重点，取得突破。当前，需要抓住两个重点：

First, atheism education should enter Party schools. Experiences from relevant departments and provinces and regions in offering Marxist atheism courses in training for united front and religious work cadres should be summarized and promoted. In local Party schools, academies of governance, and socialist institutes in areas with heavier religious work tasks, courses and content on Marxist atheism should be added to cadre training.

一是无神论教育进党校。要总结和推广有关部门、有关省区在统战、宗教工作干部培训中开设马克思主义无神论课程的经验，在宗教工作任务比较重的地方党校、行政学院、社会主义学院的干部培训中增加马克思主义无神论的课程和内容。

Second, atheism education should enter primary and secondary schools and universities. In provinces and regions with heavier religious work tasks, it is recommended to add Marxist atheism courses in universities. Given the long-term nature of religious work, religious research, and atheism promotion and education, teaching practice, textbook compilation, and teacher training should be combined, focusing on cultivating a professional and capable backbone team for Marxist atheism teaching and research. In the process of strengthening the construction of the Marxist religious studies discipline, the disciplinary system, academic system, and discourse system for the Sinicization of Marxist atheism should be constructed. Primary and secondary education should also appropriately add atheism content, telling stories subtly and teaching principles patiently.

二是无神论教育进中小学校、进高校。在宗教工作任务比较重的省区高校，建议增加马克思主义无神论课程。鉴于宗教工作、宗教研究和无神论宣传教育的长期性，要把教学实践、教材编写和师资培养结合起来，着眼于培养一支专业精干的马克思主义无神论教学科研骨干队伍，在加强马克思主义宗教学学科建设的进程中，构建马克思主义无神论中国化的学科体系、学术体系、话语体系。中小学教育也要适当增加无神论的内容，潜移默化讲故事，循循善诱讲道理。

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心