Experiences and Insights from the Propaganda and Education of Atheism since Reform and Opening Up

History is a mirror, enabling us to examine the past to understand the present. Studying history is meant to illuminate reality and inspire the future. Since reform and opening up, the ebb and flow of atheist propaganda and education, together with the rise and fall of theistic trends, have constituted a distinctive picture of ideological struggle in our country’s ideological sphere. In the early period of reform and opening up and the period of its comprehensive unfolding, atheist propaganda and education declined shortly after being revived, while the influence of theism began to expand gradually. At the turn of the century, atheist propaganda and education took on new missions from a new starting point, and the situation where “theism has people to talk about it, while atheism has no one to talk about it” began to reverse. As socialism with Chinese characteristics entered the New Era, with the Party Central Committee’s high regard and strong support for atheist propaganda and education, atheist propaganda and education created an entirely new situation. For this reason, only by comprehensively summing up experience, scientifically revealing laws, and rationally grasping trends can we better inherit and carry forward the Marxist atheist tradition of the proletarian party, can we implement the Party Central Committee’s strategic deployment for atheist propaganda and education in place, can we forever maintain the spirit of struggle in the face of ideological contests with theism, and can we better educate the vast numbers of cadres and youth to unite the people of all ethnic groups across the country in seizing the great victory of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a New Era with a never-slackening mental state and an indomitable fighting posture.

历史是一面镜子，可以鉴古知今。研究历史是为了照亮现实，启迪未来。改革开放以来，无神论宣传教育的沉浮与有神论思潮的起落一同构成了我国意识形态领域思想斗争的别样图景。在改革开放初期和全面展开时期，无神论宣传教育重启不久后式微，而有神论的影响开始逐渐扩大。世纪之交，无神论宣传教育在新起点上扛起新使命，“有神论有人讲，无神论无人讲”的局面开始扭转。随着中国特色社会主义进入新时代，在党中央对无神论宣传教育的高度重视和大力支持下，无神论宣传教育开创了全新局面。为此，只有全面总结经验，科学揭示规律，合理把握趋势，才能更好继承和发扬无产阶级政党的马克思主义无神论传统，才能将党中央对无神论宣传教育的战略部署落实到位，才能在面对与有神论的意识形态较量中永葆斗争精神，才能更好教育广大干部青年以永不懈怠的精神状态和一往无前的奋斗姿态，团结全国各族人民夺取新时代中国特色社会主义伟大胜利。

I. The Party Central Committee’s attention and support are the basic prerequisite for doing a good job of atheist propaganda and education

一、党中央的重视和支持是做好无神论宣传教育的基本前提

The Communist Party of China has always occupied the core leadership position in the process of upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics, and has always been the mainstay of the people of the whole country in the struggle to respond to various risks and challenges at home and abroad. For atheist propaganda and education, the Party is the guide of this undertaking, the maker of this policy, and the executor of this work. The Central Committee’s firmness and attention on this issue play a decisive role in the development of this undertaking and are the basic prerequisite for doing a good job of atheist propaganda and education.

中国共产党在坚持和发展中国特色社会主义的进程中始终处于领导核心地位，在应对国内外各种风险挑战的斗争中始终是全国人民的主心骨。对于无神论宣传教育来说，党是这项事业的引领者，是这项政策的制定者，也是这项工作的执行者，中央在这个问题上的坚定和重视对于这项事业发展起着举足轻重的作用，是做好无神论宣传教育的基本前提。

Over the more than 40-year course of reform and opening up, the international and regional situation has been turbulent, various social trends of thought at home and abroad have echoed in alternation, and the situation in the ideological sphere has been complex and intertwined. Although voices denying atheist propaganda and education have existed to varying degrees in theoretical circles, academic circles, and society, the Central Committee’s stance on the issue of atheist propaganda and education has always been firm and its understanding always clear, unaffected by various trends of thought. It is precisely this firmness and attention of the Central Committee that has greatly inspired and encouraged those who have long been committed to promoting atheist propaganda and education, and has provided strong support for the process of continuously improving and innovating the promotion of atheist propaganda and education.

在改革开放40多年的历程中，国际和地区局势风云激荡，国内外各种社会思潮交替回响，意识形态领域形势错综复杂。虽然理论界、学术界、社会上不同程度地存在否定无神论宣传教育的声音，但中央在无神论宣传教育问题上立场始终坚定，认识一向清晰，没有受到种种思潮的影响。正是中央的这种坚定和重视，使长期致力于推动无神论宣传教育的人们受到了巨大的激励和鼓舞，使推进无神论宣传教育不断完善创新的过程得到了大力支持。

(1) Maintaining the guiding position of Marxist atheism as the mainstream ideology

(一)保持马克思主义无神论作为主流意识形态的指导地位

The Central Committee has always regarded Marxist atheism as an important component of the mainstream ideology, an attitude repeatedly reflected in speeches, instructions, and relevant Central Committee documents of successive central leaders since reform and opening up. In the 1980s, the “Circular of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Printing and Distributing the Basic Views and Basic Policies on the Religious Question during the Socialist Period in Our Country” was drafted directly by the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the CPC under the attention of Comrade Deng Xiaoping to religious work. At that time, there were some voices in society criticizing atheist propaganda. The Central Committee was not disturbed and still supported “strengthening propaganda against superstition” in the document, making atheist propaganda and education an important task on the propaganda front. Although atheist research and propaganda-education work in the subsequent period encountered neglect in practice, the Central Committee’s theoretical persistence and firm attitude still sowed the seeds of hope for atheist propaganda and education to emerge from difficulties and tide over hardships in the not-too-distant future.

中央历来都将马克思主义无神论作为主流意识形态的重要组成部分，这种态度多次体现在改革开放以来历届中央领导的讲话、批示以及有关中央文件中。20世纪80年代，《中共中央关于印发〈关于我国社会主义时期宗教问题的基本观点和基本政策〉的通知》是在邓小平同志对宗教工作的重视下，由中共中央书记处直接组织力量起草的。当时社会上存在一些批判无神论宣传的声音，中央没有受到干扰，仍然在文件中支持“加强反迷信的宣传”,将无神论宣传教育作为宣传战线上的重要任务。此后一个时期的无神论研究和宣传教育工作在实践中虽遭遇冷落，但中央在理论上的坚持和态度上的坚定还是为无神论宣传教育在不远的将来走出困境、渡过难关播下了希望的种子。

Subsequently, the Central Committee’s emphasis on the mainstream ideological status of Marxist atheism maintained continuity and stability. In the early 1990s, against the backdrop of hostile forces abroad intensifying their use of religion for infiltration, Comrade Jiang Zemin clearly pointed out: “We cannot give up propagating atheism and cultivating ‘four haves’ new people just because we must adhere to the policy of freedom of religious belief.” [1]1 The Sixth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee was held in October 2016. The spirit of the leader’s speech was subsequently implemented in Central Committee documents. The “Circular of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on Several Issues Concerning Further Improving Religious Work” pointed out the need to propagate atheism and help the masses establish a scientific worldview and outlook on life. Similar expressions can also be seen in Comrade Jiang Zemin’s speech at the 2001 National Conference on Religious Work. In his speech, Comrade Jiang Zemin, based on the situation at the time, emphasized the work of popularizing scientific and cultural knowledge and the work of educating young people in a scientific worldview. In 2003, Comrade Hu Jintao affirmed again in an instruction that atheist propaganda and education, as a long-term task, should be carried out with perseverance. The spirit of this instruction was immediately implemented in a document on atheist propaganda and education from six central ministries and commissions, and was relatively well implemented in the radio and television system. After a period of effort by media such as television, radio, and newspapers, a good social atmosphere opposing feudal superstition was formed, which is inseparable from the Central Committee’s emphasis on the mainstream ideological status of Marxist atheism. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Central Committee has attached great importance to the important role of Marxist atheist propaganda and education in ideological work. This has laid an important political foundation for consolidating the dominant position of Marxist atheism as the mainstream ideology in the thinking of the masses under the new situation.

此后，中央对马克思主义无神论主流意识形态地位的重视保持了连续性和稳定性。20世纪90年代初，在境外敌对势力加紧利用宗教进行渗透的背景下，江泽民同志明确指出：“不能因为要坚持宗教信仰自由政策，就放弃宣传无神论和培育‘四有’新人”。领导人的讲话精神随后就落实到了中央文件中，《中共中央国务院关于进一步做好宗教工作若干问题的通知》指出，要宣传无神论，帮助群众树立科学的世界观和人生观。同样的表态还可以见于江泽民同志在2001年全国宗教工作会议的讲话中。江泽民同志在讲话中根据当时的形势着重强调了科学文化知识的普及工作和青少年科学世界观的教育工作。2003年，胡锦涛同志在批示中再次肯定了无神论宣传教育作为一项长期任务，应该锲而不舍地进行,这一批示的精神随即落实成为中央六部委针对无神论宣传教育的文件，并在广电系统得到了较好的贯彻执行。经过电视、广播、报刊等媒体一段时间的努力，社会上形成了反对封建迷信的良好氛围，这与中央对马克思主义无神论主流意识形态地位的重视是分不开的。党的十八大以来，中央高度重视马克思主义无神论宣传教育在意识形态工作中的重要作用。这就为新形势下巩固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奠定了重要的政治基础。

(2) Adhering to the principle that Party members are not allowed to believe in religion and must propagate atheism

(二)坚持党员不准信仰宗教和必须宣传无神论的原则

The prohibition on Party members believing in religion and the requirement that they must propagate atheism are consistent demands of the Communist Party of China on its members regarding their worldview, and play an important role in maintaining the Party’s advanced nature and purity. The “Circular of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Printing and Distributing the Basic Views and Basic Policies on the Religious Question during the Socialist Period in Our Country” clearly requires Party members to be “undoubtedly” atheists, which set a bottom line for handling the issue of Party members believing in religion since reform and opening up. Jiang Zemin reiterated this bottom line in the early 1990s, pointing out that “Communist Party members must be atheists; this does not violate the policy of freedom of religious belief,” and clearly demanded that “Communist Party members must not only not believe in religion, but must also propagate atheism and a scientific worldview to the masses.” The subsequently issued “Circular of the Organization Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Properly Resolving the Issue of Communist Party Members Believing in Religion” clearly required: “Party organizations at all levels, especially in areas where the influence of religious forces is relatively strong, should regularly conduct Marxist atheist education for Party members.” The “Circular of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on Several Issues Concerning Further Improving Religious Work” further required education for Party members who participate in religious activities or incite religious fanaticism, and for those who persist in not changing, to persuade them to withdraw from the Party or expel them from the Party, which was very realistic and targeted. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has clearly pointed out that Communist Party members should be firm Marxist atheists. Shortly thereafter, the principle that Party members must not believe in religion was further implemented at the institutional level, written into multiple intra-Party regulations, which ensured the operability of implementing this principle requirement and prompted Party members to become firm Marxist atheists and active propagators of a scientific worldview.

党员不准信教与必须宣传无神论是中国共产党对其成员在世界观上的一贯要求，对于保持党的先进性和纯洁性具有重要作用。《中共中央关于印发〈关于我国社会主义时期宗教问题的基本观点和基本政策〉的通知》明确要求党员“毫无疑问地”应是无神论者，这给改革开放以来处理党员信教问题划定了底线。江泽民在20世纪90年代初重申了这一底线，指出“共产党员必须是无神论者，这并不违反宗教信仰自由政策”,并且明确要求，“共产党员不但不能信仰宗教，而且必须向人民群众宣传无神论、宣传科学的世界观”。随后下发的《中共中央组织部关于妥善解决共产党员信仰宗教问题的通知》明确要求：“各级党组织，尤其是宗教势力影响较大的地方，要经常对党员进行马克思主义无神论的教育。”《中共中央国务院关于进一步做好宗教工作若干问题的通知》进一步要求对参加宗教活动或煽动宗教狂热的党员进行教育，对坚持不改的要劝其退党或开除党籍，非常具有现实针对性。党的十八大以来，习近平总书记明确指出，共产党员要做坚定的马克思主义无神论者。随后不久，党员不得信教这一原则进一步在制度层面得到落实，写入了多部党内法规之中，这就确保了落实这一原则要求的可操作性，促使党员做坚定的马克思主义无神论者和科学世界观的积极宣传者。

The Central authorities maintain a unified requirement for Party members to uphold an atheist worldview. In ethnic minority regions, especially for grassroots Party members living in these areas, the Central authorities have taken into account local special circumstances when formulating policies, allowing Party members to appropriately respect and follow ethnic customs and practices in their actions, so as to avoid their becoming detached from the masses or isolated by them. However, the Central authorities have never relaxed their ideological requirements for Party members, and have always maintained a firm stance on preserving the purity and thoroughness of ideology. The "Circular of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Printing and Distributing the 'Basic Views and Basic Policies on the Religious Question during the Socialist Period in Our Country'" requires Party members in ethnic minority regions where the population is almost entirely religious to draw a clear line of distinction between their thinking and religious belief. Jiang Zemin and Li Peng both made firm statements of this kind, demanding that Communist Party members, regardless of their ethnic background, adhere to materialism and atheism and should not believe in religion. Jiang Zemin specifically pointed out: "In Xinjiang, whether a cadre is politically strong or not, and whether they can be promoted, depends mainly on this criterion." [1]1 The Sixth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee was held in October 2016. The difference in worldview between Party members and religious believers does not hinder political unity, and the unified requirement for Party members' worldviews has promoted the unity of the materialist worldview within the Party, enhancing the Party's combat effectiveness and cohesion.

中央对党员要坚持无神论的世界观要求是统一的。在少数民族地区，尤其是对于生活在这些地区的基层党员，中央在出台政策时照顾到了各地的特殊情况，允许党员在行动上适当尊重和随顺民族风俗习惯，避免其脱离群众或被群众孤立。但是，中央从来都没有放松对党员思想上的要求，对于维护意识形态的纯洁性和彻底性一直态度坚定。《中共中央关于印发〈关于我国社会主义时期宗教问题的基本观点和基本政策〉的通知》要求那些基本上全民信教的少数民族党员，在思想上要与宗教信仰划清界限。江泽民和李鹏都曾有过此类坚定表态，要求共产党员无论来自哪个民族，都要坚持唯物论和无神论，不应该信教。江泽民还特别指出：“在新疆，干部在政治上强不强、能不能重用，主要看这一条。”党员与信教群众在世界观上的不同并不妨碍政治上的团结一致，而对党员世界观上的统一要求，促进了党内唯物主义世界观的统一，提升了党的战斗力和凝聚力。

(III) Keeping the Propaganda and Education of Atheism Abreast of the Times

(三)保持无神论宣传教育的与时俱进

By the late 1980s, the debate over "religion is the opium of the people" was drawing to a close, and a situation where "no one talks about atheism" began to take shape. The reason few people mentioned the propaganda and education of atheism was the fear of being labeled as "undermining freedom of religious belief." Faced with this situation, Jiang Zemin repeatedly stated that the policy of freedom of religious belief should not prevent ideological and political work from being carried out. In 2001, he clearly pointed out that adhering to the policy of freedom of religious belief does not hinder carrying out ideological and political work among religious believers; education should be conducted for both believers and non-believers, popularizing scientific and cultural knowledge. This added confidence and courage to the development of the propaganda and education of atheism. By 2003, Hu Jintao, in an instruction, more clearly pointed out that the propaganda and education of atheism is not contradictory to implementing the policy of freedom of religious belief. This finally settled the years-long debate in academia and completely "rehabilitated" the propaganda and education of atheism. The successive clear expressions of support for the propaganda and education of atheism by the Party's main leaders enabled it to gain a firm foothold in theoretical circles. Since then, the argument that promoting atheism would undermine freedom of religious belief has rarely been heard. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee has promoted the innovative development of the propaganda and education of atheism in accordance with the new situation. The important position of Marxist atheism in the ideological sphere has been further clarified, and the development of the propaganda and education of atheism has become more adapted to changes in the times and circumstances.

20世纪80年代末，关于“宗教是人民的鸦片”的争论进入尾声，“无神论无人讲”的局面开始形成。而很少有人再提无神论宣传教育的原因，就是忌惮被人扣上“破坏宗教信仰自由”的帽子。面对这种情况，江泽民多次提到不能因为宗教信仰自由政策就不做思想政治工作，在2001年还明确指出，坚持宗教信仰自由政策，并不妨碍对信教群众进行思想政治工作，对信教和不信教的群众都要开展教育，普及科学文化知识,这就给无神论宣传教育事业的发展增添了信心和勇气。到2003年，胡锦涛在批示中更加明确地指出了无神论宣传教育与贯彻宗教信仰自由政策并不矛盾,这就使学术界多年的争论终于尘埃落定，无神论宣传教育被彻底“正名”。党的主要领导人先后明确表态支持无神论宣传教育，使无神论宣传教育在理论界站稳了脚跟，自此以后，那种认为宣传无神论会破坏宗教信仰自由的论调就很少出现了。党的十八大以来，党中央根据新形势推进无神论宣传教育的创新发展。马克思主义无神论在意识形态领域的重要地位进一步被明确，无神论宣传教育的发展更加适应时代和形势的变化。

From the above aspects, it can be seen that the Central authorities' stance of supporting the propaganda and education of atheism is consistent. They remain vigilant at all times against the harm of theism to ideology, maintain composure in the face of various trends of thought that deny the propaganda and education of atheism, deal resolutely with Party cadres and members who engage in superstitious activities through organizational measures, and are firm in their will to combat foreign religious infiltration and curb religious extremism. The Central authorities' overall deployment for the propaganda and education of atheism has become an important basis for advancing this work. The important judgments of the Party and state leaders on the propaganda and education of atheism have played a decisive role in the ideological confrontation between atheism and theism. The Central authorities' theoretical innovations in the propaganda and education of atheism have formed a powerful force driving its development, guiding its direction.

从以上几个方面可以看出，中央支持无神论宣传教育的立场一以贯之，面对有神论对意识形态的危害时刻保持警惕，面对否定无神论宣传教育的种种思潮时刻保持定力，针对党员干部搞封建迷信活动组织处理态度坚决，对于打击境外宗教渗透和遏制宗教极端主义意志坚定。中央对无神论宣传教育的总体部署成为推进这项工作的重要依据，党和国家领导人关于无神论宣传教育的重要论断在无神论与有神论的思想交锋中起到了决定性作用，中央对无神论宣传教育的理论创新形成了推动无神论宣传教育发展的磅礴力量，指引着无神论宣传教育的发展方向。

In reality, the importance and necessity of the propaganda and education of atheism do not always translate into practical urgency, nor can educational issues be resolved overnight. The propaganda and education of atheism requires sustained, long-term effort. Constrained by changes in the domestic and international situation and limitations in other conditions, the propaganda and education of atheism has been developing with difficulty, becoming a "task that was intended to be accomplished but was not." However, the Central authorities' firm stance on the propaganda and education of atheism has kept this work continuous despite being hidden, and organized despite being scattered. Once conditions are ripe, the Central authorities' high level of attention and scientific decision-making can be transformed into an inexhaustible driving force for the substantial development of the propaganda and education of atheism.

在现实中，无神论宣传教育的重要性与必要性并不一定总是指向现实的紧迫性，教育问题的处理也不是一朝一夕就能结出硕果，无神论宣传教育更需要的是久久为功、绵绵用力。囿于国内外形势的变化和其他各方面条件的限制，无神论宣传教育一直处于艰难发展中，成为“想办成而没有办成的事”。但是，中央在无神论宣传教育上的坚定立场使得这项工作隐而不断、散而不乱，一旦条件成熟，中央的高度重视和科学决策就能转化为促进无神论宣传教育长足发展的不竭动力。

II. The Responsibility and Commitment of Scholars is a Powerful Driver for Doing a Good Job in the Propaganda and Education of Atheism

二、学者的责任和担当是做好无神论宣传教育的有力推动

In upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics, "philosophy and social sciences hold an irreplaceable important position, and workers in philosophy and social sciences play an irreplaceable important role." [2]2 The "Norms for Political Life within the Party under the New Situation" is a key document on intra-Party political life adopted at the Sixth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee. In the course of advancing the propaganda and education of atheism through arduous efforts, the academic community has gathered people of lofty ideals, including natural science workers and philosophy and social science workers. Adhering to the guidance of Marxism and inheriting the profound patriotic spirit of the Chinese nation, they have leveraged the advantages and expertise of scholars, shouldered the responsibility and commitment of scholars, and left a brilliant mark in the history of the development of the propaganda and education of atheism since reform and opening up.

坚持和发展中国特色社会主义，“哲学社会科学具有不可替代的重要地位，哲学社会科学工作者具有不可替代的重要作用”。在推动无神论宣传教育砥砺前行的历程中，学界汇集了包括自然科学工作者和哲学社会科学工作者在内的仁人志士，他们坚持以马克思主义为指导，继承中华民族深厚的爱国主义精神，发挥学者的优势和特长，挺起学者的责任和担当，在改革开放以来无神论宣传教育的发展史上留下了浓墨重彩的一笔。

Discovering problems, researching problems, writing books and offering suggestions for the Party and the people is the responsibility of scholars; daring to "draw the sword" against erroneous trends of thought is the commitment of scholars. To make the responsibility and commitment of scholars an effective driver for doing a good job in the propaganda and education of atheism, it is necessary to give full play to the role of scholars as a think tank in policy formulation, to fully value the opinions and suggestions of scholars in the implementation of guidelines and policies, and to create a good environment of equal discussion and positive progress for scholars to play their role. For scholars, it is necessary to firmly establish a political stance, firmly establish a people-centered mindset, consciously apply the Marxist stance, viewpoint, and method throughout the entire process of research and teaching, continuously improve academic attainments, forge academic character, establish virtue and make contributions for the country and the people, and create excellent works that can stand the test of history.

发现问题、研究问题，为党和人民著书立说、建言献策是学者的责任，敢于对错误思潮“亮剑”是学者的担当。要让学者的责任和担当成为做好无神论宣传教育的有效推动，就需要在政策的制定中充分发挥学者的智库作用，在方针政策的贯彻落实中充分重视学者的意见建议，要为学者发挥作用营造平等讨论、积极向上的良好环境。对于学者而言，要站稳政治立场，牢固树立以人民为中心的思想，自觉把马克思主义的立场观点方法贯穿于研究与教学的全过程，不断提高学术造诣，锻造学术品格，为国家和人民立德立言，创造经得起历史检验的优秀作品。

(I) Strengthen Political Convictions, Improve Political Literacy

(一)坚定政治信念，提高政治素养

At the Symposium on Work in Philosophy and Social Sciences, Xi Jinping pointed out: "Adhering to the guidance of Marxism is the fundamental hallmark that distinguishes contemporary Chinese philosophy and social sciences from other philosophy and social sciences, and it must be upheld unequivocally." [3]3 "Three forces" refers to the forces of terrorism, separatism, and extremism. At the beginning of reform and opening up, when religious studies research in China was just starting, there was a debate about the guiding ideology of religious studies research. As the person responsible for establishing China's first national-level religious research institution, Ren Jiyu strongly advocated that religious studies research should adhere to Marxist guidance, thereby founding Chinese Marxist religious studies. He once said: "Academic research must take root in this land and contribute to the development of humanity and social progress." [4]4 The "Regulations on Disciplinary Actions of the Communist Party of China" is the fundamental internal Party regulation governing Party discipline. Ren Jiyu's founding of the Chinese Atheism Society and the Chinese Religious Studies Society in the early period of reform and opening up was an implementation of Mao Zedong's important instruction to "study religion and criticize theology," [5]5 The six central ministries and commissions refers to a group of central Party and state organs, likely including the Propaganda Department, the United Front Work Department, etc. and was also a concrete manifestation of adhering to the guidance of Marxism in religious studies research. At the beginning of establishing the research institution, adopting "accumulating materials and cultivating talent" as the institute's guiding principle was also a plan for the future.

习近平在哲学社会科学工作座谈会上指出：“坚持以马克思主义为指导，是当代中国哲学社会科学区别于其他哲学社会科学的根本标志，必须旗帜鲜明加以坚持。”在改革开放之初我国宗教学研究起步之时，就发生过关于宗教学研究指导思想的争论。作为组建我国第一个国家级宗教研究机构的负责人，任继愈力主宗教学研究应坚持马克思主义指导，由此开创了中国马克思主义宗教学。他曾说：“学术研究要扎根于这块土地，要有补于人类的发展和社会的进步。”任继愈在改革开放初期创办中国无神论学会和中国宗教学学会，是落实毛泽东“研究宗教，批判神学”的重要批示，也是在宗教学研究中坚持马克思主义为指导的具体体现，在创建研究机构之初将“积累资料，培养人才”作为办所方针更是着眼于未来之计。

Philosophy and social science work in China is carried out under the leadership of the Party. Naturally, the mainstream of religious research cannot deviate from Marxism, nor can it intentionally or unintentionally violate the major principle of adhering to Marxist atheism. Only by closely integrating their personal academic pursuits with the country's development direction and the fundamental interests of the people can scholars stand the test of history and the people. Since the 21st century, in the debate surrounding the research direction of religious studies, scholars such as Du Jiwen have resolutely defended the Marxist direction of religious studies research, opposed erroneous tendencies that deviate from Marxism in religious research, and assisted relevant departments in correcting phenomena such as cultural preaching, "eating off religion," and "fawning on religion" [6]6 The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television was a predecessor agency to the current National Radio and Television Administration. that existed in some universities and research institutions.

我国的哲学社会科学工作是在党的领导下进行的，宗教研究的主流自然不能偏离马克思主义，更不能有意无意违背坚持马克思主义无神论这一大原则。学者只有把个人的学术追求与国家发展方向和人民根本利益紧密结合在一起，才能经得起历史和人民的检验。21世纪以来，围绕宗教学研究方向的争论，杜继文等学者坚决捍卫宗教学研究的马克思主义方向，反对在宗教研究中偏离马克思主义的错误倾向，协助有关部门纠正了一些高校和研究机构中存在的文化宣教、“吃教”“媚教”等现象。

(II) Deepen Knowledge and Cultivation, Uphold Academic Character

(二)厚植学识修养，坚守学术品格

“One must sit on a cold bench for ten years, writing not a single empty sentence.” [1]1 The Sixth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee was held in October 2016. Genuine talent and learning are not acquired in a single day; true insight is not found in a single moment. The reason propaganda and education of atheism has weathered storms and stood firm, surviving trials and retaining its vitality, is precisely because older-generation scholars represented by Ren Jiyu [2]2 The "Norms for Political Life within the Party under the New Situation" is a key document on intra-Party political life adopted at the Sixth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee. toiled diligently in the vast sea of books, silently persisted in ordinary times, and took action when society needed them. Throughout Ren Jiyu’s academic career, no matter how the intellectual climate shifted, the spirit of seeking truth from facts [3]3 "Three forces" refers to the forces of terrorism, separatism, and extremism. ran through it all, becoming especially evident after he embraced Marxism. This adherence to academic integrity was mainly embodied in his insistence on four viewpoints: first, he insisted on questioning Zhdanov’s [4]4 The "Regulations on Disciplinary Actions of the Communist Party of China" is the fundamental internal Party regulation governing Party discipline. definition of the history of philosophy, arguing that defining the history of philosophy as a history of the struggle between materialism and idealism did not accord with the reality of Chinese philosophical history, even though this was labeled by some at the time as a revisionist view; second, he insisted on not interpreting the development of Chinese philosophy through the lens of the Confucian-Legalist struggle [5]5 The six central ministries and commissions refers to a group of central Party and state organs, likely including the Propaganda Department, the United Front Work Department, etc. and did not participate in the then “Criticize Lin Biao, Criticize Confucius” campaign [6]6 The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television was a predecessor agency to the current National Radio and Television Administration.; third, he insisted that Confucianism was a religion, even though this view, once proposed, immediately faced fierce criticism from the vast majority of scholars, and it was only many years later that more and more scholars came to accept his position; fourth, he insisted on propagating the viewpoint of atheism. The insistence on propagating atheism, coming from the mouth of such a scholar, undoubtedly highlights all the more the necessity of propaganda and education of atheism.

板凳要坐十年冷，文章不写一句空。真才实学不是一朝一夕就能修得的，真知灼见不是一时半刻就能觅得的。无神论宣传教育之所以能饱经风雨而屹立不倒，历尽劫波而元气尚存，正是因为以任继愈为代表的老一辈学者在浩瀚书海中的辛勤耕耘，在平凡岁月中的默默坚守和在社会需要时的有所作为。在任继愈的学术生涯中，无论学界风向如何变化，实事求是的精神贯穿始终，尤其是他接受了马克思主义以后表现得更加明显，这种对学术品格的坚守主要体现在对四个观点的坚持之中：一是坚持质疑日丹诺夫关于哲学史的定义，认为把哲学史定义为唯物主义与唯心主义的斗争史对于中国哲学史是不符合实际的，即使这在当时被一些人说成是修正主义观点；二是坚持不按照儒法斗争的线索来理解中国哲学的发展，没有参加当时的“评法批儒”运动；三是坚持儒教是教的观点，即使这个观点一经提出就遭到了绝大多数学者的激烈批判，直到多年后才有越来越多的学者接受他的观点；四是坚持宣传无神论的观点。坚持宣传无神论的观点从这样的学者口中说出，无疑更加能够彰显无神论宣传教育的必要性。

(3) Adhering to Problem Awareness, Actively Offering Suggestions

(三)坚持问题意识，积极建言献策

Scholars possess rich theoretical knowledge, specialized research perspectives, the ability to see the big from the small, and scientific research methods. Some major problems were first discovered and their resolution promoted by scholars. Scholars have a profound grasp of issues they have long focused on, master detailed materials, and can discern the development, context, and external impacts of problems, providing important references and consultations for decision-makers. Since the 21st century, some scholars have discovered that hostile foreign forces have begun using religion to infiltrate China’s universities and research institutions, engaging in illegal proselytizing on university campuses, implanting Western values, and attempting to compete with us for the youth. Through in-depth investigation and research, scholars thoroughly analyzed these problems. Relevant departments attached great importance to this, issuing documents to resist foreign religious infiltration and prevent campus proselytizing, requiring the cessation of illegal religious activities and the strengthening of materialist education, thereby promoting the resolution of the problem.

学者具有丰富的理论知识、专业的研究视角、见微知著的本领和科学的研究方法，一些重大问题就是学者首先发现并推动解决的。学者对其长期关注的问题有着深刻的把握，掌握翔实的资料，能洞悉问题发展的来龙去脉和外部影响，为决策者提供了重要的参考和咨询。21世纪以来，一些学者发现境外敌对势力开始利用宗教对我国高校和科研机构进行渗透，在高校校园内进行非法传教，植入西方价值观念，妄图与我争夺青年。学者们经过深入的调查研究，深入剖析了这些问题，有关部门予以高度重视，印发了抵御境外宗教渗透、防范校园传教的相关文件，要求制止非法传教，加强唯物主义教育，推动了问题的解决。

(4) Responding to the Central Committee’s Call, Promoting Policy Implementation

(四)响应中央号召，推动政策落实

Scholars have the unique advantage of not being constrained by local interests, often playing a key role, like a lever moving a thousand pounds, in promoting the implementation of policies. Implementing the Central Committee’s [7]7 The Shanxi Provincial Office of Civilizational Development is a provincial-level body responsible for promoting cultural-ethical progress. deployments should be the proper duty of local authorities and departments. However, due to the mischief of local interests and the contamination of bureaucracy and formalism, the problem of “implementing documents with documents, implementing meetings with meetings” was once repeatedly prohibited but not stopped. Some cadres shouted slogans to the heavens but acted lightly. These behaviors delayed the process of problem resolution, sometimes even missing the optimal window for resolution, leading to serious consequences. Jiang Zemin [8]8 The State Administration for Religious Affairs is the state administrative body for religious affairs, now part of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee. once sternly pointed out in a letter: “To what extent has the ideological and political work and mass work [9]9 Martyrs' Day is a national day of remembrance in China, observed on September 30th, established in 2014 to commemorate those who sacrificed their lives for national liberation and construction. in some of our localities and departments become weak and powerless!” In fact, the Central Committee had already put forward the requirement to oppose feudal superstition at the end of 1994 and reiterated it many times, but it did not receive due attention and effective implementation from some departments. However, as early as 1995, some scholars responded to the Central Committee’s call, organizing counterattacks against the feudal superstition and pseudo-scientific activities prevalent in society at the time. The Committee for Promoting the Alliance of Natural and Social Sciences (abbreviated as the “Two Sciences Alliance”) [10]10 The "Ceremony of Presenting Flower Baskets to the People's Heroes" is the official name of the state ceremony held on Martyrs' Day at the Monument to the People's Heroes in Tiananmen Square. under the Chinese Society for the Dialectics of Nature [11]11 "We Are the Successors of Communism" is a well-known Chinese children's song, the theme song of the Young Pioneers of China. held a series of forums, advocating the scientific spirit and opposing ignorant superstition. This move quickly aroused strong repercussions. More and more people of insight gathered under the banner of scientific atheism raised by the “Two Sciences Alliance,” participating in the struggle against feudal superstition and pseudo-science. They were also invited to lecture platforms in universities and cadre training sessions to actively propagate atheism, promoting the implementation of the Central Committee’s decisions and deployments regarding propaganda and education of atheism, ensuring they took root and bore fruit.

学者具有不受局部利益牵绊的独特优势，往往能在推动政策贯彻落实的过程中起到四两拨千斤的关键作用。落实中央部署本应是各地方和部门的分内之事，但由于局部利益作祟和官僚主义、形式主义浸染，用文件落实文件、用会议贯彻会议的问题曾屡禁不止，个别干部口号喊得震天响，行动起来轻飘飘。这些行为拖延了问题的解决进程，有的甚至错过了解决的最佳时机，导致严重后果。江泽民曾在信中严肃指出：“我们一些地方和部门的思想政治工作和群众工作软弱无力到了什么程度!”其实，中央在1994年底就提出了反对封建迷信的要求并多次重申，只是没有得到一些部门应有的重视和有效的落实。而一些学者早在1995年就响应中央号召，组织反击当时社会上的封建迷信和伪科学活动，中国自然辩证法研究会的促进自然科学和社会科学联盟委员会简称“两科联盟”召开系列论坛，倡导科学精神，反对愚昧迷信。此举在当时迅速引起强烈反响，越来越多的有识之士汇集在“两科联盟”举起的科学无神论大旗之下，参与到反对封建迷信和伪科学的斗争中来。并应邀走上高校、干部培训等讲台积极宣传无神论，推动中央关于无神论宣传教育的决策部署落地生根。

Overall, to better leverage the promoting role of scholars in propaganda and education of atheism in the New Era [12]12 This quote is from Xi Jinping's speech at the National Commendation Conference for the Fight against the COVID-19 Epidemic, held on September 8, 2020., it is necessary to cherish Marxist scholars like Ren Jiyu, who are knowledgeable, morally upright, and rigorous in scholarship; strive to create a favorable environment where everyone can fully display their talents and those talents can be fully utilized; fully mobilize their initiative; and give play to their positive role in promoting the sustained and healthy development of propaganda and education of atheism. Ethnicity and religion are no small matters. Propaganda and education of atheism is a highly policy-sensitive task, possessing a certain sensitivity in practice. People who generally cannot grasp or fully understand the policy are prone to stepping on red lines or crossing bottom lines in actual operations, causing adverse social impacts, or even leading to serious consequences detrimental to national unity and ethnic solidarity. There have indeed been lessons learned from this in reality. Therefore, it is necessary to borrow the keen eyes of scholars to promptly discover problems and deviations in policy implementation and correction, rectify errors, and steer the direction. Talent is a key factor in promoting the long-term development of propaganda and education of atheism. Since the roots of the existence of theism have not been completely eliminated, and the ideological struggle between atheism and theism will persist for a long time, it is necessary to strengthen the construction of a talent team for propaganda and education of atheism, accelerate the disciplinary construction of Marxist atheism, focus on cultivating young Marxist atheists, and nurture reserve talents proficient in both atheism research and propaganda education.

综合来看，为了让学者的推动作用在新时代无神论宣传教育中得到更好发挥，就要珍惜像任继愈这样学识渊博、道德高尚、治学严谨的马克思主义学者，努力创造人尽其才、才尽其用的良好环境，充分调动他们的积极性，发挥他们在促进无神论宣传教育持续健康发展方面的积极作用。民族、宗教无小事，无神论宣传教育是一项政策性非常强的工作，在实践中具有一定的敏感性，一般对政策把不准、吃不透的人在实际操作中容易踩到红线、越过底线，造成不良社会影响，甚至酿成严重后果，不利于国家统一和民族团结，这在现实中不是没有教训的。因此，需要借用学者的慧眼，及时发现政策贯彻落实中出现的问题和偏差，纠正错误，把准方向。人才是促进无神论宣传教育长远发展的关键因素，由于有神论存在的根源还未完全消除，无神论与有神论的思想斗争还将长期存在，所以要加强无神论宣传教育的人才队伍建设，加快马克思主义无神论学科建设，着力培养青年马克思主义无神论者，培育通晓无神论研究和宣传教育的后备人才。

3. The Implementation by Localities and Departments is an Important Pillar for Doing a Good Job in Propaganda and Education of Atheism

三、地方和部门的贯彻落实是做好无神论宣传教育的重要依托

The layout lies with the Central Committee; implementation relies on localities. The Central Committee’s top-level design and decisions and deployments can only take effect and be realized through solid implementation. Whether the Central Committee’s decisions and deployments can be implemented by various localities and departments concerns whether practical problems can be solved and whether the Central Committee’s strategic intentions can be realized. Propaganda and education of atheism is a highly practical task. It cannot remain at the level of statements and paper, nor can it remain in grandiose ceremonies or flashy postures. Instead, it should be pragmatic and down-to-earth, truly grasping and working hard, adhering to the great principle of Marxist atheism, carrying through the Central Committee’s spirit consistently, implementing the Central Committee’s deployments thoroughly, and grasping implementation with the spirit of driving a nail [13]13 A metaphor popularized by Xi Jinping, emphasizing persistent and focused effort in implementing policies., hammering blow after blow, working on it batch after batch, seizing important links such as national education, cadre training, and mass media, ensuring that every step leaves a mark, every grab leaves an imprint, and every word carries weight. Over the past 40-plus years of reform and opening up [14]14 The policy of economic and social liberalization and opening to the outside world initiated by Deng Xiaoping in 1978., various regions and departments have tightly grasped the implementation of propaganda and education of atheism in various fields to build an ideological defense line against the erosion of theism.

布局在中央，落实靠地方。中央的顶层设计和决策部署只有通过扎实的贯彻才能落地见效，中央决策部署能否得到各地方部门的贯彻落实，关系到现实问题能否得到解决，关系到中央的战略意图能否得到实现。无神论宣传教育是一项实践性很强的工作，不能停留在表态中和纸面上，也不能停留在轰轰烈烈的仪式或花里胡哨的架势上，而应该求真务实，真抓实干，坚持马克思主义无神论大原则，把中央的精神贯彻始终，把中央的部署落实到位，以钉钉子精神狠抓落实，一锤接着一锤砸，一茬接着一茬干，抓住国民教育、干部培训、大众传媒等重要环节，做到踏石留印，抓铁有痕，掷地有声。改革开放40多年来，各地区各部门为构筑起一道防止有神论侵蚀的思想防线，在各个领域紧抓无神论宣传教育的落实工作。

(1) Persisting in Atheism Education within the National Education System

(一)在国民教育体系中坚持进行无神论教育

Universities, middle schools, and primary schools are the main bodies responsible for implementing the separation of education and religion, are the front line in the struggle between atheism and theism, and are also the main force relied upon to prevent religious infiltration into campuses. From 2007 to 2011, relevant departments issued documents requiring guidance for university students to correctly understand religion and prevent campus proselytizing. Various universities issued detailed implementation rules, strengthened propaganda and education of atheism for university students, provided training on religious knowledge, religious policies, and relevant laws and regulations for counselors, and promptly discovered and properly handled campus proselytizing behaviors, achieving very good results.

大中小学校是践行教育与宗教相分离的责任主体，是无神论与有神论斗争的前沿阵地，也是防范宗教向校园渗透的主要依靠力量。2007年至2011年，有关部门曾发文要求引导大学生正确认识宗教和防范校园传教，各高校出台落实细则，对大学生加强无神论宣传教育，对辅导员进行宗教知识、宗教政策和相关法律法规培训，及时发现和妥善处置校园传教行为，起到了很好的效果。

The 2016 National Conference on Religious Work played a significant role in promoting the propaganda and education of atheism. When implementing the principle of separating education from religion, some localities became more explicit in their stance and more resolute in their position. Less than a month after the conference, a video titled "Gansu's Lovely Little Girl Reciting Scripture from Memory" circulated online, showing a child in a kindergarten in Linxia, Gansu, reciting a religious scripture. The Gansu Provincial Department of Education immediately issued a strong condemnation and demanded that education departments at all levels in Gansu resolutely stop such behavior, strictly prohibiting religion from entering campuses through any form of activity. Shortly thereafter, a religious cleric displayed religious scriptures at a primary school class meeting in Zhengzhou, Henan. The Henan Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government attached great importance to this. Zhengzhou City dealt with the responsible persons according to laws and regulations. The Henan Provincial Party Committee's Education Work Committee circulated a notice to the province's education system, requiring a general survey of schools with similar hidden dangers to strictly implement the "separation of education from religion." Subsequently, Henan Province adopted multiple strong measures to conduct propaganda and education of atheism among young people: multiple departments within the province jointly compiled and printed three pocket books distributed to all higher education institutions in the province, promoting the Marxist view on religion and the Party's work policies on religion; the Zhengzhou Municipal Committee of the Communist Youth League distributed "League Group Talks about Religion" pocket books to young people, utilizing channels such as community and rural volunteer services to explain the Party's religious policies and popularize religious knowledge. The forceful follow-up of these measures constitutes the concrete implementation of the spirit of central documents and leaders' instructions and directives. Only by raising the political stance and ideological understanding in this way can one be explicit in stance and resolute in attitude; only by solidly rectifying prominent problems in specific areas and checking for similar problems by analogy can major risks that may arise be effectively prevented and resolved; only by persistently and unremittingly grasping the work and continuously improving the working mechanisms can a favorable situation of multi-party joint management and coordinated cooperation be formed.

2016年全国宗教工作会议对无神论宣传教育起到了重要的推动作用。一些地方在贯彻教育与宗教相分离的原则时，旗帜更加鲜明，立场更加坚定。会议结束不到一个月，网络上流传着一段名为“甘肃可爱的背经小女孩”的视频，视频显示甘肃临夏一幼儿园孩子正在背诵某宗教经典，甘肃省教育厅立即对此表示强烈谴责，并要求甘肃省各级教育部门对此类行为予以坚决制止，严禁宗教通过各种活动形式进入校园。此后不久，有宗教教职人员在河南郑州一小学班会上展示宗教典籍，河南省委、省政府对此高度重视，郑州市依法依规对相关责任人进行处理，河南省委高校工委向河南省教育系统通报情况，要求对存在类似隐患的学校进行普查，严格落实“教育与宗教相分离”。此后，河南省采取了多项有力措施对青少年进行无神论宣传教育：省内多部门联合编印三本口袋书向全省高等学校发放，宣传马克思主义宗教观和党的宗教工作方针政策；共青团郑州市委向青少年发放“团团话宗教”口袋书，利用社区、农村志愿服务等渠道宣讲党的宗教政策，普及宗教知识。这些措施的有力跟进都是对中央文件和领导指示批示精神的具体落实，也只有这样提高政治站位和思想认识，才能做到旗帜鲜明、态度坚决；只有针对领域突出问题扎实整改，举一反三检查同类问题，才能有效防范化解可能出现的重大风险；只有持之以恒常抓不懈，不断完善工作机制，才能形成多方齐抓共管、协同配合的良好局面。

(II) Strictly implement the regulation that Party members are not allowed to believe in religion in organizational and disciplinary inspection work

(二)在组织纪检工作中严格落实党员不准信教的规定

Organizational departments are the main responsible bodies for conducting propaganda and education of atheism among Party member leading cadres. Since the 1990s, the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee and other departments have issued documents targeting issues such as some Party members believing in religion or organizing and participating in feudal superstitious activities, explicitly requiring that Party members are not allowed to believe in religion. For Party members who believe in religion, they should be educated to establish correct ideals and beliefs; those who do not change after education should be persuaded to withdraw from the Party. In November 2014, the head of the Fifth Central Inspection Team conveyed to then Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee Secretary Xia Baolong the important speech spirit of Xi Jinping on inspection work, and the next day, when providing feedback on the inspection situation to the Zhejiang provincial leadership team, pointed out that "a small number of Party members in some localities participate in religion and believe in religion." The Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee quickly made rectifications, adding atheism themes to Party lecture activities, offering courses on the Marxist view of religion at Party schools, academies of governance, and Party member education online platforms, while also carrying out the transformation and handling of Party members who participate in and believe in religion according to different situations, implementing a one-vote veto for development targets who have engaged in such behavior. In the implementation of work at the Zhejiang regional level, the Wenzhou Municipal Party Committee focused on solving the problem of Party members' covert belief in religion. A sub-district Party working committee under its jurisdiction discovered through investigation a Party member who believed in religion. After education, there was no sign of change, so the member was handled according to regulations by being persuaded to withdraw and removed from the Party rolls. This reflects the sustained and forceful implementation of the central and provincial Party committee's deployments at the grassroots level, and also provides a model and benchmark for grassroots Party organizations to handle the issue of Party members believing in religion. Zhejiang Province, especially Wenzhou City, as a place with a relatively large Christian influence, resolutely implemented the central authorities' requirements and deployments, taking the lead in carrying out the rectification of the issue of Party members believing in religion. This has landmark significance nationwide, meaning that the central authorities were already prepared to address the issue of Party members believing in religion. Zhejiang, as a key region, carrying out similar pilot work accumulated valuable experience for the subsequent nationwide promotion.

组织部门是对党员领导干部进行无神论宣传教育的责任主体。20世纪90年代以来，中央组织部等部门针对部分党员信仰宗教或组织参与封建迷信活动等问题下发文件，明确要求党员不准信教，对于信教的党员要通过教育使其树立正确的理想信念，经教育不改的应该劝其退党。2014年11月，中央第五巡视组负责同志向时任浙江省委书记夏宝龙传达了习近平关于巡视工作的重要讲话精神，并在第二天向浙江省领导班子反馈巡视情况时指出“一些地方少数党员参教信教”。浙江省委迅速作出整改，在党课活动中增加无神论主题，在党校、行政学院和党员教育网络平台开设马克思主义宗教观课程，同时区别不同情况做好参教信教党员转化处置工作，对存在参教信教行为的发展对象实行一票否决。在浙江地区层面的工作落实中，温州市委着力解决党员隐形信教问题，下辖街道工委通过排查发现一名党员信仰宗教，经教育后没有转变的表现，遂按规定作劝退除名处理。这体现了基层对中央和省委部署的持续、有力落实，也为基层党组织处理党员信教问题提供了样板和标杆。浙江省尤其是温州市作为基督教影响较大的地方，坚决落实中央的要求部署，率先开展党员信教问题的整治，在全国具有标志性意义，这意味着中央已经准备着手处理党员信教问题，浙江作为重点地区开展类似试点的工作为下一步的全国推行积累了宝贵经验。

Disciplinary inspection departments are the main responsible bodies for implementing the political discipline that Party members are not allowed to believe in religion, setting the disciplinary bottom line for Party members to adhere to and propagate atheism. In recent years, grassroots Party organizations in many places across the country have begun to investigate whether Party members believe in religion, signing "Commitment Letters Not to Believe in Religion" with Party members. In individual notices of disciplinary violations against cadres, descriptions of the issue of "believing in religion" have appeared. The regulation that Party members are not allowed to believe in religion has also been integrated into the Party's institutional construction. The Sixth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee [1]1 The Sixth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee was held in October 2016. reviewed and approved the "Norms for Political Life within the Party under the New Situation," [2]2 The "Norms for Political Life within the Party under the New Situation" is a key document on intra-Party political life adopted at the Sixth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee. which explicitly prohibits engaging in feudal superstition, believing in religion or participating in cults, and condoning or supporting the three forces [3]3 "Three forces" refers to the forces of terrorism, separatism, and extremism. and their activities. The revised "Regulations on Disciplinary Actions of the Communist Party of China" [4]4 The "Regulations on Disciplinary Actions of the Communist Party of China" is the fundamental internal Party regulation governing Party discipline. in 2023 also requires that for Party members who believe in religion, ideological education should be strengthened, and they should be required to correct their behavior within a specified period; for those who still do not change after the Party organization's help and education, they should be persuaded to withdraw from the Party; for those who are persuaded but do not withdraw, they should be removed from the Party rolls. The implementation of the regulation that Party member leading cadres are not allowed to believe in religion is in place, and it also serves as a warning to all Party members that they must absolutely not seek their own values and beliefs in religion.

纪检部门是落实党员不准信教政治纪律的责任主体，为党员坚持和宣传无神论划定纪律底线。近年来，全国多地基层党组织开始排查党员是否信仰宗教，与党员签订《不信仰宗教承诺书》,在个别查处违纪干部的通报中，出现了关于“信仰宗教”问题的描述。党员不准信教的规定也融入了党的制度建设之中。党的十八届六中全会审议通过《关于新形势下党内政治生活的若干准则》,把不准搞封建迷信，不准信仰宗教、参与邪教，不准纵容和支持三股势力及其活动写入其中。2023年修订的《中国共产党纪律处分条例》也要求对信仰宗教的党员，应当加强思想教育，要求其限期改正；经党组织帮助教育仍没有转变的，应当劝其退党；劝而不退的，予以除名。在党员领导干部中不准信教的规定落实到位，同时也警醒着广大党员，绝不能在宗教中寻找自己的价值和信念。

(III) Strengthen atheism propaganda in propaganda, ideology, and cultural work

(三)在宣传思想文化工作中加强无神论宣传

Propaganda departments are mainly responsible for the propaganda and education of atheism in mass media and mass activities for cultural-ethical progress. In 2003, six central ministries and commissions [5]5 The six central ministries and commissions refers to a group of central Party and state organs, likely including the Propaganda Department, the United Front Work Department, etc. specifically issued a document deploying the propaganda and education of atheism, and the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television [6]6 The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television was a predecessor agency to the current National Radio and Television Administration. issued implementation rules based on the document. In concrete practice, positive propaganda for atheism is a practical requirement for adhering to the great principle of Marxist atheism on the propaganda front. In 2015, the Shanxi Provincial Office of Civilizational Development [7]7 The Shanxi Provincial Office of Civilizational Development is a provincial-level body responsible for promoting cultural-ethical progress. launched an educational and rectification campaign across the province's rural areas, advocating science and eradicating superstition, targeting the long-active feng shui masters, spirit mediums, and witch doctors in rural areas, achieving good results. In its continuous actions to govern chronic problems in the online ecosystem, the Cyberspace Administration of China investigated and dealt with a number of divination and fortune-telling websites that propagated feudal superstition and had serious deviations in orientation. In response to the increase in illegal religious activities on the internet, the State Administration for Religious Affairs [8]8 The State Administration for Religious Affairs is the state administrative body for religious affairs, now part of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee. issued the "Measures for the Administration of Internet Religious Information Services (Draft for Comments)" in 2018. The draft document aimed to regulate the subjects publishing religious information on the internet from aspects such as strict access mechanisms, clear exit mechanisms, and strengthening departmental coordination, taking an important step in the governance of internet religious information, providing a guarantee for reducing the impact of erroneous ideas on the mainstream ideology and purifying the online public opinion environment for the propaganda and education of atheism.

宣传部门主要负责大众传媒、群众性精神文明创建活动中的无神论宣传教育。中央六部委于2003年专门下发部署无神论宣传教育的文件，国家广电总局根据文件出台落实细则。在具体实践中，对无神论的正面宣传是在宣传战线坚持马克思主义无神论大原则的现实要求。山西省文明办于2015年针对长期在农村地区活跃的风水大师、神汉、神婆，在全省农村开展崇尚科学、破除迷信教育整治活动，收到了良好的效果。国家互联网信息办公室在持续治理网络生态顽疾的行动中，查处了一批宣扬封建迷信，导向严重偏差的占卜、算命网站。针对互联网非法传教活动的增多，国家宗教事务局于2018年发布《互联网宗教信息服务管理办法(征求意见稿)》,文件拟从严格准入机制、明确退出机制和强化部门协同等方面，对互联网上的宗教信息发布主体进行规范，在互联网宗教信息治理上迈出重要一步，为减少错误思想对主流意识形态的冲击，净化无神论宣传教育的网络舆论环境提供保障。

In propaganda work, adhering to the great principle of Marxist atheism is particularly important. At the beginning of the establishment of the Martyrs' Day [9]9 Martyrs' Day is a national day of remembrance in China, observed on September 30th, established in 2014 to commemorate those who sacrificed their lives for national liberation and construction. in 2014, there was a voice expressing concern that while commemorating heroes on such a grand scale was certainly a good thing, the commemorative activities could easily be understood as worship of supernatural forces, and whether this would harm the purity of the atheist Party. In fact, judging from the organization of activities in recent years, such concerns can be completely dispelled: the name of the activity is the "Ceremony of Presenting Flower Baskets to the People's Heroes," [10]10 The "Ceremony of Presenting Flower Baskets to the People's Heroes" is the official name of the state ceremony held on Martyrs' Day at the Monument to the People's Heroes in Tiananmen Square. and the content of the ceremony includes singing the national anthem, observing a moment of silence for the martyrs, children singing "We Are the Successors of Communism," [11]11 "We Are the Successors of Communism" is a well-known Chinese children's song, the theme song of the Young Pioneers of China. and presenting flower baskets to the People's Heroes. There is absolutely no room for supernatural beings. The ceremony commemorates the living, breathing individuals who bravely sacrificed themselves for the cause of national liberation and construction, not supernatural gods, ghosts, or souls; the ceremony remembers the revolutionary martyrs and pays tribute to the People's Heroes; the ceremony promotes the heroic spirit and inspires generation after generation of revolutionary successors and heroic sons and daughters. More importantly is the interpretation of the commemorative activities. In the 2020 commemorative ceremony, the commentary of China Central Television also quoted Xi Jinping's speech at the National Commendation Conference for the Fight against the COVID-19 Epidemic: "The Chinese nation has been able to endure countless calamities and continue to grow and strengthen, not because there is a savior, but because before great disasters, thousands upon thousands of ordinary people step forward and march forward generously!" [12]12 This quote is from Xi Jinping's speech at the National Commendation Conference for the Fight against the COVID-19 Epidemic, held on September 8, 2020. Therefore, it can be seen that the reason the commemorative activities do not become sacrificial activities is precisely because adhering to the great principle of Marxist atheism runs through them from beginning to end. Adhering to Marxist atheism is not a slogan, but a scientific belief deeply embedded in the heart. Especially in propaganda work, it does not need to be constantly on the lips, but should be reflected in action.

在宣传工作中，坚持马克思主义无神论大原则尤为重要。在2014年烈士纪念日设立之初，有一种声音曾担心，如此大张旗鼓地纪念英雄当然是好事，但祭奠活动容易被理解为对超自然力的崇拜，会不会因此有损无神论政党的纯洁性。其实，从这几年的活动组织来看，可以完全打消这种顾虑：活动的名称叫“向人民英雄敬献花篮仪式”,仪式的内容包括唱国歌、向烈士默哀、少年儿童献唱《我们是共产主义接班人》、向人民英雄敬献花篮，完全没有超自然物存在的余地。仪式纪念的是为国家解放和建设事业英勇献身的一个个鲜活的人，不是超自然的神鬼或灵魂；仪式缅怀的是革命先烈，致敬的是人民英雄；仪式弘扬的英雄精神，激发的是一代又一代的革命接班人和英雄儿女。更为重要的是对纪念活动的解读。在2020年纪念仪式中，中央电视台的解说词还引用了习近平在全国抗击新冠肺炎疫情表彰大会上的讲话：“中华民族能够经历无数灾厄仍不断发展壮大，从来都不是因为有救世主，而是因为在大灾大难前有千千万万个普通人挺身而出、慷慨前行!”因此可以看出，纪念活动之所以不会变成祭奠活动，正是因为坚持马克思主义无神论大原则贯穿始终。坚持马克思主义无神论不是口号，而是深嵌在内心的科学信仰，尤其在宣传工作中，不需要时刻挂在嘴边，而应在行动中有所体现。

(IV) Systematically advance the propaganda and education of atheism in ethnic regions

(四)在民族地区系统推进无神论宣传教育

Ethnic regions are often prone to complex situations where ethnic and religious issues intertwine, and therefore they also bear the heavy responsibility of coordinating regional resources and utilizing multiple means to comprehensively advance the propaganda and education of atheism. Xinjiang has vigorously promoted de-extremification work, prohibiting the wearing of religious extremist attire such as the jilbab and niqab, starting from the source of ideological education, advancing the propaganda and education of atheism at the societal level, and offering scientific atheism courses in universities. Xinjiang stands at the forefront of the national counter-terrorism effort, implementing multiple measures to earnestly carry out central deployments; it has not experienced any violent terrorist attacks for many years, all trainees at education and training centers have completed their programs and achieved stable employment, and the situation of ethnic unity and religious harmony has been consolidated. Xinjiang’s achievements in de-extremification have received the approval of the central authorities and the praise of the people nationwide. In the process of implementing the spirit of the 2016 National Conference on Religious Work, Ningxia has viewed and addressed the issue of the generalization of the halal concept from the perspective of safeguarding national security, treating the problem of religious infiltration as a political issue; it has strengthened education on ethnic and religious views, revising and improving textbooks and knowledge readers on ethnic groups and religions for primary, secondary, and tertiary schools within the autonomous region in accordance with central directives; it has strictly prohibited treating Arabic as the ethnic language of the Hui people, preventing the expansion of Arabic-language education; and it has demanded that Party members absolutely must not believe in religion. The implementation of these measures has blocked the channels for the spread of religious extremist ideas, enabling the masses in ethnic regions to recognize the harm and essence of religious extremism, strengthening their study of national laws, regulations, and religious policies, and effectively promoting ethnic unity, social stability, and national unity.

民族地区往往容易出现民族宗教问题相互交织的复杂情况，因此也担负着协调全域资源，利用多种手段统筹推进无神论宣传教育的重任。新疆大力推进去极端化工作，禁止穿戴吉里巴甫、里切克等宗教极端服饰，从思想教育源头抓起，在社会层面推进无神论宣传教育，在高校开设科学无神论课程。新疆站在全国反恐最前沿，多措并举大力落实中央部署，已经多年未发生暴力恐怖袭击事件，教育培训中心学员全部结业并实现稳定就业，民族团结和宗教和谐的局面得到巩固，新疆去极端化的成就得到了中央的首肯和全国人民的赞赏。宁夏在落实2016年全国宗教工作会议精神的过程中，从维护国家安全的高度看待和治理清真概念泛化问题，把宗教渗透问题作为政治问题来抓；加强民族宗教观教育，根据中央精神修订完善自治区内大中小学民族宗教教材和知识读本；严禁把阿拉伯语作为回族的民族语言，防止阿拉伯语教育扩大化；要求党员坚决不能信教。这些措施的实施阻断了宗教极端思想的传播渠道，使民族地区群众认清了宗教极端主义的危害和本质，加强了对国家法律法规和宗教政策的学习，有力促进了民族团结、社会安定和国家统一。

Earnest implementation is the primary essence of policy execution. Localities and departments are the main bodies for executing central policies. The attention of the central authorities and the issuance of documents are the basis for localities and departments to execute policies and the prerequisite for doing a good job in the propaganda and education of atheism. The implementation by local departments is the key link for central deployments to take effect on the ground and an important support for doing a good job in the propaganda and education of atheism. It can be seen that, on the one hand, the execution of policies for the propaganda and education of atheism requires the coordinated cooperation of multiple departments and multiple fronts. This necessitates not only the establishment of coordination mechanisms by higher-level organs and the designation of lead departments but also the unification of thinking, convergence of efforts, and concerted action by all regions and departments. On the other hand, policy execution requires timely summarization of experiences and feedback on the situation. The propaganda and education of atheism is highly policy-oriented, involves many issues, affects a wide range of areas, and has a certain degree of complexity and sensitivity. Therefore, localities and departments should establish and improve work mechanisms, do a good job of implementation tailored to local conditions, ensure that the Party Central Committee’s deployments on the propaganda and education of atheism are implemented in place, and at the same time promptly report common problems and pain points encountered in execution, especially those that concern the overall situation and have a broad impact, so that the central authorities can grasp the overall picture and handle matters in a coordinated manner.

狠抓落实是政策执行的第一要义。地方和部门是中央政策的执行主体。中央的重视和文件的出台是地方和部门执行政策的依据，是做好无神论宣传教育的前提，地方部门的贯彻落实是中央部署落地见效的关键环节，是做好无神论宣传教育的重要依托。可以看到，一方面，无神论宣传教育的政策执行需要多个部门、多条战线的通力配合，这既需要上级机关建立协调机制，明确牵头部门，也需要各地区各部门统一思想，同心汇聚，同向而行。另一方面，政策的执行需要及时总结经验，做好情况反馈。无神论宣传教育政策性强，涉及问题多，影响方面广，有一定的复杂性和敏感性。因此，地方和部门应建立健全工作机制，因地制宜做好落实工作，确保党中央关于无神论宣传教育的部署落实到位，同时及时上报执行中遇到的普遍问题和难点痛点，特别是那些关乎全局、影响广泛的情况，以便中央把握全局，统筹处理。

IV. The mobilization and participation of the masses are the solid foundation for doing a good job in the propaganda and education of atheism

四、群众的发动和参与是做好无神论宣传教育的坚实基础

Maintaining close ties with the masses is one of the Party’s fine traditions, and the mass line is the Party’s lifeline and fundamental work line. Doing a good job in the propaganda and education of atheism must adhere to coming from the masses and going to the masses; it is necessary to believe in the masses, rely on the masses, mobilize the masses, and educate the masses, firmly building a mass foundation. The weapon of criticism cannot replace the criticism of weapons; only when scientific theory is grasped by the masses can it burst forth with immense power. Only when Marxist atheism is grasped by the masses can the mainstream and dominant position of Marxist atheism play its role, enabling the masses to resist the spiritual temptations and ideological infiltration of various theistic currents at the source, reducing the rate of increase in religious believers, and enhancing the masses’ consciousness in resisting infiltration and curbing extremism. Currently, the work method of mobilizing the masses has achieved good results in the creation of civilized cities, the governance of traffic violations, and the campaign against organized crime and local mafia. Fully mobilizing the masses in the propaganda and education of atheism can not only enhance the depth and breadth of propaganda and education activities but also turn passivity into initiative, enabling early detection of budding problems. More importantly, it can use the advanced to drive the backward, enhancing the masses’ initiative in self-study and education, forming a virtuous cycle, thereby achieving twice the result with half the effort.

密切联系群众是党的优良作风之一，群众路线是党的生命线和根本工作路线。做好无神论宣传教育工作须坚持从群众中来，到群众中去，要相信群众、依靠群众、发动群众、教育群众，牢筑群众基础。批判的武器不能代替武器的批判，科学的理论只有为群众掌握才能迸发出磅礴的力量。马克思主义无神论只有为群众所掌握，才能使马克思主义无神论的主流主导地位发挥作用，使群众从源头上抵御种种有神论思潮的精神诱惑和思想渗透，减低宗教信众的增加速度，增强群众抵御渗透、遏制极端的自觉性。当前，发动群众的工作方法在文明城市创建、交通违章治理、扫黑除恶斗争中取得良好效果。在无神论宣传教育中充分发动群众，不但能提升宣传教育活动的深度和广度，还能变被动为主动，及早发现苗头性问题，更重要的是能以先进带后进，提升群众自我学习教育的积极性，形成良性循环，从而起到事半功倍的效果。

(1) Believe in the masses, rely on the masses, and mobilize the masses’ enthusiasm for participation

(一)相信群众，依靠群众，调动群众参与的积极性

Doing a good job in the propaganda and education of atheism, so that Marxist atheism is truly grasped by the masses, is inseparable from the masses’ heartfelt support and active participation. The scientific nature of truth does not necessarily bring about the effectiveness of propaganda and education; propaganda and education that remain at the level of hanging banners, shouting slogans, and distributing leaflets are difficult to achieve deep understanding and heartfelt acceptance, and propaganda and education that do not gain the masses’ genuine support will likewise only become a mere formality. Mao Zedong once said that to gain the support of the masses, “one must be with the masses, one must mobilize the masses’ enthusiasm, one must care about the masses’ hardships, and one must sincerely seek benefits for the masses.” Therefore, to increase the masses’ recognition and acceptance of the propaganda and education of atheism, it is necessary to maintain close ties with the masses, deeply understand the masses, solve difficulties encountered by the masses in production and daily life, unite the masses around the Party and the government, and thereby effectively enhance the affinity and effectiveness of the propaganda and education of atheism.

做好无神论宣传教育，使马克思主义无神论真正为群众所掌握，离不开群众的衷心拥护和积极参与。真理的科学性并不一定带来宣传教育的实效性，仅停留在拉横幅、喊口号、发传单层面的宣传教育难以做到入脑入心，得不到群众真心拥护的宣传教育同样只会流于形式。毛泽东曾说，要得到群众的拥护，“就得和群众在一起，就得去发动群众的积极性，就得关心群众的痛痒，就得真心实意地为群众谋利益”。因此，要提高群众对无神论宣传教育的认可度和接受度，就要密切联系群众，深入了解群众，为群众解决生产生活中遇到的困难，把群众团结在党和政府周围，从而有效提升无神论宣传教育的亲和度和实效性。

In the struggle against the “three forces” [15]15 The “three forces” (三股势力) is a Chinese Communist Party term referring to terrorism, separatism, and religious extremism, often used in the context of Xinjiang. and the containment of religious extremism, Xinjiang has integrated the propaganda and education of atheism with mass work, enabling it to play a role in gathering public opinion, warming popular sentiment, and consolidating popular support. In May 2014, an open letter titled “We Will No Longer Be Silent” from 11 Uyghur university students ignited a wave of opposition to religious extremism among the masses of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang. The letter called on “Uyghur compatriots to bravely stand up, resist evil extremism, and struggle against extremist ideas.” The open letter received a broad response from people from all walks of life in Xinjiang. Thirteen overseas young students of Xinjiang origin, over 200 prominent Uyghur cultural figures, more than 70 religious figures, and 45 leading cadres and experts and scholars expressed their positions through various means, strongly condemning the extremist acts of violent terrorists, calling on the masses of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang, including Uyghurs, to unite, leaving no space for violent terrorists to nest, and jointly safeguarding national unity and border stability.

新疆在反对“三股势力”,遏制宗教极端主义的斗争中，将无神论宣传教育与群众工作结合起来，使之发挥了广达民意、温润民情、聚拢民心的作用。2014年5月，11名维吾尔族大学生的一封公开信《我们，不会再沉默》点燃了新疆各族群众反对宗教极端主义的浪潮，信中呼吁“维吾尔同胞勇敢的站出来，抵制邪恶极端，与极端思想作斗争”。公开信得到了新疆各界群众的广泛响应，13名新疆籍海外青年学子、200多位维吾尔族著名文艺界人士、70余名宗教界人士、45名领导干部及专家学者纷纷通过各种方式作出表态，强烈谴责暴恐分子的极端行径，号召包括维吾尔族在内的新疆各族群众团结起来，不给暴恐分子留下任何筑巢空间，共同维护祖国统一和边疆稳定。

In the process of de-radicalization in Xinjiang, mass work has taken into account the characteristics and needs of different groups. Through unified deployment, Xinjiang has adopted multiple methods to educate, guide, and win over the majority of the masses, launching a people’s war to curb religious extremism. In response to the characteristics of the southern Xinjiang region, where the peasant masses are numerous and their educational level is relatively low, more down-to-earth methods have been adopted, integrating the themes of de-radicalization ideology with national consciousness, legal awareness, and ethnic unity consciousness into activities such as the “Xinjiang Peasant Painting Competition” and the “Xinjiang Peasant Skit Competition,” promoting modern civilization and opposing ethnic separatism and religious extremism. In response to the trend of extremist ideology spreading among younger age groups, through strengthening communication and collaboration with schools, emphasizing the compulsory nature of compulsory education, preventing students from dropping out of school, adhering to the separation of education from religion, and using vivid forms combined with law-abiding education to carry out propaganda and education on atheism, it helps them establish a correct worldview, outlook on life, and value system, thereby blocking the family and intergenerational transmission of extremist ideology. In response to unemployed youth and disadvantaged groups, by helping them establish a correct outlook on career choice, improving their labor skills, solving practical difficulties, and cultivating a positive attitude toward life, it prevents them from being incited by extremist forces. In response to grassroots conflicts and disputes, through proactive home visits and listening to the opinions of the masses, efforts are made to resolve conflicts at the grassroots level, preventing non-antagonistic contradictions from transforming into antagonistic ones, adhering to the principle that religion does not interfere in social affairs, and resolutely cracking down on acts of inciting petitioners to cause trouble using extremist ideology. In response to released prisoners and juveniles with criminal records, by helping them enhance their legal awareness, cultivate vocational skills, and strengthen their labor capacity, it promotes their rapid return to family and society. As for the general masses, they are patiently explained the consistency between the goals of atheism propaganda and education and the interests of the masses themselves, guiding them to view religious beliefs rationally, resolutely oppose religious extremist ideology, and actively participate in the struggle against the “three forces” [16]16 The “three forces” (三股势力) refers to terrorism, separatism, and religious extremism, a standard Chinese formulation for the threats it identifies in Xinjiang.. For masses who report violent terrorist activities, a policy of spiritual encouragement as the mainstay and material rewards as a supplement is adopted, establishing an incentive mechanism, protecting the identity information of reporters, and fully mobilizing the enthusiasm of mass participation. After several years of joint efforts by Xinjiang cadres and the masses, Xinjiang has gradually formed a good atmosphere where people of all ethnic groups jointly resist extremism and oppose separatism, making “violent terrorists become ‘rats crossing the street, with everyone shouting to beat them.’”

新疆在去极端化进程中的群众工作，照顾到了不同群体的特点和需求。经过统一部署，新疆采取多种方法教育、引导、争取大多数群众，打响了遏制宗教极端主义的人民战争。针对南疆地区农民群众多、文化程度偏低的特点，采取了更接地气的办法，将去极端化思想与国家意识、法律意识、民族团结意识的主题融入“新疆农民画大赛”“新疆农民小品大赛”等活动中，弘扬现代文明，反对民族分裂主义和宗教极端主义。针对极端思想传播低龄化趋势，通过加强与学校的沟通协作，强调义务教育的强制性，防止学生失学辍学，坚持教育与宗教相分离，采用生动形式，结合文明守法教育开展无神论宣传教育，使其树立正确的世界观、人生观、价值观，阻断极端思想的家庭传播和代际传播。针对失业青年和困难群体，通过帮助其树立正确择业观，提高劳动技能，解决实际困难，培养积极向上的生活态度，防止其被极端势力教唆。针对基层矛盾纠纷，通过主动上门走访，听取群众意见，力争把矛盾化解在基层，防止非对抗性矛盾转化为对抗性矛盾，坚持宗教不干涉社会事务的原则，坚决打击利用极端思想煽动访民闹事的行为。针对刑满释放人员和有违法犯罪记录的青少年，通过帮助他们增强法制观念，培养职业技能，增强劳动能力，促使其尽快回归家庭和社会。而对于一般群众，则向他们耐心讲解无神论宣传教育目标和群众自身利益的一致性，引导群众理性看待宗教信仰，坚决反对宗教极端思想，积极参与到反对“三股势力”的斗争中来。对于举报暴力恐怖活动的群众，采取精神鼓励为主，物质奖励为辅的方针，建立激励机制，保护举报人身份信息，充分调动群众参与的积极性。经过新疆干部群众几年来的共同努力，新疆逐渐形成了各族群众共同抵制极端、反对分裂的良好氛围，“使暴力恐怖分子成为‘过街老鼠、人人喊打’”。

(2) Broadly mobilizing the masses, giving play to the supervisory role of the masses

(二)广泛动员群众，发挥群众的监督作用

Adhering to the major principle of Marxist atheism, the principle of separation of government and religion, and the principle of separation of education from religion may seem very abstract, but they are closely related to maintaining ethnic unity, guaranteeing freedom of religious belief, and even safeguarding national unity and territorial integrity. Since the 21st century, this importance has been widely reflected in the daily lives of the masses and in the process of maintaining the secularity of social life. The masses have sharp eyes. On the one hand, the masses can promptly discover manifestations that violate the principle of separation of government and religion and the principle of separation of education from religion around them, and some patriotic masses with a certain understanding and research on religion can also clearly distinguish behaviors that violate the Party’s and state’s religious policies and relevant laws and regulations. On the other hand, although public security organs resolutely crack down on illegal and criminal acts such as overseas religious infiltration and organized dissemination of cults in accordance with the law, behaviors that violate religious policies come from all aspects of society, some even under the banner of maintaining ethnic unity and cloaked in the guise of normal religious activities, and some exist in areas with relatively weak law enforcement forces such as rural areas and remote mountainous regions. In particular, some feudal superstitious activities still have a certain living space in areas with relatively backward social and cultural development. These behaviors, which do not yet constitute illegal or criminal acts, have become a gray area of management. In April 2019, the Cangzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau required that in the special campaign to investigate and manage feudal superstition, different situations be handled according to law in a classified manner: “For those that do not constitute illegal or criminal acts, they should be reported to relevant departments such as culture and religion for investigation and handling; for general illegal acts, they should be strictly handled in accordance with laws and regulations; for those that constitute crimes, criminal responsibility must be resolutely pursued.” It can be seen that public security organs, as law enforcement agencies, can only handle acts that constitute illegal or criminal acts. However, some local ethnic and religious management departments, suffering from insufficient law enforcement forces, cannot form a normalized supervision system. Traditional media maintain a cautious attitude toward reports involving ethnic and religious affairs, resulting in blocked channels for reflecting problems. Religious issues cannot be discovered and handled in a timely manner, and some contradictions that could have been resolved in their infancy can easily become more complex. In this situation, problems accumulate and intensify, social tolerance continues to decrease, and the role of mass supervision is constrained by the high cost of social governance.

坚持马克思主义无神论大原则，坚持政教分离原则和教育与宗教相分离原则，看似十分抽象，却与维护民族团结、保障宗教信仰自由乃至维护国家统一和领土完整都息息相关。21世纪以来，这种重要性更是广泛体现在群众的日常生活中，反映在维护社会生活世俗性的过程中。群众的眼睛是雪亮的。一方面，群众能够及时发现身边违反政教分离原则和教育与宗教相分离原则的表现，部分对宗教有一定了解和研究的爱国群众还能明辨违反党和国家宗教政策和相关法律法规的行为。另一方面，虽然公安机关坚决依法打击境外宗教渗透、组织传播邪教等违法犯罪行为，但违反宗教政策的行为来自社会的方方面面，有的还打着维护民族团结的旗号，披着正常宗教活动的外衣，有的存在于农村地区、偏远山区等执法力量相对薄弱的地区，特别是一些封建迷信活动在社会文化发展较为落后的地区仍有着一定生存空间，这些尚不构成违法犯罪的行为成为管理的灰色地带。2019年4月，沧州市公安局要求在排查治理封建迷信的专项行动中，对不同情形依法分类处理：“对未构成违法犯罪的，要通报文化、宗教等相关部门调查处理；对一般违法行为，要严格按照法律法规进行处理；对构成犯罪的，要坚决追究刑事责任。”可见，公安机关作为执法机关，只能对构成违法犯罪行为予以处理，而一些地方民族宗教管理部门苦于执法力量不足，无法形成常态化监督体系，传统媒体对于涉及民族宗教事务的报道保持审慎态度，致使反映问题的渠道受阻，宗教问题不能得到及时发现和处理，一些本可以在萌芽阶段就可解决的矛盾容易变得更加复杂。在这种情况下，问题在积累加剧，社会忍耐度在不断降低，而群众监督作用的发挥受制于社会治理成本的高昂.

New media is an important platform for atheism propaganda. With the help of social platforms such as Weibo, the channels for the masses to play a supervisory role have become more convenient. Due to the protective effect of the front-end anonymity system, the masses dare to join the supervisory team more actively, exposing behaviors that violate religious policies around them. The broad mobilization of the masses can effectively promote the true implementation and practical realization of the Party’s and state’s religious policies, enabling ethnic and religious issues to be grasped early and handled small, resolving problems at the grassroots level, and avoiding the expansion of conflicts and the escalation of contradictions. At the same time, by paying attention to the exposure and resolution of problems, the masses receive vivid propaganda and education on atheism, thereby gaining a better understanding of basic knowledge about religion, the state’s religious policies, guidelines, and regulations, the scientific attitude toward religion and religious issues, and the legal methods for resolving ethnic and religious issues.

新媒体是无神论宣传的重要平台。借助微博等社交平台，群众发挥监督作用的途径变得更加便捷。由于前台匿名制的保护作用，群众敢于更加积极地加入到监督队伍中去，曝光身边违反宗教政策的行为。群众的广泛动员能够有力促使党和国家宗教政策真正执行到位、落到实处，使民族宗教问题能够抓早抓小，把问题解决在基层，避免了冲突的扩大和矛盾的升级。同时，群众通过关注问题的曝光和解决，接受了生动的无神论宣传教育，从而更加了解宗教的基本知识、国家的宗教方针政策法规、科学对待宗教和宗教问题的态度以及依法解决民族宗教问题的途径方法。

(3) Persisting in educating and guiding the masses, deepening the work approach of mass prevention and mass governance

(三)坚持教育引导群众，深化群防群治工作思路

Marxist atheism, as a scientific theory, requires extensive literature research and social practice to be created and cannot spontaneously emerge among the masses. Therefore, for this scientific theory to be grasped by the masses, it needs to be “inculcated” into the masses from the outside. On the one hand, influenced by the humanistic and secular traditions of Chinese civilization, the majority of our country’s population does not believe in religion, which provides fertile soil for the propaganda and education of atheism. On the other hand, the atheist ideas of some masses are relatively simple, requiring propaganda and education to enable them to master the basic knowledge of Marxist atheism. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC [17]17 The 18th National Congress of the CPC was held in November 2012, marking the beginning of the Xi Jinping era and the launch of the comprehensive and strict governance of the Party campaign., mobilizing the masses to participate in social governance has achieved obvious practical results. Mass prevention and mass governance work can discover problem clues as early as possible, prevent problems before they occur, and also promptly stop the development of situations, resolving problems at the grassroots level. In recent years, mass prevention and mass governance forces represented by Beijing’s “Chaoyang Masses,” “Xicheng Aunties,” “Haidian Netizens,” and “Fengtai Persuasion Teams” have become important achievements in exploring new mechanisms for mass prevention and mass governance work under new circumstances. Compared with other illegal and criminal acts, religious infiltration activities, illegal proselytizing behaviors, and cult issues have the characteristics of occasionality and concealment. It is difficult to completely eliminate them through centralized rectification alone. Only by establishing long-term mechanisms such as a mass prevention and mass governance system can effective prevention and control be achieved. To prevent illegal acts involving religion from causing serious consequences, it is necessary to combine atheism propaganda and education with mass prevention and mass governance work. By incorporating content on the Party’s religious policies and guidelines, basic religious knowledge, and relevant laws and regulations into activities such as education and training, clarifying the boundaries between legality and illegality, refining the classification of characteristics of suspicious behaviors, and doing a good job of ideological work among people in key areas.

马克思主义无神论作为一种科学理论，需要大量的文献研究和社会实践才能创造出来，无法在群众中自发产生，因此这种科学的理论要想被群众所掌握就需要从外部“灌输”到群众中去。一方面，受中华文明人文世俗传统的影响，我国不信教群众占大多数，这给无神论宣传教育提供了优渥的土壤。另一方面，一些群众的无神论思想比较朴素，需要通过宣传教育使其掌握马克思主义无神论的基本知识。党的十八大以来，发动群众参与社会治理取得了明显实效，群防群治工作可以尽早发现问题线索，防患于未然，也可以及时制止事态发展，把问题化解在基层。近年来，以北京市的“朝阳群众”“西城大妈”“海淀网友”和“丰台劝导队”为代表的群防群治力量，成为探索新形势下群防群治工作新机制的重要成果。相对于其他违法犯罪行为，宗教渗透活动、非法传教行为、邪教问题具有偶发性和隐蔽性的特征，单靠集中整治很难消除殆尽，只有建立群防群治体系等长效机制才能做到有效防控。要想让涉及宗教的违法行为不致产生严重后果，就要将无神论宣传教育与群防群治工作结合起来，通过在教育、培训等活动中加入党的宗教方针政策、基础宗教知识和相关法律法规的内容，明确合法与非法的界限，细化可疑行为特征分类，做好重点区域人群的思想工作。

In the practice of preventing campus proselytizing in higher education institutions, due to the strong concealment of proselytizing activities, the means available to management departments for handling them are also very limited. Even if discovered in a timely manner, they can only be stopped and dispersed, so the preventive effect is often rather limited. Yet students constitute the largest population on campus. If knowledge of resisting religious infiltration is imparted to students, mobilizing them to become mobile members of a mass prevention and control network, enabling them to consciously resist campus proselytizing behavior, a better effect can often be achieved. For example, Sanquan College of Xinxiang Medical University distributes a "College Student Religious Activity Awareness Card" to incoming freshmen, promoting the Marxist view of religion, basic religious knowledge, and religious policy and regulations, informing students of the channels of campus proselytizing and methods for refusing campus proselytizing, and also instructing students to contact the security department or report to their counselor when necessary, ensuring that campus proselytizing activities are discovered as early as possible. The Pingyuan Demonstration Zone, where the college is located, also calls on the majority of young people to regularly educate their own family members and relatives, ensuring they do not participate in illegal religious activities, achieving an effect of mobilizing a group and driving a wider area. Online, some netizens lack a deep understanding of the Marxist view of religion, religious knowledge, and China's ethnic and religious policies, tying religious extremism to specific ethnic groups and religions. A very small number even speak rudely, hurting the feelings of some ethnic minority compatriots and religious believers. The emergence of new media such as Weibo has not only made it possible to mobilize the masses to supervise the implementation of religious policies but has also promoted the education and self-education of the masses in the process of propagating Marxist atheism. For example, through interaction with enthusiastic netizens to interpret the Party's religious principles and policies, netizens can improve their ability to identify illegal acts; through analysis of hot ethnic and religious issues, explain the strategic significance of central decisions to netizens; through dissection of international events to uncover the ethnic and religious factors within them, convey to netizens the scientific method for correctly analyzing problems; through introducing Xinjiang's historical landscapes and local customs, enable netizens from various regions to better understand and support Xinjiang, enhancing Xinjiang's image; through the joint efforts of bloggers and administrators, block extreme or illegal speech, so that transgressors are punished, and so on. Across major new media platforms, a group of patriots with relatively high levels of knowledge and discernment has formed, and they are driving this network-based mass supervision step by step toward a more mature, benign interaction.

在高校防范校园传教的实践中，由于传教活动的隐蔽性较强，管理部门可用的处理手段也十分有限，即使及时发现也只能制止和驱离，因此防范效果往往比较有限。而学生是高校的最大人群，如果将抵制宗教渗透的知识传授给学生，发动学生成为群防群控的流动成员，使学生自觉抵制校园传教行为，往往能收到较好效果。例如新乡医学院三全学院给入校新生发放大学生宗教活动明白卡，宣传马克思主义宗教观、宗教基本知识、宗教政策法规，告知学生校园传教的途径和拒绝校园传教的方法，还叮嘱学生必要时可联系保卫部门或报告辅导员，确保校园传教活动尽早被发现。该校所在的平原示范区还号召广大青年经常教育自己的亲属和家人，确保他们不参与非法宗教活动，起到了发动一批、带动一片的效果。在网上，一些网友对马克思主义宗教观、宗教知识和我国民族宗教政策了解不够深入，将宗教极端与特定民族、宗教捆绑起来，极少数人还出言不逊，伤害部分少数民族群众和信教群众的感情。微博等新媒体的出现，不仅使发动群众监督宗教政策的执行成为可能，还在宣传马克思主义无神论的过程中推动了群众的教育和自我教育，比如通过与热心网友的互动解读党的宗教方针政策，使网友提高辨别违法行为的能力；通过对民族宗教热点问题的剖析向网友讲解中央决策的战略意义；通过对国际事件的解析挖掘其中的民族宗教因素，向网友传递正确分析问题的科学方法；通过介绍新疆的历史景观、风土人情使各地网友更加了解新疆、支持新疆，提升新疆的形象；通过博主和管理员的共同努力，屏蔽过激或违法言论，使越轨者得到惩戒，等等。在各大新媒体平台中，已经形成了一批具有较高知识水平和辨别能力的爱国主义者，他们正推动着这种基于网络的群众监督一步步走向更加成熟的良性互动。

Religious work is essentially mass work, and the propaganda and education of atheism is also essentially mass work. This essence of mass work is manifested not only in the broadness of the masses as the targets of atheist propaganda and education but also in the enlightening effect of atheist propaganda and education on the masses. This means that the masses who have accepted Marxist atheism are no longer merely the objects of atheist propaganda and education but become the subjects who consciously disseminate Marxist atheism, moving from "being-in-itself" to "being-for-itself," becoming an important supervisory force for implementing the great principle of Marxist atheism. The fundamental role of mobilizing and engaging the masses in doing a good job of atheist propaganda and education is irreplaceable. Therefore, we must adhere to the mass line, fully trust the masses, and create a favorable environment for mobilizing them. Vigorously carry out atheist propaganda and education in the activities of mass cultural-ethical progress, imparting scientific knowledge and passing on the scientific spirit in forms that the people find pleasing and easy to accept. We must persist in learning from the masses, respect their pioneering spirit, and seek answers to problems from among the masses. We must listen to the voices of the masses, respond promptly to their concerns, and integrate ourselves with the masses. At the same time, we must also strengthen guidance for mobilizing and engaging the masses, adhere to ideological leadership, and reinforce correct public opinion orientation. Persist in conveying correct and comprehensive religious knowledge and the Party's religious work principles and policies to the masses, helping them to view religion rationally from a Marxist standpoint, viewpoint, and method. We must grasp the correct direction of mass mobilization and participation, and promptly correct erroneous tendencies. In the process of using new media to mobilize the masses, prevent group polarization phenomena, prevent the emergence of extremist thinking, and must not treat differences in belief as political opposition, must not tie religious extremism to specific ethnic minority masses, and must not, because of the phenomenon of overseas hostile forces using religion for infiltration, place religious figures and believers in a separate category.

宗教工作本质上是群众工作，无神论宣传教育本质上也是群众工作。这种群众工作的本质不只表现在群众作为无神论宣传教育对象的广泛性上，同时也体现在无神论宣传教育对群众的启发作用中。这意味着接受了马克思主义无神论的群众不再仅仅是无神论宣传教育的客体，而成为自觉传播马克思主义无神论的主体，由“自在”走向“自为”,成为落实马克思主义无神论大原则的重要监督力量。群众的发动和参与对做好无神论宣传教育的基础性作用是不可替代的，因此要坚持走群众路线，做到充分相信群众，为发动群众创造良好环境。在群众性精神文明创建活动中大力开展无神论宣传教育，以人民群众喜闻乐见的形式传授科学知识，传承科学精神。要坚持向群众学习，尊重群众的首创精神，从群众中寻找解决问题的答案。要倾听群众呼声，及时回应关切，与群众打成一片。同时，也要加强对群众发动和参与的指导，坚持思想引领，强化正确舆论导向。坚持向群众传递正确而全面的宗教知识和党的宗教工作方针政策，帮助他们以马克思主义立场观点方法理性看待宗教。要把握群众发动和参与的正确方向，及时纠正错误倾向。在利用新媒体发动群众的过程中防止群体极化现象，防止出现极端思想，不能把信仰上的不同看成政治上的对立，不能把宗教极端主义与特定少数民族群众捆绑起来，不能因为存在境外敌对势力利用宗教进行渗透的现象，就把宗教界人士和信教群众打入另册。

V. Conclusion

五、结语

Overall, the propaganda and education of atheism is a task of transmitting ideas. To do a good job of atheist propaganda and education, ultimately, one must do a good job of ideological work with people. On the one hand, for the audience, "good ideological and political work should be like salt, but one cannot just eat salt; the best way is to dissolve the salt into various foods for natural absorption." [18]18 A widely cited metaphor in Chinese Communist Party discourse on ideological work, attributed to Xi Jinping, comparing effective ideological and political work to salt dissolved in food—imperceptible yet essential. The same applies to atheist propaganda and education. Good atheist propaganda and education should not only impart Marxist atheism, religious knowledge, the Party's religious work principles and policies, and relevant laws and regulations to the audience in their original form but also dissolve the basic principles of atheism into the dissemination of scientific and cultural knowledge concerning natural phenomena, social evolution, and human life, aging, illness, death, good fortune, and misfortune. On the other hand, for the organizers, it is necessary to achieve firmness in faith in Marxist atheism and identification in thought, to achieve genuine learning, genuine understanding, genuine belief, and genuine application, to achieve consistency between the inside and the outside, and unity of knowledge and action. Whether it is the decision-makers or implementers, participants or supervisors of atheist propaganda and education, whether it is central deployment or local implementation, whether it is the role of scholars or the participation of the masses, only by achieving unified thinking, coordinated steps, concerted efforts, and moving in the same direction among all parties can the ideological struggle against theism be sustained over the long term, can the propaganda and education of atheism be sustained over the long term, can the adherence to Marxist atheism as a great principle be sustained over the long term, allowing pure ideological consciousness, scientific modes of thinking, civilized forms of activity, healthy lifestyles, and noble moral sentiments to become the mainstream of social spiritual and cultural life, so that Marxist atheism always occupies a dominant position in the thinking of the masses.

总的来看，无神论宣传教育是一项传递思想的工作，要做好无神论宣传教育，说到底还是要做好人的思想工作。一方面，对于受众来说，“好的思想政治工作应该像盐，但不能光吃盐，最好的方式是将盐溶解到各种食物中自然而然吸收”。无神论宣传教育也是如此。好的无神论宣传教育不仅要将马克思主义无神论、宗教知识、党的宗教工作方针政策和相关法律法规原原本本地传授给受众，还要将无神论的基本道理溶在有关自然现象、社会进化和人的生老病死、吉凶祸福的科学文化知识宣传中。另一方面，对于组织者来说，要做到对马克思主义无神论信仰上的坚定和思想上的认同，做到真学真懂真信真用，做到表里如一，知行合一。无论是无神论宣传教育的决策者还是执行者，参与者还是监督者，无论是中央部署还是地方落实，是学者担当还是群众参与，只有做到各方思想统一，步调一致，齐心协力，同向而行，才能将与有神论的思想斗争长期坚持下去，才能把无神论宣传教育长期坚持下去，才能使坚持马克思主义无神论作为大原则长期坚持下去，让纯洁的思想意识、科学的思维方式、文明的活动形式、健康的生活方式和高尚的道德情操成为社会精神文化生活的主流，使马克思主义无神论始终在人民群众思想中占据主导地位。

(Author's bio: Su Bin, Lecturer, School of Marxism, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University)

（作者简介：苏彬，浙江理工大学马克思主义学院讲师）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心