Atheism can be a causal factor in atrocity

Thanks to my opponent for his response. "your examples of atheism ( with Stalin and Mao) is precisely why I said "InquireTruth, you seem to be confused about what atheism is" My examples are to express that atheism CAN be a causal factor in atrocity. That is all. "First of all you talk about communism and atheism so closely together that you almost make them to seem interchangeable" Since you are unaware let me remind you that Stalin and Mao were operating under a form of communism modeled after Marxism. This is an explicit form of communism that necessitates atheism. Part of Mao and Stalin's communist manifesto was a call for a religious-free utopia. You forget that Lenin, being a power in the Soviet Union, was a huge influence in the communist construct. Lenin, whose experience with communism was limited to the Soviet Union (so we know he was refereeing to it), insisted that communism and atheism were inseparable. Stalin also required individuals to proclaim atheism and stay away from churches. "He did things because of his communistic ways" His communist ways were influenced by atheism. "Hitler did for example;theists killing theists" Hitler was most certainly not a theist. All of his religious quotes were made before he took office, he was a very manipulative man. After he was already in power, he said things like this: "The heaviest blow that ever struck humanity was the coming of Christianity ... The deliberate lie in the matter of religion was introduced into the world by Christianity. I'll make these damned parsons feel the power of the state in a way they would have never believed possible. For the moment, I am just keeping my eye upon them: if I ever have the slightest suspicion that they are getting dangerous, I will shoot the lot of them. This filthy reptile raises its head whenever there is a sign of weakness in the State, and therefore it must be stamped on. We have no sort of use for a fairy story invented by the Jews." Now does that sound like a religious man? "now this I don't know much about I will admit for I am modest but this statistic means nothing to me for it is only a statistic." It is a statistic based on reality. Atheist leaders who have had power over their country typically killed a noticeable amount of their own people. Most religious people in order to free their country of religion. And so you can see that this is unique to Atheism and is not a phenomenon among religious leaders let me remind you that the average atheist crime against humanity is 18.3 million percent worse than what is consider the very worse destruction committed by Christians. Let me quote the virulent Vox Day, "if one considers the statistically significant size of the historical atheist set and contrasts it with the fact that not one in a thousand religious leaders have commited a similarly large-scale atrocities, it is impossible to concluded otherwise, even if we do not yet understand exactly why this should be the case. Once might be an accident, even twice could be coincidence, but fifty-two incidents in ninety years reeks of causation." "Sometimes, drunk people cause traffic accidents." So you are admitting that atheism sometimes causes atrocity? "The claim that Stalin/Mao etc were atheists, so atheism is wrong" I never said atheism was wrong, I said it can be a causal factor in atrocity – a point you seemed to already have conceded to. "Atheism is a lack of belief in gods." So what of it? My dad lacks hair and it caused him to buy a toupee. Are you also going to say that my dad would still have bought a toupee even if he had a full head of hair? Your whole analogy thing does not make any sense. Especially since someone under the influence of elicit drugs IS technically intoxicated an thus not sober. Technically. Questions: Now that you are informed that atheism is an inseparable part of Maoism and Stalinism, do you still believe that they would have fought for a religious-free utopia had they not been atheist? You still believe that they would think religion is the opiate of the masses? Now that you know that within the last 90 years 52 atheists have killed well over 100 million people, making it a 58% chance that an atheist leader who gains control will kill a large amount of his own people, do you still agree that atheism had no motivational role? You must also consider that atheists had only one-twentieth the amount of opportunities in which to commit their crimes. Now that you are aware that atheism was inherent in Stalinism and Maoism and that Stalin and Mao were destroying and eliminating religion because of it, how do intend to say that there atheism played no role? State atheism has been mostly implemented in communist countries, such as the former Soviet Union, China, Communist Albania, Communist Afghanistan, North Korea, Communist Mongolia and Poland under communist rule also promoted state atheism and suppressed religion. Please explain how it is not an atrocity to force individuals to proclaim atheism. Now that you know Stalin required individuals to proclaim atheism and stay away from churches do you still believe he would have done this if he himself were a theist? (http://en.wikipedia.org...). Conclusion: Atheist leaders forced their countrymen to publicly proclaim atheism and there are many accounts where persons were killed because they would not recant their faith. These atheist leaders specifically sought to eliminate religion because of their forms of atheistic communism. The fatally damning evidence that atheism can be a causal factor in atrocity is the very fact that it happens with such alarming regularity. As we speak Tibetans are persecuted and killed because of their faith in atheist run China. Atheist North Korea, under Kim Yong-il, has the most severe persecution of Christians. My Opponent has offered not evidence that Atheism cannot be a casual factor and has only made spurious and often irrelevant claims. I hope you all have read this so you can vote appropriately – for PRO of course. Thank You, InquireTruth