He Husheng: On the Main Content of Marxist Scientific Atheism Education in Higher Education Institutions
He Husheng: On the Primary Content of Marxist Scientific Atheism Education in Higher Education Institutions
Abstract: Marxist scientific atheism is an important component of advanced socialist culture and an inherent part of the Marxist worldview. Education in Marxist scientific atheism is a vital element of Party building and ideological and political education in China's higher education institutions. It concerns the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological sphere, the construction of the Party's advanced nature and purity, and the cultivation of qualified builders and reliable successors for the socialist cause. Its content primarily includes "five points": the basic point is education in dialectical materialism and historical materialism; the key point is education in upholding science and opposing superstition; the core point is education in the Marxist view of religion; the focus point is education in the socialist core value system; and the final objective is education in the free and comprehensive development of the individual.
Keywords: Higher education institutions; Marxist scientific atheism; Education
Marxist scientific atheism is an atheism built upon the foundation of dialectical materialism and historical materialism. It reveals the origins and essence of theism, such as religion, answers basic questions regarding the relationship between humans and divinity, and points out that the world is material and atheistic. God is the result of the alienation of human essence—an inverted, illusory reflection in the human mind of the objective forces that dominate human existence. Higher education institutions are important frontlines for cultivating successors to the cause of Chinese-path modernization. They shoulder important responsibilities in personnel training, scientific research, social service, and cultural inheritance and innovation. University students, in particular, are the vital successors for building the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics and are precious human resources for the nation. Under the new situation where profound changes have occurred in the global, national, and Party contexts, ideological and political education in Chinese universities faces both favorable conditions and severe challenges. Therefore, strengthening Marxist scientific atheism education in universities and consolidating the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological sphere of higher education has become a major and urgent strategic task for Party building and ideological and political education. To strengthen this education, one must first clarify its primary content.
I. Education in dialectical materialism and historical materialism is the basic point of scientific atheism education
Dialectical materialism reveals that the origin of the world is material and atheistic. Dialectical materialism was founded by Marx and Engels by critically absorbing the "rational kernel" [1] of Hegelian dialectics and the "basic kernel" of Feuerbach's humanistic materialism, summarizing the knowledge of human natural sciences, social sciences, and the science of thinking. Modern materialism profoundly reveals the basic laws of the dialectical relationship between matter and consciousness, practice and cognition, and internal and external causes. It scientifically explicates basic principles such as the material unity of the world, the criterion of practice for testing truth, the law of the unity of opposites, and the law of the negation of the negation. It correctly answers the major question that no gods exist in the world at all—that "God" is merely a subjective image of the objective world. Idealist viewpoints that hold the world is composed of consciousness or that ghosts and gods exist are contrary to scientific common sense and the scientific spirit; they are fundamentally erroneous. We must vigorously strengthen the education and guidance of university students to consciously use the basic viewpoints and methods of dialectical materialism to understand nature, society, and the world of human thought, truly understanding that the unity of the world lies in its materiality.
Historical materialism critiques the idealist view of history that subjectivizes human society. Historical materialism is the scientific theory—the materialist conception of history—formed by Marx and Engels by applying dialectical materialism to the field of human social history. It profoundly reveals basic laws such as the dialectical relationship between social existence and social consciousness, productive forces and relations of production, the economic base and the superstructure, society and nature, human development and social development, and value and truth. It scientifically explicates basic principles including the basic structure of society, the laws of social development, and the free and comprehensive development of the individual. It emphasizes that theism, including religion, is the product of a certain stage of human social development and will undergo a long process of withering away. The idealist view of history, which believes that history is created and dominated by a deity, is wrong. University students must be educated and guided to consciously use the basic viewpoints and methods of dialectical materialism and historical materialism to understand nature and human society, to understand that the masses of the people are the creators of history and the decisive force promoting social and historical development, and to gradually establish the mass viewpoint.
We must adhere to the ideological line of seeking truth from facts and resolutely oppose theism. "Dialectical materialism and historical materialism are thorough atheism" [2] is an ideological principle that Communists must uphold. Conducting education in dialectical materialism and historical materialism for university students is a long-term strategic task for the Party and the state. The Communist Party of China is a Marxist party. "Using Marxist philosophy to criticize idealism (including theism), and conducting education in the scientific worldview of dialectical materialism and historical materialism (including atheism) for the masses, especially the vast youth, supplemented by the dissemination of scientific and cultural knowledge concerning natural phenomena, social evolution, and human birth, aging, sickness, death, fortune, and misfortune, is one of the important tasks of the Party on the propaganda front." [3] Article 24 of our country's Constitution also clearly stipulates that the state "conducts education in dialectical materialism and historical materialism" for the people. [4] In carrying out this education for university students, the key is to guide them to seriously study and grasp the Marxist ideological line of seeking truth from facts. "Seeking truth from facts" is the fundamental requirement of dialectical materialism and historical materialism, the essence of Marxism, and the essence of Mao Zedong Thought and the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. It requires students to persist in starting from reality in all things, integrating theory with practice, ensuring the subjective conforms to the objective, and using Marxist stances, viewpoints, and methods to analyze problems. They should strive to establish Marxist scientific atheist thought rather than proceeding from subjective imagination, and they must resolutely reject theistic ideas.
II. Education in upholding science and opposing superstition is the key point of scientific atheism education
Upholding science and opposing ignorance.
To take pride in honoring science and feel shame in ignorance and illiteracy is an important part of the Socialist Concept of Honor and Disgrace [5] and an inevitable requirement of Marxist scientific atheism education. So-called science generally includes natural science and social science. Natural science takes natural phenomena as its object of study to explore natural laws, while social science takes human activities and social phenomena as its object of study to explore the laws of the emergence and development of human society. Science is the cornerstone of social progress, "a system of knowledge concerning nature, society, and thought," [6] reflecting the objective laws of the development of nature, society, and human thinking. For a period of time, social dregs such as pseudoscience, anti-science, and feudal superstitions have re-emerged, seriously harming the physical and mental health of university students and campus culture, and seriously threatening the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological sphere of universities. If science cannot overcome ignorance and if atheism cannot overcome theism, problems will arise. We must vigorously "promote the scientific spirit, popularize scientific knowledge, advocate for changing old customs, and resist feudal superstitions," [7] educating and guiding university students to firmly establish a Marxist scientific worldview, outlook on life, values, and concept of honor and disgrace. This will enhance their scientific and cultural literacy, allowing them to keenly identify feudal superstitions and various forms of pseudo- and anti-science, and to dare to expose various anti-scientific and anti-Marxist deceptions and propaganda, truly defeating ignorant superstition and consciously liberating themselves from the shackles of ignorance.
Opposing superstition and respecting customs.
To uphold science, one must oppose and break down superstition. Science emphasizes practice, promotes rationality, and seeks truth from facts, whereas superstition rejects reason and relies on blind belief and worship. Generally speaking, superstition is an erroneous understanding where people believe in the existence of supernatural things such as gods, spirits, ghosts, and demons—a cognitive error produced when humans evolved to a certain period. the university years are an important period for young students to learn scientific and cultural knowledge and establish a correct worldview. Some individuals promote feudal superstition and pseudoscience in universities, causing great harm to students' health and exerting a terrible influence on normal religious belief. In response, we must educate and guide university students to take a clear-cut stand against feudal superstition, daring to expose and resolutely oppose it. While the Party and state respect and protect the freedom of religious belief of citizens, they have always emphasized that we "must not only avoid hindering but should also strengthen efforts to popularize scientific education and strengthen anti-superstition propaganda," [8] using science to defeat superstition. While opposing superstition, one must also be careful to respect customs. Customs are traditional habits formed through history, including ethnic customs, festival traditions, and traditional etiquette. They are an important basis for social morality and law and are fundamentally different from feudal superstition. University students must also be educated to recognize that customs are important markers of ethnic characteristics and differences. Respecting the customs of ethnic minorities is respecting ethnic feelings. "The maintenance or reform of customs and habits should be decided by the members of the ethnic group themselves; other ethnic groups and individuals must not interfere, and reforms must not be forced through administrative orders." [9]
Correctly distinguishing between religion and cults.
Religion is a social and cultural phenomenon of a certain stage of human social development. In essence, it is a theistic, idealist worldview; however, at the same time, religion is a social entity composed of factors such as religious belief, religious emotion, religious organizations, and religious behavior. It is often interconnected with politics, economy, culture, and ethnicity, possessing long-term, mass-based, and complex characteristics. Therefore, the Party and the state respect and protect the freedom of religious belief. As long as one does not "use religion to engage in activities that disrupt social order, harm the health of citizens, obstruct the state educational system, or otherwise damage national interests, social public interests, and the legitimate rights and interests of citizens," [10] the state will not interfere with the freedom of religious belief. While respecting and protecting the freedom of religious belief, we must educate university students to identify and resolutely oppose cults (xiéjiào). Cults are not religions; they are illegal organizations that establish themselves by masquerading as religions, qigong, or other names, deifying their leaders, and using means such as creating and spreading superstitious fallacies to bewitch and deceive others, develop and control members, and harm society. They are prohibited by Chinese law and must be resolutely opposed. There are fundamental and striking differences between religion and cults: religion is about faith in divinity, while cults involve typical hero-worship of a leader; religion involves freedom of belief, while cults involve mental control; religion has a systematic doctrine, while cults have twisted fallacies; religion possesses legal organizations, while cults illegally amass wealth and harm lives.
III. Education in the Marxist view of religion is the core point of scientific atheism education
Education in the Marxist theory regarding the basic questions of religion...
The Marxist view of religion consists of the general outlook and fundamental perspectives established by Marx and Engels for correctly understanding and dealing with religion and religious issues. "Proceeding from dialectical materialism and historical materialism, it revealed for the first time in human history the universal laws governing the development of world religions" [11]. The Marxist theory on the basic questions of religion comprises ideological viewpoints regarding the origin, essential characteristics, developmental laws, and social functions of religion. This primarily includes the following: religion is a historical product of human society reaching a certain stage of development; it is a special way for humans to understand and transform the world; and it is "the fantastic reflection in men's minds of those external forces which control their daily life" [12]. In essence, it belongs to the culture of theistic belief and constitutes a complex social entity.
The emergence and existence of religion have significant cognitive, social, and psychological roots. Religion did not arise out of thin air, nor will it exist forever; it undergoes a process and follows laws of emergence, development, and eventual demise. Religion possesses a dual social role, both positive and negative. The view that administrative force can be used to strike at or even abolish religion, or that religion will vanish quickly, is erroneous. It is essential to persist in using the viewpoints and methods of dialectical materialism and historical materialism to educate and guide university students toward a correct understanding of the important reasons why religion will continue to exist for a long time in socialist society. We must fully recognize that religious belief is an issue within the spiritual realm of people—an "ideological issue among the people" and a "matter of the spiritual world" [13]—while simultaneously educating students to firmly establish a scientific worldview, outlook on life, and values, thereby correctly understanding and handling religious issues.
Education on the Party and State's Religious Policies
The religious policies of the Party and state represent the application and development of the Marxist view of religion. These policies primarily include: the comprehensive and correct implementation of the policy on freedom of religious belief, whereby citizens have the freedom to believe or not believe in religion, to believe in one sect or another, and the freedom to have been a believer in the past but not now, or to have been a non-believer in the past but a believer now. No organization or individual may compel citizens to believe or not believe in religion, nor discriminate against citizens who believe or do not believe.
Furthermore, there is the policy of managing religious affairs according to law, in which the "government conducts administrative management and supervision over the implementation of laws, regulations, and policies related to religion" [14]. Religion must not interfere in state politics, education, or the judiciary; religious figures and believers may not proselytize in public places, nor use religion to endanger national stability, social order, or the physical and mental health of citizens. We must uphold the principle and policy of independence and self-management: "China's religious affairs are to be handled independently by Chinese religious believers; Chinese religious organizations and religious affairs are not to be subject to the control of foreign forces" [15]. We must actively carry out friendly international exchanges regarding religion while resolutely resisting religious infiltration and safeguarding national security.
The guidelines and policies also involve actively guiding religion to adapt to socialist society, leveraging the active role of religious figures and believers in building socialism with Chinese characteristics, and constructing harmonious religious relations. We must expand the Party’s united front policy with the religious community in the New Era, persisting in mutual respect in belief and unity and cooperation in politics, and working together for the construction of socialism with Chinese characteristics and national rejuvenation. Upholding the policy of Party leadership over religious work is the fundamental guarantee for its success. Therefore, it is necessary to use complete and accurate religious policies to educate and guide university students: while no one may enter venues for religious activities to propagate atheism, students must also consciously draw a clear line against the idealistic worldview of religion and strive to establish a Marxist scientific worldview, outlook on life, and values.
Student Party Members Must Not Believe in Religion
The Party Central Committee has repeatedly pointed out that religious figures and the masses of believers are active forces in building socialism with Chinese characteristics, and their fundamental interests are consistent with those of the rest of the people. Differences in belief must never be elevated to an inappropriate level, nor should believers be discriminated against; citizens' freedom of religious belief, a basic right endowed by the Constitution, must be respected. At the same time, university students must be educated to profoundly realize that religion is essentially an idealistic worldview and a theistic ideological system. Conversely, the ideological foundation of our Party is Marxism—a scientific ideological system built upon dialectical materialism and historical materialism; it is thoroughgoing atheism and a scientific worldview.
Therefore, communist faith and religious faith are irreconcilable and fundamentally opposed in their worldviews. Communist Party members must not believe in religion; "not believing in religion is the minimum requirement for being a qualified Communist Party member" [16]. The view that Party members can also believe in religion is erroneous and harmful. University students must be educated with scientific atheism and armed with the socialist core value system.
IV. Education in the Socialist Core Value System is the Focal Point of Scientific Atheist Education
The Socialist Core Value System is an Important Platform for Scientific Atheist Education
The socialist core value system is the essential manifestation of socialist ideology and the common ideological foundation for the united struggle of the whole Party and the people of all ethnic groups. It is a scientific proposition first explicitly put forward at the Sixth Plenary Session of the 16th CPC Central Committee. Comprising Marxist guiding ideology, the common ideal of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the national spirit centered on patriotism and the spirit of the times centered on reform and innovation, and the socialist concept of honor and disgrace—mainly featuring the "Eight Honors and Eight Shames" [17]—the socialist core value system "clearly answers the major questions of what spiritual banner our Party uses to unite and lead all people to forge ahead under new historical conditions, and with what spiritual outlook the Chinese nation stands among the nations of the world" [18].
Therefore, building the socialist core value system is an important foundational, political, and "soul" project. University students must be educated to recognize that the four components of the socialist core value system complement, permeate, and promote each other, together forming a dialectically unified organic whole. Furthermore, "within the socialist core value system, the atheist materialist worldview and outlook on life occupy an important position" [19]. Students should establish scientific atheist thoughts during their studies.
Marxist Guiding Ideology is the Soul of the Socialist Core Value System
Marxism is the fundamental guiding ideology for our Party and country, the soul and banner of socialist ideology, and a scientific worldview and methodology. Only by using the Marxist stand, viewpoint, and method to understand various forms of theism—including religion—and diverse superstitions and pseudo-sciences can university students see through the essence of complex social phenomena, recognize the correct direction, and master a powerful ideological weapon for understanding and transforming the world without being misled by idealism and feudal superstition. Therefore, as Marxism is a science and a sharp weapon for upholding scientific atheism and criticizing theism, it should become the firm conviction of all university students, especially student Party members.
The Common Ideal of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics is the Theme of the Socialist Core Value System
Under the strong and powerful leadership of the Party, to hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, firm up the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, persist in the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and consolidate the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics—thereby realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation—is the common ideal of people of all ethnic groups in China at the current stage, as well as the common ideal of contemporary university students. This common ideal "concentratedly reflects the yearning of all people for the bright prospects of the country and the nation's future development, represents the fundamental interests of all people, and reveals the only path toward national prosperity, national rejuvenation, people’s happiness, and social harmony" [20]. Students must be educated and guided to firm up this common ideal, integrating the realization of their personal value with this ideal, and grounding their life values in the soil of realistic arduous struggle and the common ideal. They must firmly establish scientific atheism and should not place their life pursuits in the illusory world of theism.
National Spirit and the Spirit of the Times are the Essence of the Socialist Core Value System
The national spirit—centered on patriotism and characterized by unity, peace-loving, industriousness, bravery, and self-reliance—and the spirit of the times—centered on reform and innovation and characterized by advancing with the times, pioneering, seeking truth from facts, and striving for excellence—are the essence of the socialist core value system. They serve as the powerful spiritual pillar of the Chinese nation and the spiritual impetus for advancing the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. They are also important contents for conducting education on the socialist concept of honor and disgrace. Students must be educated to carry forward these spirits, encouraging their resolve with patriotism and reform-oriented innovation as they consciously devote themselves to their studies and contribute to the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
The Socialist Concept of Honor and Disgrace is the Foundation of the Socialist Core Value System
The socialist concept of honor and disgrace, centered on the "Eight Honors and Eight Shames," clearly points out what should be upheld and advocated and what should be opposed and resisted under the conditions of a socialist market economy. it provides basic value standards and norms of conduct for university students to judge the merits of their actions, make moral choices, and determine their value orientations. Students must be educated to lead social trends with this concept, criticize unhealthy social tendencies, strive to practice traditional Chinese virtues, excellent revolutionary morality, and the spirit of the times, and clearly distinguish between right and wrong, honor and shame, while distancing themselves from feudal superstition.
V. Education for Achieving the Free and Comprehensive Development of the Individual is the Goal of Scientific Atheist Education
Free and Comprehensive Development of the Individual is the Core Value of Socialism and the Ultimate Value Pursuit of Marxism
Based on the critique of capitalist values and the creation of historical materialism and the theory of surplus value, Marx put forward the viewpoint of the free and comprehensive development of the individual, regarding it as the value goal and lofty ideal of the future new society. This contains the theory that the free and comprehensive development of the individual is the core value of socialism. To break free from "religious slavery, despotic political slavery, private property slavery, the old-style division of labor slavery, and the slavery of old-style labor" [21] and all other exploitative relations, Marxism advocates replacing the old capitalist society characterized by classes and class antagonisms with a new society—an "association of free individuals"—grounded on the abolition of the old division of labor and private property. This realizes a state where "man, at last the master of his own form of social organization, becomes at the same time the lord over Nature, his own master—free" [22]. The "association of free individuals" is communist society, the goal of which is to achieve the free and comprehensive development of the individual. Therefore, this development is the supreme value standard of Marxism and the lofty ideal for which Chinese Communists have fought during revolution, construction, and reform. It embodies the essential requirements of socialism and reflects the inevitable trend of human self-development.
The Question of Human Development is the Starting Point and Destination of Marxist Scientific Atheism
Marxist scientific atheism began with the critical absorption of Feuerbach’s humanistic view of religion. "'The essence of religion is the alienation of human essence' and 'the duplication of the world' were the entry points for the Marxist scientific atheist critique of the old society" [23]. Marxism holds that "the human essence is no abstraction inherent in each single individual. In its reality it is the ensemble of the social relations" [24]. Religion is "the self-consciousness and self-esteem of man who has either not yet won through to himself, or has already lost himself again" [25]; it "contains the eternal determination of the human essence." Furthermore, "Religious suffering is, at one and the same time, the expression of real suffering and a protest against real suffering. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people" [26].
As can be seen, the religious views of Marx and Engels are filled with Marxist humanitarian concern. They "revealed the illusoriness of religious belief and advocated for the realization of 'ultimate concern' through 'secular concern' and 'human concern,' which is a major distinction from religious belief" [27]. Therefore, only by breaking free from the ideological slavery of religion and other forms of theism, greatly improving human scientific and cultural literacy and spiritual realms, and vigorously developing productive forces, can the free and comprehensive development of the individual be continuously promoted and realized. This is both the starting point and the destination of the Marxist view of religion and scientific atheism, as well as the ultimate purpose of the Marxist critique of religion and theism.
In summary, education in Marxist scientific atheism is of profound importance, and its "five-point" content is interconnected and inseparable. Dialectical materialism and historical materialism serve as the foundation of scientific atheism education; they require university students to emancipate their minds, seek truth from facts, proceed from reality in all things, and firmly establish a scientific worldview, outlook on life, and system of values. Extolling science and opposing superstition are the keys to scientific atheism education; they require university students to strengthen their study of scientific knowledge, vigorously carry forward the scientific spirit, and oppose all forms of pseudoscience and feudal superstition [28]. The Marxist view of religion is the core of scientific atheism education; it requires university students to respect the freedom of religious belief while ensuring that student Party members do not hold religious beliefs. Simultaneously, they must resolutely draw a clear line of demarcation [29] against religious theism and correctly understand and handle religious issues. The Socialist Core Value System is an important platform for scientific atheism education; it requires university students to arm themselves with the scientific theories of Marxism and solidify their commitment to the common ideal of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Promoting and realizing the free and well-rounded development of the individual is the ultimate aim of scientific atheism; it requires university students to strive to improve their scientific and cultural literacy as well as their ideological and moral quality, so as to become qualified builders of and reliable successors to the socialist cause.