Su Bin: Experience and Enlightenment of Atheist Propaganda and Education Since the Reform and Opening-up
History is a mirror that allows us to examine the past to understand the present. We study history to illuminate the current reality and inspire the future. Since the beginning of reform and opening up, the ebbs and flows of atheistic propaganda and education, alongside the rise and fall of theistic trends of thought, have constituted a unique landscape of ideological struggle in our country. During the early stages and the period of full-scale expansion of reform and opening up, atheistic propaganda and education experienced a brief revival followed by a decline, while the influence of theism began to expand gradually. At the turn of the century, atheistic propaganda and education took up a new mission from a new starting point, and the situation where "theism is preached by many, while atheism is preached by none" [1] began to reverse. As socialism with Chinese characteristics entered the New Era, atheistic propaganda and education opened up a completely new horizon under the high degree of focus and strong support of the Party Central Committee. To this end, only by comprehensively summarizing experience, scientifically revealing laws, and reasonably grasping trends can we better inherit and carry forward the Marxist atheist tradition of the proletarian party, implement the strategic deployments of the Party Central Committee regarding atheistic propaganda and education, maintain a fighting spirit in the face of ideological confrontations with theism, and better educate the vast number of cadres and youth to unite the people of all ethnic groups to win the great victory of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era with a never-slackening mental state and an indomitable fighting posture.
I. The focus and support of the Party Central Committee is the basic prerequisite for doing a good job in atheistic propaganda and education
The Communist Party of China (CPC) has always been the core of leadership in the process of adhering to and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics, and has always been the backbone of the people across the country in the struggle to respond to various risks and challenges at home and abroad. Regarding atheistic propaganda and education, the Party is the leader of this cause, the formulator of this policy, and the executor of this work. The firmness and focus of the Central Committee on this issue play a pivotal role in the development of this cause and are the basic prerequisites for doing a good job in atheistic propaganda and education.
In the 40-year course of reform and opening up, the international and regional situations have been turbulent, various social trends of thought at home and abroad have echoed in alternation, and the situation in the ideological field has been complex. Although voices calling for the negation of atheistic propaganda and education have existed to varying degrees in theoretical, academic, and social circles, the Central Committee's stance on the issue has remained firm and its understanding consistently clear, unaffected by these various trends of thought. It is precisely this firmness and focus from the Central Committee that has greatly encouraged and inspired those long committed to promoting atheistic propaganda and education, providing strong support for the continuous improvement and innovation of this process.
(1) Maintaining the guiding position of Marxist atheism as the mainstream ideology
The Central Committee has always regarded Marxist atheism as an important component of the mainstream ideology. This attitude has been reflected many times in the speeches, instructions, and relevant documents of successive central leaders since reform and opening up. In the 1980s, the "Circular of the CPC Central Committee on Printing and Distributing ‘Basic Viewpoints and Basic Policies on Religious Issues During Our Country’s Socialist Period’" [2] was drafted under the direct organization of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, following Comrade Deng Xiaoping's emphasis on religious work. At that time, there were voices in society criticizing atheistic propaganda, but the Central Committee was not disturbed; it continued to support "strengthening propaganda against superstition" in its documents, listing atheistic propaganda and education as an important task on the propaganda front. Although research and propaganda education on atheism encountered a period of neglect in practice afterward, the Central Committee’s theoretical persistence and firm attitude sowed the seeds of hope for atheistic propaganda and education to emerge from its predicament and weather the difficulties in the near future.
Since then, the Central Committee's emphasis on the mainstream ideological status of Marxist atheism has maintained continuity and stability. In the early 1990s, against the backdrop of hostile foreign forces intensifying their use of religion for infiltration, Comrade Jiang Zemin clearly pointed out: "We cannot abandon the promotion of atheism and the cultivation of 'Four-Haves' [3] new people just because we must adhere to the policy of freedom of religious belief." The spirit of the leader's speech was subsequently implemented in central documents. The "Circular of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Several Issues Concerning Further Improving Religious Work" pointed out that atheism must be promoted to help the masses establish a scientific worldview and outlook on life. The same statement can be found in Comrade Jiang Zemin's speech at the 2001 National Conference on Religious Work. In his speech, he emphasized the popularization of scientific and cultural knowledge and the education of youth in a scientific worldview based on the situation at the time. In 2003, Comrade Hu Jintao again affirmed in an instruction that atheistic propaganda and education is a long-term task that should be carried out with perseverance. The spirit of this instruction was immediately implemented into a document by six central ministries and commissions targeting atheistic propaganda and education, and was well-executed within the radio, film, and television systems. Through the efforts of television, radio, newspapers, and other media over a period of time, a favorable social atmosphere against feudal superstition was formed, which was 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 atheistic propaganda and education in ideological work. This laid an important political foundation for consolidating the dominant position of Marxist atheism as the mainstream ideology in the minds of the masses under the new situation.
(2) Adhering to the principle that Party members are not allowed to believe in religion and must promote atheism
The requirement that Party members are not allowed to believe in religion and must promote atheism is a consistent worldview requirement of the CPC for its members, playing an important role in maintaining the Party's advanced nature and purity. The "Circular of the CPC Central Committee on Printing and Distributing ‘Basic Viewpoints and Basic Policies on Religious Issues During Our Country’s Socialist Period’" clearly required that Party members "unquestionably" should be atheists, which drew a bottom line for handling the issue of religious belief among Party members since reform and opening up. Jiang Zemin reaffirmed this bottom line in the early 1990s, pointing out that "Communist Party members must be atheists, which does not violate the policy of freedom of religious belief," and explicitly required that "Communist Party members not only cannot believe in religion, but must also promote atheism and a scientific worldview to the masses." The subsequent "Circular of the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee on Properly Resolving the Issue of Religious Belief Among Communist Party members" explicitly required: "Party organizations at all levels, especially in places where religious influence is significant, must regularly educate members on Marxist atheism." The "Circular of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Several Issues Concerning Further Improving Religious Work" further required educating members who participate in religious activities or incite religious fanaticism, and advising those who persist in not changing to withdraw from the Party or expelling them, which was highly pertinent to the reality. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has clearly pointed out that Communist Party members must be firm Marxist atheists. Shortly thereafter, the principle that Party members must not believe in religion was further implemented at the institutional level, being written into several internal Party regulations. This ensured the operability of this requirement and prompted Party members to be firm Marxist atheists and active promoters of a scientific worldview.
The Central Committee's requirement for Party members to adhere to an atheistic worldview is uniform. In ethnic minority areas, especially for creative grassroots Party members living in these regions, the Central Committee took local special circumstances into account when issuing policies, allowing Party members to appropriately respect and follow ethnic customs in their actions to avoid being detached from or isolated by the masses. However, the Central Committee has never relaxed its ideological requirements for Party members and has remained firm in maintaining ideological purity and thoroughness. The "Circular... on ‘Basic Viewpoints and Basic Policies on Religious Issues During Our Country’s Socialist Period’" required that those ethnic minority Party members coming from groups where substantially the entire population believes in religion must draw a clear ideological line between themselves and religious belief. Both Jiang Zemin and Li Peng made firm statements of this kind, requiring that Communist Party members, regardless of their ethnic background, must adhere to materialism and atheism and should not believe in religion. Jiang Zemin particularly pointed out: "In Xinjiang, whether a cadre is politically strong and can be given heavy responsibilities depends primarily on this point." The difference in worldview between Party members and religious masses does not hinder political unity, and the uniform requirement for Party members' worldview promotes the unity of the materialist worldview within the Party, enhancing the Party's combat effectiveness and cohesion.
(3) Maintaining the practice of "advancing with the times" in atheistic propaganda and education
At the end of the 1980s, the debate over "religion is the opium of the people" came to an end, and the situation where "atheism is preached by none" began to take shape. The reason few people mentioned atheistic propaganda and education was the fear of being labeled as "undermining the freedom of religious belief." Facing this situation, Jiang Zemin mentioned multiple times that we cannot stop ideological and political work just because of the policy of freedom of religious belief. In 2001, he further pointed out that adhering to the policy of freedom of religious belief does not hinder ideological and political work for the religious masses; education and the popularization of scientific and cultural knowledge should be carried out for both religious and non-religious people. This gave the development of atheistic propaganda and education confidence and courage. By 2003, Hu Jintao pointed out even more clearly in an instruction that atheistic propaganda and education is not contradictory to the implementation of the policy of freedom of religious belief. This finally settled the years of debate in academic circles, and atheistic propaganda and education were completely "rectified and renamed." Successive top Party leaders clearly expressed support for atheistic propaganda and education, allowing it to gain a firm foothold in the theoretical sphere. Since then, the argument that promoting atheism would undermine the freedom of religious belief has rarely appeared. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee has promoted the innovative development of atheistic propaganda and education according to the new situation. The important position of Marxist atheism in the ideological field has been further clarified, and the development of atheistic propaganda and education has become more adapted to the changes of the era and the situation.
From the above aspects, it can be seen that the Central Committee's stance in supporting atheistic propaganda and education has been consistent. It remains vigilant against the harm of theism to ideology, maintains its composure in the face of various trends of thought negating atheistic propaganda, acts resolutely in handling Party members and cadres who engage in feudal superstitious activities, and shows a firm will in striking against overseas religious infiltration and curbing religious extremism. The Central Committee's overall deployment for atheistic propaganda and education has become the important basis for promoting this work. The important conclusions of Party and state leaders on atheistic propaganda and education have played a decisive role in the ideological confrontation between atheism and theism. The Central Committee’s theoretical innovations in atheistic propaganda and education have formed a majestic force promoting its development, guiding its direction.
In reality, the importance and necessity of atheistic propaganda and education do not always translate into immediate urgency, nor does the handling of educational issues yield fruit overnight. Atheistic propaganda and education require, more than anything, to persist over the long term and apply effort continuously. Restricted by changes in the international and domestic situations and other conditions, atheistic propaganda and education have always been developing in hardship, becoming a "task that the Party wanted to accomplish but had not yet seen finished." However, the Central Committee's firm stance on atheistic propaganda and education has ensured that this work remained persistent even when hidden, and orderly even when dispersed. Once conditions are ripe, the high degree of focus and scientific decision-making of the Central Committee can be transformed into an inexhaustible driving force for the substantial development of atheistic propaganda and education.
II. The responsibility and commitment of scholars is a powerful boost to doing a good job in atheistic propaganda and education
In adhering to and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics, "philosophy and social sciences hold an irreplaceable and important position, and philosophy and social science workers play an irreplaceable and important role." In the course of pushing atheistic propaganda and education forward through difficulties, the academic community has gathered people of high ideals, including natural scientists and philosophy and social science workers. They have adhered to Marxism as guidance, inherited the profound patriotic spirit of the Chinese nation, leveraged their advantages and specialties as scholars, and stepped up with the responsibility and commitment of scholars, leaving a heavy and colorful mark on the history of the development of atheistic propaganda and education since reform and opening up.
Discovering and researching problems, writing for the Party and the people, and offering advice and suggestions are the responsibilities of scholars; daring to "unsheathe the sword" [4] against erroneous trends of thought is the commitment of scholars. To make the responsibility and commitment of scholars an effective boost for atheistic propaganda and education, it is necessary to fully leverage the think-tank role of scholars in policy formulation, attach great importance to their opinions and suggestions in the implementation of policies, and create a favorable environment for equal discussion and positive progress for scholars to play their roles. For scholars, it is necessary to stand firm in their political stance, firmly establish the people-centered ideology, consciously integrate Marxist stances, viewpoints, and methods throughout the entire process of research and teaching, continuously improve academic attainment, forge academic character, and establish virtue and words for the state and the people, creating excellent works that can stand the test of history.
(1) Strengthening political convictions and improving political literacy
Xi Jinping pointed out at the Seminar on Philosophy and Social Sciences: "Adhering to the guidance of Marxism is the fundamental hallmark that distinguishes contemporary Chinese philosophy and social sciences from others; we must uphold it with a clear banner." At the start of the reform and opening up period, when our country's religious studies were just beginning, a debate occurred regarding the guiding ideology for such research. As the head in charge of establishing China's first national-level research institute for religion, Ren Jiyu [5] insisted that religious studies must adhere to the guidance of Marxism, thereby pioneering Chinese Marxist religious studies. He once said: "Academic research must take root in this soil, and it must be beneficial to human development and social progress." Ren Jiyu's founding of the China Atheism Society and the China Association for Religious Studies in the early period of reform and opening up was an implementation of Mao Zedong's important instruction to "study religion and criticize theology." It was also a concrete manifestation of adhering to Marxism as a guide in religious studies. At the inception of the research institute, the policy of "accumulating data and cultivating talent" was a plan focused on the future.
The work of philosophy and social sciences in our country 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 grand principle of adhering to Marxist atheism. Only by closely integrating personal academic pursuits with the direction of national development and the fundamental interests of the people can scholars withstand the test of history and the people. Since the 21st century, surrounding debates on the direction of religious studies, Du Jiwen and other scholars have resolutely defended the Marxist direction of religious research. They opposed the erroneous tendency of deviating from Marxism in religious studies and assisted relevant departments in correcting phenomena such as "cultural proselytization," "living off religion" [6], and "toadying to religion" [7] that existed in some universities and research institutions.
(2) Cultivating profound scholarship and upholding academic integrity
"Sit on a cold bench for ten years [8]; do not write a single empty line in an essay." True talent and learning are not cultivated overnight; true insight is not found in a fleeting moment. The reason why propaganda and education on atheism have stood firm despite through Wind and Rain [9] and retained their vitality after many tribulations is precisely because the older generation of scholars, represented by Ren Jiyu, worked diligently in the vast sea of books, maintained silent persistence through ordinary years, and took action when society required it. Throughout Ren Jiyu's academic career, no matter how the academic winds shifted, the spirit of seeking truth from facts ran through it all. This became especially evident after he accepted Marxism. This adherence to academic integrity was mainly reflected in his persistence in four viewpoints: First, he insisted on questioning Zhdanov's definition of the history of philosophy, believing that defining it as a history of struggle between materialism and idealism did not fit the reality of the history of Chinese philosophy, even though this was labeled by some at the time as a "revisionist" view. Second, he insisted on not understanding the development of Chinese philosophy through the lens of the "struggle between Confucianism and Legalism," and did not participate in the "Criticize Lin, Criticize Confucius" [10] movement of that time. Third, he persisted in the view that "Confucianism is a religion," even though this view met with fierce criticism from the vast majority of scholars upon its proposal, only being accepted by an increasing number of scholars many years later. Fourth, he persisted in the viewpoint of propagating atheism. Coming from the mouth of such a scholar, the insistence on propagating atheistic views undoubtedly highlights the necessity of atheism propaganda and education even more.
(3) Adhering to problem-awareness and actively offering advice and suggestions
Scholars possess rich theoretical knowledge, professional research perspectives, the ability to see the large in the small [11], and scientific research methods. Some major issues are first discovered and pushed toward resolution by scholars. Scholars have a profound grasp of the issues they follow long-term; they possess detailed data and can discern the origins, development, and external impacts of a problem, providing important references and consultations for policymakers. Since the 21st century, some scholars discovered that external hostile forces had begun using religion to infiltrate our universities and research institutions, conducting illegal proselytization on campuses and embedding Western value systems in an attempt to compete with us for the youth. After in-depth investigation and research, scholars conducted a thorough analysis of these problems. Relevant departments attached great importance to this, issuing documents on resisting external religious infiltration and preventing campus proselytization, requiring the cessation of illegal preaching and the strengthening of education in materialism, which pushed the resolution of the problem forward.
(4) Responding to the central government's call and promoting policy implementation
Scholars possess the unique advantage of not being tied down by local interests, and they often play a key role in "using four ounces to move a thousand pounds" [12] when promoting the implementation of policies. Implementing the Central Committee's deployments should inherently be the duty of local governments and departments. However, due to the interference of local interests and the influence of bureaucratism and formalism—where "implementing documents with more documents" and "implementing meetings with more meetings" were persistent problems—individual cadres would shout slogans to the heavens while their actions remained feather-light. These behaviors delayed the process of problem-solving, and some even missed the best timing for resolution, leading to serious consequences. Jiang Zemin once pointed out solemnly in a letter: "To what extent has the ideological and political work and mass work of some of our localities and departments become weak and ineffective!" In fact, at the end of 1994, the Central Committee had already raised requirements to oppose feudal superstition and reiterated this many times, yet it did not receive the necessary attention or effective implementation from some departments. However, as early as 1995, some scholars responded to the Central Committee's call and organized a counter-offensive against the feudal superstition and pseudo-science activities prevalent in society at the time. The Committee for Promoting the Alliance of Natural and Social Sciences of the China Association for the Dialectics of Nature (referred to as the "Two Sciences Alliance") held a series of forums to advocate for the scientific spirit and oppose ignorant superstition. This move quickly sparked a strong reaction, and 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 the podiums of universities and cadre training sessions to actively propagate atheism, promoting the "taking root" of the Central Committee's decisions and deployments regarding atheism propaganda and education.
Taking a comprehensive view, in order to let the promotional role of scholars be better utilized in atheism propaganda and education in the New Era, we must cherish Marxist scholars like Ren Jiyu who are knowledgeable, morally upright, and academically rigorous. We must strive to create a favorable environment where people can make the most of their talents and talents are put to their best use, fully mobilizing their initiative and utilizing their active role in promoting the continuous and healthy development of atheism propaganda and education. There are no "small matters" in ethnic and religious affairs; atheism propaganda and education is a highly policy-sensitive task and possesses a certain degree of sensitivity in practice. Generally, people who do not grasp or thoroughly understand the policies are prone to stepping on "red lines" or crossing "bottom lines" in actual operations, causing negative social impacts or even leading to serious consequences detrimental to national unity and ethnic solidarity; reality is not without such lessons. Therefore, it is necessary to borrow the "discerning eyes" of scholars to discover problems and deviations in policy implementation in a timely manner, correct errors, and maintain the correct direction. Talent is the key factor for the long-term development of atheism propaganda and education. Since the roots of the existence of theism have not been completely eliminated, the ideological struggle between atheism and theism will exist for a long time. Therefore, we must strengthen the building of the talent pool for atheism propaganda and education, accelerate the construction of the discipline of Marxist atheism, focus on cultivating young Marxist atheists, and nurture reserve talent who are well-versed in atheism research and propaganda education.
III. Implementation by Localities and Departments is the Important Support for Doing a Good Job in Atheism Propaganda and Education
The layout is at the Center; the implementation depends on the localities. Top-level designs and decision-making deployments from the Central Committee can only achieve results through solid implementation. Whether the Central Committee's deployments can be implemented by various local departments relates to whether practical problems can be solved and whether the Central Committee's strategic intentions can be realized. Atheism propaganda and education is a highly practical task; it cannot stop at mere expressions of support and paper-based plans, nor can it stop at grand ceremonies or flashy posturing. Rather, it should seek truth from facts and be pragmatic, focus on real results, adhere to the grand principle of Marxist atheism, carry the spirit of the Central Committee through to the end, and implement deployments in place. We must grasp implementation with the "spirit of driving a nail"—hit one hammer after another, work one term after another, seize important links such as national education, cadre training, and mass media, and ensure we "leave a footprint on the stone and a grip-mark on the iron" [13], making our actions resonate and produce results. For over 40 years of reform and opening up, various regions and departments have focused on implementing atheism propaganda and education in various fields to build an ideological line of defense against the erosion of theism.
(1) Adhering to atheism education within the national education system
Universities, middle schools, and primary schools are the primary subjects responsible for practicing the separation of education and religion; they are the frontline positions in the struggle between atheism and theism and the main force for preventing religious infiltration into campuses. From 2007 to 2011, relevant departments issued documents requiring the guidance of university students toward a correct understanding of religion and the prevention of campus proselytization. Various universities introduced detailed implementation rules, strengthening atheism propaganda and education for students and providing training for counselors on religious knowledge, religious policies, and relevant laws and regulations. This timely discovery and proper handling of campus proselytization behaviors achieved good results.
The 2016 National Conference on Religious Work [14] played an important role in promoting atheism propaganda and education. When implementing the principle of the separation of education and religion, some localities became more explicit in their banners and firmer in their stance. Less than a month after the conference ended, a video titled "Lovely Little Girl Reciting Scriptures in Gansu" circulated online, showing a child in a kindergarten in Linxia, Gansu, reciting a religious scripture. The Gansu Provincial Department of Education immediately expressed strong condemnation and required education departments at all levels in the province to resolutely stop such behaviors, strictly forbidding religion from entering campuses through various activities. Shortly thereafter, a member of the religious clergy displayed religious texts during a class meeting at a primary school in Zhengzhou, Henan. The Henan Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government attached great importance to this; Zhengzhou dealt with the relevant responsible persons according to laws and regulations, and the Working Committee for Higher Education of the Henan Provincial Party Committee briefed the Henan education system on the situation, requiring a general survey of schools with similar hidden dangers and strict implementation of the "separation of education and religion." Subsequently, Henan Province took several powerful measures to conduct atheism propaganda and education for youth: multiple provincial departments jointly compiled and printed three "pocket books" distributed to higher education institutions province-wide to propagate the Marxist view of religion and the Party’s policies on religious work; the Zhengzhou Communist Youth League issued "Tuantuan Talks Religion" pocket books to youth, using community and rural volunteer service channels to explain the Party's religious policies and popularize religious knowledge. These forceful follow-up measures were concrete implementations of the Central Committee's documents and the spirit of the leaders' instructions and comments. Only by raising political stances and ideological understanding in this way can one be clear in banner and resolute in attitude; only by solidly rectifying prominent problems in specific areas and drawing inferences from one case to check for similar issues can major risks be effectively prevented and defused; only by persisting over the long term, and constantly improving work mechanisms, can a favorable situation of multi-party coordinated management and cooperation be formed.
(2) Strictly implementing the regulation that Party members are not allowed to believe in religion within organizational and disciplinary inspection work
Organizational departments [15] are the primary subjects responsible for conducting atheism propaganda and education for Party members and leading cadres. Since the 1990s, the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee and other departments have issued documents addressing problems such as some Party members believing in religion or organizing and participating in feudal superstitious activities. These documents explicitly require that Party members are not allowed to believe in religion; for those who do, they should be educated to establish correct ideals and beliefs, and those who do not change after education should be urged to leave the Party. In November 2014, the leading comrade of the Fifth Central Inspection Group conveyed to then-Secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee, Xia Baolong, the spirit of Xi Jinping's important speech on inspection work. The following day, while providing feedback on the inspection situation to the Zhejiang provincial leadership team, it was pointed out that "a small number of Party members in some places participate in or believe in religion." The Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee quickly made rectifications, adding atheism themes to Party lectures, and opening courses on the Marxist view of religion in Party schools, academies of governance, and online education platforms for Party members. Meanwhile, they handled the conversion or disposal of Party members who participated in or believed in religion based on different circumstances, implementing a "one-vote veto" [16] for candidates for Party membership who exhibited such behaviors. In the implementation of work at the local level in Zhejiang, the Wenzhou Municipal Party Committee focused on solving the problem of "invisible religious belief" among Party members. A sub-district working committee discovered through screening that a Party member believed in religion; after being educated, the member showed no sign of change, and was subsequently urged to withdraw and was struck from the Party rolls according to regulations. This reflects the continuous and powerful implementation of the deployments of the Central and Provincial Committees by the grassroots, and provides a model and benchmark for grassroots Party organizations in handling the issue of Party members believing in religion. As a place where Christianity has a large influence, Zhejiang Province—especially Wenzhou—took the lead in carrying out the rectification of the problem of Party members believing in religion by resolutely implementing the Central Committee's requirements and deployments. This has landmark significance nationwide, signifying that the Central Committee has already prepared to handle the problem of Party members believing in religion. Zhejiang, as a key area conducting such pilot-like work, has accumulated valuable experience for the subsequent national rollout.
The disciplinary inspection departments serve as the primary entities responsible for implementing the political discipline that Party members are strictly prohibited from believing in religion, thereby establishing a disciplinary baseline for Party members to uphold and propagate atheism. In recent years, grassroots Party organizations in various regions across the country have begun investigating whether Party members hold religious beliefs, requiring them to sign a "Commitment Letter to Not Believe in Religion." In public notices regarding the punishment of specific disciplined cadres, descriptions concerning the issue of "religious belief" have appeared. The regulation prohibiting Party members from believing in religion has also been integrated into the Party’s institutional construction. The Sixth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee reviewed and adopted the Several Norms Regarding Intra-Party Political Life Under New Circumstances, which explicitly inscribed the prohibitions against engaging in feudal superstition, believing in religion, participating in cults, and condoning or supporting the "three forces" [17] and their activities. The 2023 revision of the Regulations on CPC Disciplinary Action also requires that for Party members who have religious beliefs, ideological education should be strengthened, and they should be required to correct their ways within a specified timeframe. Those who fail to change after help and education from the Party organization should be advised to resign from the Party; if they refuse to resign, they shall be expelled. This ensures that the regulation prohibiting religious belief among leading Party cadres is fully implemented, while also serving as a warning to the vast membership that they must never seek their values or convictions in religion.
(3) Strengthening Atheist Propaganda in Publicity, Ideological, and Cultural Work
Publicity departments are primarily responsible for atheist propaganda and education within mass media and mass spiritual civilization creation activities. In 2003, six central ministries and commissions issued a document specifically deploying atheist propaganda and education, and the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television (SARFT) introduced detailed implementation rules based on this document. In practice, positive propaganda for atheism is a realistic requirement for the publicity front to uphold the grand principle of Marxist atheism. In 2015, the Shanxi Provincial Commission for Guiding Cultural and Ethical Progress targeted "Feng Shui masters," sorcerers, and spirit mediums [18] who had long been active in rural areas, carrying out provincial-scale rural education and remediation activities to "venerate science and break down superstition," which achieved excellent results. The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), in its continuous efforts to govern deep-seated maladies of the online ecosystem, has penalized a number of divination and fortune-telling websites that promoted feudal superstition and possessed severely deviant orientations. In response to the increase in illegal online proselytizing, the State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA) released the Administrative Measures on Internet Religious Information Services (Draft for Comment) in 2018. This document aimed to regulate the entities publishing religious information on the internet through strict entry mechanisms, clear exit mechanisms, and strengthened departmental coordination. This marked an important step in the governance of online religious information, providing a safeguard to reduce the impact of erroneous ideas on the mainstream ideology and to purify the online public opinion environment for atheist propaganda and education.
In publicity work, upholding the grand principle of Marxist atheism is particularly crucial. At the inception of Martyrs' Day in 2014, some voices expressed concern that while such high-profile commemoration of heroes was naturally a good thing, memorial activities could easily be interpreted as the worship of supernatural forces, potentially damaging the purity of an atheist ruling party. In fact, looking at the organization of these activities over the past few years, such concerns can be completely dispelled: the activity is titled "Ceremony to Present Flower Baskets to the People's Heroes." Its content includes singing the national anthem, a moment of silence for the martyrs, children singing "We Are the Successors of Communism," and the presentation of flower baskets—leaving absolutely no room for the existence of supernatural entities. The ceremony commemorates real, living people who heroically sacrificed themselves for the cause of national liberation and construction, not supernatural gods, ghosts, or souls; the ceremony remembers revolutionary martyrs and pays tribute to the heroes of the people; the ceremony promotes the spirit of heroism and inspires generation after generation of revolutionary successors and heroic sons and daughters. More important is the interpretation of these commemorative activities. During the 2020 ceremony, the China Central Television (CCTV) commentary even quoted Xi Jinping's speech at the Meeting to Commend Role Models in the Country's Fight Against the COVID-19 Epidemic: "The reason the Chinese nation has been able to undergo countless disasters and yet continue to develop and grow is never because there was a Savior, but because in the face of great catastrophes, millions upon millions of ordinary people stepped forward and advanced with great spirit!" Thus, it is clear that the reason commemorative activities do not turn into sacrificial rites is precisely because the grand principle of Marxist atheism is maintained throughout. Upholding Marxist atheism is not a slogan but a scientific belief deeply embedded in the heart; especially in publicity work, it does not need to be perpetually on one's lips but should be reflected in one's actions.
(4) Systematically Advancing Atheist Propaganda and Education in Ethnic Minority Regions
Ethnic minority regions often face complex situations where ethnic and religious issues are intertwined, and they thus shoulder the heavy responsibility of coordinating regional resources and using multiple means to comprehensively advance atheist propaganda and education. Xinjiang has vigorously promoted "de-radicalization" work, prohibiting the wearing of religious extremist attire such as the jilbab or niqab [19]. It has tackled the issue at the source of ideological education, promoting atheist propaganda and education at the social level and offering courses on scientific atheism in universities. As the front line of the national anti-terrorism effort, Xinjiang has taken multiple measures to vigorously implement central deployments. For several years, no violent terrorist attacks have occurred. All trainees at the education and training centers have graduated and achieved stable employment. The situation of ethnic unity and religious harmony has been consolidated. Xinjiang's achievements in de-radicalization have received the affirmation of the central authorities and the appreciation of people nationwide. Ningxia, in the process of implementing the spirit of the 2016 National Conference on Religious Work, viewed and governed the problem of the "generalization of the Halal concept" [20] from the height of maintaining national security, treating religious infiltration as a political issue. It strengthened education on ethnic and religious perspectives, revising and improving ethnic and religious textbooks and knowledge readers for primary, secondary, and tertiary schools within the autonomous region according to the spirit of the central authorities. It strictly prohibited treating Arabic as the ethnic language of the Hui people to prevent the over-expansion of Arabic education, and required that Party members must resolutely refrain from religious belief. The implementation of these measures blocked the transmission channels of religious extremist ideology, enabled the masses in ethnic regions to clearly recognize the harm and essence of religious extremism, and strengthened their study of national laws, regulations, and religious policies, thereby effectively promoting ethnic unity, social stability, and national unification.
Vigorously grasping implementation is the primary requirement of policy execution. Localities and departments are the main entities for executing central policies. The importance attached by the central authorities and the issuance of documents provide the basis for local and departmental policy execution and constitute the prerequisite for doing a good job in atheist propaganda and education. Local and departmental implementation is the key link for central deployments to take root and be effective, and it is the important support for successful atheist propaganda and education. It can be seen that, on one hand, the execution of atheist propaganda and education policy requires the concerted cooperation of multiple departments and fronts. This requires superior organs to establish coordination mechanisms and clarify lead departments, and it also requires all regions and departments to unify their thinking, converge their hearts, and move in the same direction. On the other hand, policy execution requires timely summaries of experience and effective feedback. Atheist propaganda and education are highly policy-oriented, involving many issues and a wide range of impacts, with a certain degree of complexity and sensitivity. Therefore, localities and departments should establish and improve working mechanisms, carry out implementation according to local conditions, and ensure the Party Central Committee’s deployments on atheist propaganda and education are in place. Simultaneously, they should report universal problems, difficulties, and "pain points" encountered during execution in a timely manner—especially those affecting the overall situation—so the central authorities can grasp the big picture and coordinate the response.
IV. Mass Mobilization and Participation as the Solid Foundation for Successful Atheist Propaganda and Education
Maintaining close ties with the masses is one of the Party's fine styles of work, and the mass line is the lifeblood and fundamental working line of the Party. Doing a good job in atheist propaganda and education must adhere to the principle of "from the masses, to the masses," believing in the masses, relying on them, mobilizing them, and educating them to firmly build a mass foundation. The weapon of criticism cannot replace the criticism of weapons; scientific theory can only burst forth with majestic power once it is grasped by the masses. Only when Marxist atheism is mastered by the masses can its mainstream leading position be exerted, enabling the masses to resist the spiritual temptation and ideological infiltration of various theistic trends at the source, slowing the growth rate of religious believers, and enhancing the masses' consciousness in resisting infiltration and curbing extremism. Currently, the methodology of mobilizing the masses has achieved good results in the creation of "Civilized Cities," the governance of traffic violations, and the "Sweep Away Black and Eliminate Evil" [21] struggle. Fully mobilizing the masses in atheist propaganda and education can not only increase the depth and breadth of these activities but also turn the passive into the active, allowing for the early detection of embryonic problems. More importantly, it allows the advanced to lead the backward, enhancing the masses' enthusiasm for self-study and self-education, creating a virtuous cycle that achieves "twice the result with half the effort."
(1) Believing in and Relying on the Masses, and Stimulating Their Enthusiasm for Participation
Doing a good job in atheist propaganda and education so that Marxist atheism is truly mastered by the masses cannot be achieved without their heartfelt support and active participation. The scientific nature of truth does not necessarily lead to the effectiveness of propaganda and education; work that remains at the level of hanging banners, shouting slogans, and distributing leaflets can hardly "enter the brain and heart." Propaganda and education that does not gain the sincere support of the masses will similarly lapse into mere formalism. Mao Zedong once said that to win the support of the masses, "we must be with them, we must arouse their enthusiasm, we must concern ourselves with their well-being, and we must earnestly and sincerely work for their interests." Therefore, to improve the masses' recognition and acceptance of atheist propaganda and education, it is necessary to maintain close ties with them, understand them deeply, solve the difficulties they encounter in production and life, and unite them around the Party and government. This will effectively enhance the affinity and efficacy of atheist propaganda and education.
In the struggle in Xinjiang to oppose the "three forces" and curb religious extremism, atheist propaganda and education have been combined with mass work, allowing them to play a role in communicating the people's will, soothing their emotions, and gathering their hearts. In May 2014, an open letter titled "We Will No Longer Remain Silent" by 11 Uyghur university students ignited a wave of opposition to religious extremism among the various ethnic groups in Xinjiang. The letter called on "Uyghur compatriots to bravely stand up, resist evil extremism, and fight against extremist ideology." The open letter received a wide response from all sectors of society in Xinjiang: 13 overseas Xinjiang students, over 200 famous Uyghur figures from the literary and art circles, more than 70 religious figures, and 45 leading cadres and experts all took a public stand through various means. They strongly condemned the extreme acts of violent terrorists and called on the masses of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang, including Uyghurs, to unite and leave no "nesting space" for violent terrorists, jointly maintaining national unity and border stability.
Mass work during the de-radicalization process in Xinjiang has taken into account the characteristics and needs of different groups. Through unified deployment, Xinjiang adopted various methods to educate, guide, and win over the majority of the masses, launching a "people's war" to curb religious extremism. Aiming at the characteristics of the rural population in southern Xinjiang, where farmers are numerous and education levels relatively low, more "grounded" methods were adopted. De-radicalization ideas were integrated with themes of national consciousness, legal awareness, and ethnic unity into activities like the "Xinjiang Peasants' Painting Contest" and "Xinjiang Peasants' Sketch Comedy Contest" to promote modern civilization and oppose ethnic separatism and religious extremism. Addressing the trend of extremist ideology spreading among younger age groups, the region strengthened cooperation with schools, emphasizing the mandatory nature of compulsory education to prevent students from dropping out. It adhered to the separation of education and religion, using vivid forms combined with education on civilization and law-abiding behavior to carry out atheist propaganda and education, helping students establish correct worldviews, outlooks on life, and values, thereby blocking the familial and intergenerational transmission of extremist ideology. For unemployed youth and disadvantaged groups, the focus was on helping them establish a correct outlook on employment, improving their labor skills, solving practical difficulties, and cultivating a positive attitude toward life to prevent them from being instigated by extremist forces. Regarding grassroots conflicts and disputes, cadres took the initiative to visit homes and listen to the opinions of the masses, striving to resolve conflicts at the grassroots level to prevent non-antagonistic contradictions from transforming into antagonistic ones. They adhered to the principle that religion does not interfere in social affairs and resolutely struck down acts that used extremist ideology to incite petitioners [22] to cause trouble. For personnel released from prison and youth with criminal records, help was provided to strengthen their legal concepts, cultivate vocational skills, and enhance their labor capacity, facilitating their return to their families and society as quickly as possible. For the general masses, cadres patiently explained the consistency between the goals of atheist propaganda and education and the interests of the masses themselves, guiding them to view religious belief rationally, resolutely oppose religious extremist ideology, and actively participate in the struggle against the "three forces." For masses who reported violent terrorist activities, a policy of "spiritual encouragement as the primary focus, supplemented by material rewards" was adopted, establishing incentive mechanisms and protecting the identities of informants to fully mobilize the masses' enthusiasm. Through several years of joint efforts by Xinjiang's cadres and masses, a favorable atmosphere has gradually formed in which masses of all ethnic groups jointly resist extremism and oppose separatism, making violent terrorists "like rats crossing the street, with everyone shouting ‘hit them!’" [23].
(2) Extensively Mobilizing the Masses and Utilizing Their Supervisory Role
Adhering to the overarching principle of Marxist atheism, the principle of the separation of church and state, and the principle of separating education from religion may appear highly abstract, yet these are intimately linked to maintaining ethnic unity, guaranteeing freedom of religious belief, and even safeguarding national unity and territorial integrity. Since the dawn of the 21st century, this importance has been broadly manifested in the daily lives of the masses and reflected in the process of maintaining the secular nature of social life. The masses have sharp eyes. On one hand, they are able to promptly discover instances that violate the principles of the separation of church and state and the separation of education from religion; specifically, patriotic citizens with a degree of understanding and research into religion can clearly distinguish behaviors that violate the Party 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 activities such as overseas religious infiltration and the organized spreading of cults [24] in accordance with the law, behaviors that violate religious policy emanate from all sectors of society. Some carry the banner of maintaining ethnic unity or wear the cloak of normal religious activities; others exist in rural areas, remote mountainous regions, and other areas where law enforcement is relatively weak. In particular, certain feudal superstitious activities [25] still have a degree of room for survival in areas where socio-cultural development is lagging. These behaviors, which do not yet constitute crimes, have become a "gray zone" of management.
In April 2019, the Cangzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau required that, during a special operation to investigate and rectify feudal superstition, different circumstances be handled according to law and category: “Those that do not constitute a crime shall be reported to relevant departments such as culture and religion for investigation and handling; general illegal acts shall be handled strictly according to laws and regulations; and those constituting a crime shall be resolutely prosecuted for criminal responsibility.” It is evident that public security organs, as law enforcement agencies, can only handle behaviors that constitute illegal crimes. Meanwhile, some local ethnic and religious affairs management departments suffer from insufficient enforcement power and are unable to form a normalized supervision system. Traditional media maintains a cautious attitude toward reporting on ethnic and religious affairs, resulting in blocked channels for reporting problems. Consequently, religious issues are not discovered and handled in a timely manner, and contradictions that could have been resolved in the budding stage [26] easily become more complex. Under these conditions, problems accumulate and intensify, social tolerance continuously decreases, and the exercise of the masses’ supervisory role is constrained by high social governance costs.
New media is an important platform for atheist propaganda. With the help of social platforms like Weibo, the channels for the masses to play their supervisory role have become more convenient. Due to the protective effect of front-end anonymity, the masses dare to more actively join the ranks of supervision and expose behaviors in their vicinity that violate religious policy. The extensive mobilization of the masses can effectively urge the religious policies of the Party and state to be truly implemented and put into practice, allowing ethnic and religious issues to be "caught early and caught small," resolving problems at the grassroots level and avoiding the expansion of conflicts and the escalation of contradictions. At the same time, by following the exposure and resolution of problems, the masses receive vivid atheist propaganda and education, thereby gaining a better understanding of basic religious knowledge, the state's religious principles, policies, and regulations, the scientific attitude toward treating religion and religious issues, and the methods and paths for resolving ethnic and religious issues according to the law.
(3) Persevering in educating and guiding the masses, and deepening the work approach of "mass prevention and mass governance"
As a scientific theory, Marxist atheism requires extensive documentary research and social practice to be created; it cannot arise spontaneously among the masses. Therefore, if this scientific theory is to be mastered by the masses, it must be "instilled" into them from the outside. On one hand, influenced by the humanistic and secular traditions of Chinese civilization, the majority of the population in our country does not believe in religion, which provides a rich soil for atheist propaganda and education. On the other hand, the atheist thought of some of the masses is relatively rudimentary, requiring propaganda and education to help them master the basic knowledge of Marxist atheism.
Since the 18th National Congress [27], mobilizing the masses to participate in social governance has achieved clear practical results. The work of mass prevention and mass governance [28] can discover clues to problems as early as possible, "nipping them in the bud," and can also promptly stop the development of situations, resolving problems at the grassroots. In recent years, represented by the "Chaoyang Masses," the "Xicheng Grandmas," the "Haidian Netizens," and the "Fengtai Persuasion Team" in Beijing, mass prevention and governance forces have become important outcomes in exploring new mechanisms for such work under new circumstances. Compared to other illegal crimes, religious infiltration activities, illegal proselytization, and cult issues are characterized by their occasional and hidden nature; it is difficult to eliminate them completely through concentrated rectification alone. Only by establishing long-term mechanisms such as a mass prevention and governance system can effective prevention and control be achieved. To ensure that illegal acts involving religion do not produce serious consequences, atheist propaganda and education must be combined with mass prevention and governance. This is achieved by incorporating the Party’s religious principles and policies, basic religious knowledge, and relevant laws and regulations into education and training activities, clarifying the boundaries between the legal and illegal, refining the classification of suspicious behaviors, and doing well the ideological work for key regional populations.
In the practice of preventing campus proselytization in universities, because proselytizing activities are highly hidden and the means available to management departments are quite limited—often only able to stop and evict even when discovered—the preventive effect is often limited. However, students are the largest group in universities. If knowledge on resisting religious infiltration is imparted to students, and they are mobilized to become mobile members of mass prevention and control, enabling them to consciously resist campus proselytization, the results are often better. For example, the Sanquan College of Xinxiang Medical University distributes "Information Cards for College Students' Religious Activities" to incoming freshmen, promoting the Marxist view of religion, basic religious knowledge, and religious policies and regulations. It informs students of the channels of campus proselytization and methods to refuse it, and reminds students to contact the security department or report to their counselors when necessary, ensuring that campus proselytization is discovered as early as possible. The Pingyuan Demonstration Zone, where the school is located, also calls on young people to frequently educate their relatives and families to ensure they do not participate in illegal religious activities, achieving the effect of "mobilizing one group and driving an entire area."
Online, some netizens lack a deep understanding of the Marxist view of religion, religious knowledge, and our country’s ethnic and religious policies. They bind religious extremism to specific ethnic groups or religions, and a tiny minority even use offensive language, hurting the feelings of some ethnic minorities and religious believers. The emergence of new media like 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 disseminating Marxist atheism. For example, by interacting with enthusiastic netizens to interpret the Party’s religious principles and policies, netizens’ ability to identify illegal acts is improved; by analyzing hot-button ethnic and religious issues, the strategic significance of the Central Committee's decisions is explained; by analyzing international events to dig out the ethnic and religious factors within them, scientific methods for correctly analyzing problems are transmitted; by introducing the historical landscapes and local customs of Xinjiang, netizens everywhere gain a better understanding and support for Xinjiang, enhancing its image; and through the joint efforts of bloggers and administrators, radical or illegal speech is shielded and transgressors are penalized. Among major new media platforms, a group of patriots with higher knowledge levels and discernment has already formed, and they are pushing this internet-based mass supervision step-by-step toward a more mature and positive interaction.
Religious work is, in essence, mass work [29]; atheist propaganda and education is also, in essence, mass work. This essence is shown not only in the breadth of the masses as the objects of atheist propaganda but also in the enlightening role that atheist propaganda plays for the masses. This means that the masses who have accepted Marxist atheism are no longer merely the objects (客体) of atheist education, but have become subjects (主体) who consciously disseminate Marxist atheism, moving from being a "class in itself" (自在) to a "class for itself" (自为) [30], becoming an important supervisory force for implementing the overarching principle of Marxist atheism. The mobilization and participation of the masses is irreplaceable in its foundational role for doing atheist propaganda and education well. Therefore, we must adhere to the mass line, fully trust the masses, and create a good environment for mobilizing them. In mass-based activities for the creation of spiritual civilization, we should vigorously carry out atheist propaganda and education, transmitting scientific knowledge and scientific spirit in forms that the people love to see and hear. We must persist in learning from the masses, respect their pioneering spirit, and seek answers to solve problems from among them. We must listen to the voices of the masses, respond to their concerns in a timely manner, and "become one with the masses."
At the same time, we must strengthen guidance over the mobilization and participation of the masses, persist in ideological leadership, and reinforce a correct orientation of public opinion. We must persist in transmitting correct and comprehensive religious knowledge and the Party’s religious work principles and policies, helping them use Marxist stances, viewpoints, and methods to view religion rationally. 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, we must prevent the phenomenon of group polarization and the emergence of extremist thoughts. We cannot view differences in belief as political opposition, cannot bind religious extremism to specific ethnic minority groups, and cannot—simply because hostile foreign forces use religion for infiltration—relegate religious figures and believers to a "separate category" (另册) [31].
V. Conclusion
Overall, atheist propaganda and education is a task of transmitting ideas; to do it well, in the final analysis, one must do the ideological work of people well. On one hand, for the audience, "good ideological and political work should be like salt—one cannot just eat salt; the best way is to dissolve the salt into various foods to be absorbed naturally." Atheist propaganda and education is the same. Good atheist education must not only transmit Marxist atheism, religious knowledge, the Party's religious principles and policies, and relevant laws and regulations in their original form to the audience, but must also dissolve the basic truths of atheism into the dissemination of scientific and cultural knowledge regarding natural phenomena, social evolution, and human life, death, illness, old age, fortune, and misfortune.
On the other hand, for the organizers, they must achieve firmness in their belief in Marxist atheism and an internal identification with its thought. They must achieve "true learning, true understanding, true belief, and true usage," matching their internal thoughts with external appearance and unifying knowledge with action. Whether they are the decision-makers or executors of atheist education, the participants or supervisors, whether it is central deployment or local implementation, scholarly responsibility or mass participation—only if all parties achieve unity in thought, march in step, and work together in the same direction can the ideological struggle against theism be sustained over the long term. Only then can atheist propaganda and education be sustained, and the adherence to Marxist atheism as an overarching principle be sustained. This will allow pure consciousness, scientific ways of thinking, civilized forms of activity, healthy lifestyles, and noble moral sentiments to become the mainstream of social, spiritual, and cultural life, ensuring that Marxist atheism always occupies the dominant position in the thoughts of the masses.