Science and Atheism, Issue 2, 2012 (Total Issue No. 76) | Marxism Research Network

Science and Atheism Issue 2, 2012 (Total Issue No. 76)

Table of Contents

Editorial Morality, Education, and Science

Special Features Upholding the Principle that "Communist Party Members Cannot Profess Religious Belief" and Guarding Against "Cultural Proselytization" / Qiu Shi ^[1] The Moral Aim and Humanistic Value of Atheist Education / Zhang Xinying

The Separation of Education and Religion A Brief Discussion on the Historical Process of the Separation of Education and Religion in Modern China (Part II) / Xi Wuyi On the Qing Government's Policy Toward the Spread of Christianity in Public Schools / Sheng Hua

Studies on the Marxist View of Religion The Errors and Origins of the So-called "Opium as Cornerstone Theory" (Part I): A Theoretical Issue in the Study of the Marxist View of Religion / Jia Runguo ^[2]

Discussion of Issues By What Means Does Science Gain Recognition? An Analysis of Fundamental Issues in Scientific Culture (Part II) / Li Chaoying

Inquiries into Science and Atheism Kepler's Scientific Discoveries and the "God" in His Mind / Yu Qiming

Studies on Chinese Atheism The Atheist Thought of Liu Ji / Zhang Hongmin ^[3]

Atheism in the West A Brief History of Atheism (Part III-A) / Jonathan Miller (Author); Zhang Yingshan (Translator)

International Window An Analysis of "East Turkestan Independence" and the Characteristics of Its Activities in the Post-9/11 Era / Xu Tao ^[4]

Analysis of Cultic Groups The "New Age Movement" and the Rise of "Falun Gong" (Part II) / Xin Peng ^[5]

News and Commentary Science and Technology, Feng Shui ^[6], and Atheism / Yan Mingfa

Notes

↩ [1] 求实 (Qiúshí): A pen name meaning "seeking reality" or "seeking facts," often used for authoritative or semi-official commentary. It is homophonous with the Party's flagship journal Qiushi (求是), though using a different second character. The specific principle mentioned—that Party members must be atheists—is a long-standing internal disciplinary requirement in the CPC aimed at maintaining ideological purity and the "Scientific Outlook on Development."

↩ [2] 鸦片基石论 (yāpiàn jīshí lùn): This refers to a specific debate within Chinese Marxist circles regarding Marx's famous dictum that "religion is the opium of the people." Some scholars argued that this "opium" characterization was the "cornerstone" of the Marxist view of religion, while others (including this author) argue this oversimplifies Marx’s dialectical approach to the social functions of religion.

↩ [3] 刘基 (Liú Jī): Also known as Liu Bowen (1311–1375), a famous strategist, philosopher, and statesman of the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties. He is often celebrated in Chinese intellectual history for his rationalist tendencies and critiques of superstition.

↩ [4] 疆独 (Jiāngdú): An abbreviation for "Xinjiang Independence" (新疆独立), referring to separatist movements in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. In the "Post-9/11 Era" context, Chinese discourse often links these movements to international terrorism and religious extremism.

↩ [5] 膜拜团体 (móbài tuántǐ): Literally "cultic groups." This is the academic term often used in China to discuss organizations labeled as "heterodox teachings" (邪教, xiéjiào). The "New Age Movement" is analyzed here as a Western sociological context for understanding the domestic rise of groups like Falun Gong.

↩ [6] 风水 (fēngshuǐ): Traditionally a system of geomancy. In modern Chinese Marxist discourse, it is frequently categorized as "feudal superstition" (封建迷信) and contrasted with "scientific literacy" (科学素养).