Report on Frontier Research in Scientific Atheism (2011–2012), Part I
Frontier Research Report on Scientific Atheism (2011–2012), Part 1
Institute of Marxism Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), Department of Scientific Atheism
With the vigorous development of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the advancement of the Marxism Theoretical Research and Construction Project, scientific atheism—once listed as an "endangered discipline"—has taken difficult but significant steps forward, relying on the broad platform of Marxist studies. Following the timeline of the first report, this frontier report primarily covers the period from May 2011 to June 2012. It summarizes the research progress in the disciplinary construction of scientific atheism, analyzes major social issues currently faced, and proposes our reflections and recommendations.
I. Overview of Disciplinary Construction
In May 2011, relevant central departments jointly issued a document emphasizing the need to resist the use of religion by overseas forces to penetrate higher education institutions and to guard against campus proselytization. The document required that education in Marxist atheism be treated as a foundational task in resisting religious penetration and preventing campus preaching. It mandated the enrichment of discourses on scientific atheism within ideological and political theory courses and relevant specialized courses. This is an unprecedented and important measure. It is evident that strengthening the disciplinary construction of scientific atheism is an essential component of the work to resist overseas religious penetration and prevent campus proselytization.
After the founding of New China, the Chinese government nationalized all educational rights of church schools and established a new type of modern educational system, resulting in the complete withdrawal of religion from the national education system. However, since the reform and opening-up, particularly since the mid-1990s, the gradual rise of "religion fever" [1] has seen religious proselytizing in universities shift from clandestine to overt. Notably, the "Sino-Christian Theology movement" [2] has even openly entered university classrooms and state research institutions. Maintaining the "separation of education and religion" is an important regulation that the state has ordered repeatedly [3]. Utilizing public educational resources to spread religion on university podiums is an illegal act. Resisting the use of religion by overseas forces to penetrate universities and preventing campus proselytization is an important and urgent strategic task.
Regarding ideological and political theory courses in universities nationwide, discourses on scientific atheism and religion have already been added to the national textbook An Introduction to the Basic Principles of Marxism (2008 Revised Edition). Some ideological and political theory teachers in various universities also conduct limited publicity and education on scientific atheism in their classrooms. In frontier ethnic minority areas where extremist religious forces are relatively active, relevant leadership departments attach great importance to education in scientific atheism. For example, in 2002, the Xinjiang Education Department issued a document requiring universities in the Xinjiang region to offer a "Scientific Atheism" course as a third public political theory course, with no fewer than 36 credit hours. Overall, however, the voice of scientific atheism remains quite weak in the field of education.
At present, the discipline of scientific atheism has not yet been established in the national higher education field. Apart from the Science and Atheism Research Center of CASS and the Science and Atheism Research Office of the Institute of Marxism Studies, there are almost no similar specialized research institutions. Both the Chinese Atheism Society and the Science and Atheism Research Center of CASS are affiliated with the Institute of Marxism Studies of CASS. Therefore, the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies plays a unique role in the disciplinary construction of scientific atheism.
In 2011, with the strong support of the leadership of the Institute of Marxism Studies, Xi Wuyu, Director of the Science and Atheism Research Center, applied for and received approval for the CASS Key National Conditions Survey Project titled "Survey on the Status of Religious Groups Among Contemporary University Students." For over a year, members of this project have conducted in-depth social surveys in higher education institutions in Beijing, including more than ten universities such as Peking University, Renmin University of China, Tsinghua University, and Beijing Normal University. The project team distributed over 200 questionnaires to both religious and non-religious university students and has completed the statistical processing of the data. Fieldwork subjects included over 200 religious university students, three Christian meeting points, and one Buddhist association. Members of this project team are actively exploring effective countermeasures to resist religious penetration on campuses.
From the second half of 2011 to the first half of 2012, the Chinese Atheism Society and the CASS Science and Atheism Research Center jointly held a series of academic seminars and symposiums to discuss current hotspots and difficulties in the disciplinary construction of scientific atheism.
Regarding the development of personnel, in the spring and summer of 2011, the Science and Atheism Research Office submitted an application to the Department of Marxist Studies of the CASS Graduate School to recruit master's students specializing in Scientific Atheism under the major of Ideological and Political Education. The Science and Atheism Research Office of the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies also hired a new PhD as a professional researcher in scientific atheism.
In terms of the publication of academic works, compared to the publicity and education of scientific atheism, academic research remains in a disadvantaged position, with only a few works published. In 2011, two important works on scientific atheism were published in the Chinese publishing industry.
One is A History of Chinese Atheism (中国无神论史), edited by Ya Hanzhang and Wang Yousan, reprinted and published by China Social Sciences Press in 2011. This book is a reprint of the 1992 edition. Thirty years ago, as a key project of the "Sixth Five-Year Plan" for national social science planning, this monograph brought together more than thirty scholars from across the country. After several years of writing, the first History of Chinese Atheism in Chinese history was finally published. In this reprint, the editors, sensitive to the rapid cooling of the discipline of atheism in China in recent years and the continuous rise of "religion fever," called on the academic community to reflect deeply on this uneven phenomenon. The editors believe that its place can only be truly found by clarifying that Chinese atheistic thought is the most refined representation of the entirety of traditional Chinese culture and philosophy. As Marxism and traditional Chinese culture share a common "godless" value orientation, the most effective way and method to publicize Marxist atheistic thought with Chinese characteristics in Chinese society is to link it closely with the atheistic core characteristics of traditional Chinese culture.
The other is the Chinese edition of The Grand Design, authored by the famous British physicist Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow...
Additionally, Mental Control and the Abuse of Psychology, edited by Li Shengxian and Liu Yuxin, is a popular science work worthy of attention.
In the construction of academic journals, during the 2011–2012 period, the journal Science and Atheism (科学与无神论), hosted by the Chinese Atheism Society and co-organized by the Science and Atheism Research Center, continued to develop toward becoming a professional academic journal.
II. Progress in Research on Major Issues
The progress of research on scientific atheism from 2011 to 2012 can be summarized into five areas: research on scientific atheism and the Marxist view of religion; upholding the separation of education and religion; criticizing the "Religious Market Theory" of Western Christian scholars; research on the history of Chinese and Western atheistic thought; and research on destructive cults (heretical teachings).
(1) Research on Scientific Atheism and the Marxist View of Religion
- Scientific Atheism and Marxist Atheism Xi Wuyu pointed out that atheism is the crystallization of human civilization and reflection, and its emergence and development are closely linked to the historical process of human society. In the history of Chinese philosophical thought, polytheism and atheistic thought have coexisted. The May Fourth spirit, which includes scientific atheism, became one of the ideological hallmarks of China entering the modern era. The dissemination of scientific atheism in China was an important ideological prerequisite for the birth of the Communist Party of China. The origins of Western atheistic thought lie in ancient Greece. During the Middle Ages, Christianity held an absolute dominant position in the superstructure, making it almost impossible for atheism to exist openly. Modern Western atheistic trends were called "militant atheism" due to their distinct anti-feudal and anti-theological political nature; because they absorbed the achievements of modern natural sciences and used the scientific spirit and methods as weapons, they were also called "scientific atheism." The main form of Western atheism in the 20th century was "humanism." At the beginning of this century, facing the revival of global religious fundamentalism and neo-fundamentalist forces, contemporary Western New Atheism and secular humanist trends have become active again. Marxist atheism is the advanced stage of the development of scientific atheism. It inherited the achievements of excellent human thought, such as 17th–18th century British and French materialism and 19th-century German Feuerbachian humanism, and manifested itself through the discovery of the materialist conception of history and the theory of surplus value. Scientific atheism, as the starting point and cornerstone of the Marxist worldview, moved from the realm of ideology and culture into the practice of the scientific socialist movement.
Regarding the relationship between science and religion, the academic community mainly holds three views: essential opposition, relative independence, and dependent coexistence. Some scholars have studied Marxist discourses on the relationship between religion and science. The authors point out that, based on Marx’s discourses, science and religion are essentially opposed. From the relevant discourses of Marx and Engels, it can be inferred that the Marxist conclusion on the relationship between science and religion is: with the development of science, the sphere of religion will become smaller and smaller; science and religion have clashed, have been independent of each other, and have coexisted dependently, but they will not coexist forever. According to the Marxist understanding, science does not directly cause the disappearance of religion, but science and technology, through the development of productive forces, will shake the belief foundation and social foundation of religion. Unlike the three static theoretical views mentioned above, historical materialism is a dynamic theory. The relationship between science and religion is always historically specific, manifesting in various forms and states. In the short term, religion and science can conduct dialogue and engage in brief cooperation, but the opposition between them will continue.
- The Marxist View of Religion and Atheism The 51st issue (2009) of the American journal New Socialist published an article by French scholar Michael Löwy titled "Marxism and Religion: Opium of the People?" Löwy is a member of the Ligue Communiste Révolutionnaire (LCR) in France. The author argues that Marx and Engels' discourses on religion are still applicable to most religious organizations and major religious sects today. Although the expression "religion is the opium of the people" was not the exclusive property of Marxists—being "pre-Marxist" and lacking a specific class orientation—it captured the contradictory nature of religious "suffering." In The German Ideology, Marx began to study religion as a social and historical reality—that is, as one of the many forms of ideology. Subsequently, Marx paid little attention to religion as a specific cultural/ideological system. Engels' main contribution to the Marxist study of religion was his emphasis on analyzing the reciprocal relationship between various religious manifestations and class struggle. As a materialist and atheist, Engels grasped the duality of religious phenomena: religion plays the role of legitimizing the existing order, yet it also plays the role of critic, protester, or even revolutionary, depending on social realities. In the European workers' movement, many Marxists held a radically hostile attitude toward religion but believed that the struggle of atheism against religious ideology must be subordinated to the specific circumstances of the class struggle. Marx and Engels believed that the revolutionary nature of religion had become a thing of the past, a prediction proven by history.
Some scholars have pointed out that "religion is the opium of the people" is by no means devoid of clear positive or negative connotations, nor does it emphasize "the people's need for religion." Its attitude is very clear: to expose the illusory and deceptive nature of religion, so that people can "think and act as people who have cast off their illusions and regained their senses," achieving the real happiness of the people. It embodies the basic position, attitude, and viewpoint of Marxism toward religion, but it is not the entirety of the Marxist view of religion. The Sinicization of the Marxist view of religion requires looking at the "opium theory" historically, looking at China's religion realistically, looking at the adaptation of religion to socialist society dialectically, profoundly recognizing the revelatory significance of the "opium theory," and correctly understanding the relationship between the "opium theory" and upholding the Marxist view of religion.
Jia Runguo conducted a systematic analysis of the errors and origins of the so-called "Opium as the Cornerstone Theory." He argues that the phrase "religion is the opium of the people" must be accurately understood by integrating the historical background, the immediate context, and the overall system of the Marxist view of religion. The core of this sentence is to explain the effect of religion on the people; in terms of the entire Marxist view of religion, this is merely one part of religion's social function. Lenin creatively developed the Marxist view of religion, theoretically elucidating the basis, methods, and principles for the Communist Party’s adherence to and promotion of atheism, and analyzing the reasons why the principle of "declaring religion a private matter" was distorted. Documents of the Communist Party of China reflect an accurate grasp and understanding of Marx’s view of religion. As a theoretical issue, the academic community has conducted relevant discussions, basically achieving the goal of a comprehensive and accurate understanding of Marx’s famous quote by combining the background of the times, the specific context, and the ideological system. Until the beginning of this century, the distorted generalization of the "Opium as the Cornerstone Theory" had not appeared in our country. However, following an article on the Marxist view of religion published around 1997, by 2001, an argument that distorted the Marxist view of religion into an "Opium Theory" and "Struggle Theory" emerged in society through newspapers, the internet, and academic journals.
The author points out that these articles not only failed to comprehensively and accurately grasp the rich content of the Marxist view of religion, but also ignored the achievements made by the Party in adhering to and developing the Marxist-Leninist view of religion before the "Cultural Revolution," as well as innovative measures such as the "setting things right" [5] of Document No. 19 [6] after the "Cultural Revolution." They slandered the Party for being long influenced by Lenin’s "Opium Theory" and "Struggle Theory," describing the Party's religious work as a complete mess. Using this as a pretext, they demanded the introduction of certain fashionable Western theories to "develop" the Marxist view of religion, claiming it no longer suited the current situation and must "be the first to advance with the times." Although some raised criticisms, their influence was limited. This line of argument caused many who were unaware of the facts to misunderstand the Marxist view of religion and the Party’s religious theories and policies, leading to a certain degree of ideological confusion. The author emphasizes that taking the Marxist view of religion as guidance means applying its basic principles to observe, analyze, and handle realistic religious problems, rather than engaging in dogmatism. [12]
3. The Sinicization of Marxist Atheism
Xi Wuyi points out that China’s social foundation determines the practical direction of the Sinicization of Marxist atheism. During the New Democratic Revolution [7], the period of socialist revolution and construction after the founding of New China, and especially the period of building socialism with Chinese characteristics since reform and opening up, Chinese Communists have combined Marxist atheism with the actual conditions of Chinese society, continuously adding new connotations to the Sinicization of Marxist atheism. Two basic principles have formed in the process of Sinicizing Marxist atheism: First, ensuring complete freedom of religion at the level of belief. At the socio-political and economic levels, religion must submit to the overall interests of the Chinese people and adapt to the historical process of social development. It is not permitted to use religion to threaten national security and ethnic unity, nor to use religion to subvert the socialist system; thus, the issue of belief is strictly distinguished from political issues. Second, the concept of religious theism is erroneous and stands in opposition to science and materialism; however, it belongs to the realm of ideological issues and cannot be resolved through administrative means. It can only be addressed through persuasion and education, and primarily through actual social transformation, where believers make their own conscious decisions. [13]
Some scholars explore the Marxist view of religion from the perspective of political economy. The author believes that different positions, viewpoints, and methods will form different discursive modalities regarding religious issues. First is the ideological discourse. The Marxist view of religion primarily holds an attitude of ideological critique, with the main purpose of criticizing the roots of the social system upon which religion depends for its emergence and survival. In the social changes of China in recent years, the social roots allowing "religious fever" or religious chaos to emerge and persist lie in the process of privatization in the socio-economic field and the increasing phenomena of exploitation, oppression, and class polarization. Class analysis is far from obsolete for understanding and handling religious issues. The rising cost of governance and the intensified expectation of harm regarding "spiritual pollution" [8] in the realms of worldview and ideology are making the issue of atheistic propaganda and education—which has been dormant for many years—urgent. Second is the United Front discourse. The success or failure of United Front policy and strategy depends largely on the ability to conduct appropriate and necessary class and stratum analysis of religious organizations and related populations. The targets of United Front work should be limited to high-ranking personages in religious circles; if expanded to the increasing number of ordinary believers resulting from social change, the cost of United Front work will become higher and higher until it is eventually unbearable. As an atheistic party, our Party should maximally avoid the phenomenon of "the one who unites being united" (under the influence of the other), and always maintain the independence of its worldview, the integrity of its ideology, and sufficient political discernment. Third is the rule of law discourse. Freedom of religious belief actually expresses the bourgeoisie's tolerance for various religious beliefs that do not endanger its fundamental interests. In contrast, the proletarian party and state should strive to weaken and even eliminate the social soil on which religion breeds, liberating people from all kinds of superstitions and sorcery from the height of the cause of human liberation. In the management of religious affairs, one should unswervingly adhere to the principle of national sovereignty and deconstruct the "human rights over sovereignty" neo-interventionist discourse hegemony of hostile Western forces. [14]
4. The Propaganda and Education Work of Scientific Atheism
Tian Xinming authored an article answering a major theoretical question: why research, propaganda, and education on atheism are not contradictory to implementing the Party's policy on religious belief. He believes that whether from the perspective of legal basis, theoretical foundation, objective evidence, or fundamental starting point, conducting atheism research and propaganda is consistent with implementing the Party’s policy of freedom of religious belief. A deep understanding of this unity requires clarifying the relationship between religion and religious ideology, between religious ideology and theism, and between atheism and Marxist atheism. Achieving the unity of the two requires conscious effort. Conducting atheism research and propaganda must consciously abide by the Party’s policy of freedom of religious belief. Adhering to atheism requires overcoming misinterpretations of the policy of freedom of religious belief. One cannot equate the freedom of citizens to have religious beliefs with the freedom of Communist Party members to believe in religion; one cannot equate respecting and protecting freedom of religious belief with actively developing religion. Understanding the "mass character" (群众性) of religion, one must not forget the responsibility to promote atheism to the non-believing masses; understanding the "long-term nature" of religion, one must not forget its fluidity during the process of its long-term existence. [15]
In recent years, many experts and scholars have paid attention to the weakening of atheistic education and propaganda in our society and the trend of various forms of theism becoming popular. They point out that promoting scientific atheism requires clarifying and resolving several issues: (1) Atheism is the ideological foundation of the Marxist worldview; promoting atheism is not contradictory to implementing the Party’s policy of freedom of religious belief. (2) Advocating atheism is an important foundation for social harmony; promoting atheism will not only not harm social harmony but, on the contrary, can correctly guide the proper handling of social contradictions. (3) The "compensatory satisfaction" provided by religion cannot solve the problems of moral cultivation and spiritual comfort in real life; only communist morality and traditional Chinese virtues can truly satisfy people's infinite spiritual needs and spiritual transcendence. Regarding how to strengthen the propaganda and education of scientific atheism, experts and scholars suggest: (1) To consolidate the guiding position of Marxism in our country’s ideology, atheism education and propaganda must be strengthened. (2) The Marxist view of religion must be firmly established and correctly implemented. (3) Strengthening atheism education and propaganda must be based on reality and oriented toward the masses. (4) Strengthening atheism education and propaganda requires both a "militant spirit" (战斗性) and scientific rigor. [16]
Some scholars have offered three suggestions on how to further carry out the Party's atheism propaganda and education under the new situation: (1) The Party's atheism propaganda and education should be incorporated into the daily work agenda with corresponding mechanisms to ensure it; (2) firmly stop the trend of religious belief among university students; (3) the theoretical form of scientific atheism should adapt to the needs of the Party's governing status and the construction of a socialist harmonious society. [17]
Some scholars have conducted investigations and research on the construction of the Socialist Core Value System in recent years and proposed countermeasures. It is clearly pointed out that in ethnic minority areas such as Tibet, education on the Marxist worldview, outlook on life, and values must be further strengthened. This should be implemented through propaganda and education on the "Four Views" [9] (on the motherland, ethnicity, religion, and culture) and the "Two Theories" (materialism and atheism) to consciously resist the influence of various erroneous or reactionary trends of thought. [18] This indicates that the Marxist research community has begun to attach importance to the role of atheism propaganda and education within the Socialist Core Value System.
Some scholars analyze and criticize currently popular views on religious morality versus atheistic morality. Some believe that religious belief can rescue society from the "moral slide" and other crises, while the capacity for moral self-discipline among atheists is deemed questionable. The author points out that historically, China's moral tradition has always been based on "humanism" rather than "theocentrism," which did not prevent China from being famous worldwide as a "land of rites and etiquette" (礼仪之邦). There is no evidence that religious morality is superior to secular morality; it is necessary to prevent using a fictitious "moral hierarchy" to differentiate between believers and non-believers, which intentionally or unintentionally creates an antagonism between religious groups and society. The author points out that an atheist worthy of the Marxist era should be a high-quality citizen who has simultaneously received the cultivation of the scientific spirit and the influence of humanist concepts—one who has ideals, culture, morality, and observes the law—rather than a "spiritual dwarf" with impoverished thoughts and an empty heart. The author points out that the view that atheism education causes people to lose their sense of "awe" and become lawless reflects a misuse of the "narcotic" effect of religion by some cadres. The Communist Party of China cannot and will not use the narcotic effect of religion to maintain its governing status. The author proposes that rational criticism of theism by atheism should become a part of the social norm. [19]
5. The Issue of Communist Party Members Believing in Religion
Regarding the issue that Communist Party members cannot believe in religion, some scholars conducted a social survey, the results of which showed a lack of clear understanding on this matter. For example, in the survey for the question "Do you think Party members can believe in religion?", only 59% of Party members clearly stated they could not, while 30% believed they could, and another 11% stated they were "unsure." "Unsure" implies an ideological "indecision"; these people could at any time become supporters of the idea that "Party members can believe in religion." In the survey for "How many Party members do you think currently believe in religion?", 13% of Party members thought there were "many," 31.7% thought "relatively few," 30% thought it was an "extremely rare phenomenon," and 24% were not very clear. This shows that the problem of Party members believing in religion indeed exists; while the number is not huge, it is not an extremely rare phenomenon either. [20]
Zhu Weiqun, Executive Vice Minister of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, wrote that the prohibition of religious belief among Communist Party members is a consistent principle of our Party, and the dialectical materialist worldview is the basis for our Party’s formulation and implementation of the policy on freedom of religious belief. If Party members were allowed to believe in religion, it would produce various evil consequences that would erode and dissolve the Party's body: (1) Allowing the coexistence of the two worldviews of idealism and materialism, and theism and atheism, within the Party would inevitably lead to the shaking and loss of the guiding status of Marxism, causing ideological and theoretical division within the Party. (2) It would be equivalent to allowing some Party members to accept both the leadership of the Party organization and the leadership of various religious organizations, which would inevitably cause organizational division. (3) Party members who believe in religion would inevitably become spokespersons for certain religious forces; in some places, the phenomenon of using government resources to promote "religious fever" would appear, and they would not be able to treat every religion equally, fundamentally shaking the Party's religious work. In short, if Party members were allowed to believe in religion, it would cause our Party to disarm itself ideologically and organizationally, transforming from a Marxist party into a non-Marxist party, making it impossible to continue leading the great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. He pointed out that education on the Marxist view of religion and atheism must be strengthened throughout the Party. [21]
At this seminar, Zhu Xiaoming pointed out that a certain publication had included the discussion on "Party members holding religious beliefs" in its "Top Ten Viewpoints in Religious Studies for 2010," advocating that the issue should no longer be treated as a forbidden zone [10]. He argued that this viewpoint is misleading for several reasons: First, it exaggerates the severity of the problem of Party members holding religious beliefs. Second, it offers a one-sided analysis of the pros and cons of such beliefs among members. Third, its theoretical foundation is flawed, as it treats political conviction and religious belief as two parallel levels that do not conflict with one another. Fourth, its proposed handling methods are incorrect; regarding the fact that some individual Party members in certain ethnic minority areas hold religious beliefs or participate in religious activities, Party committees at all levels have attached great importance to the issue and adopted a cautious and steady approach. Fifth, it violates publicity discipline [11]. Especially in regions with multiple ethnic groups and religions, publishing such viewpoints is particularly inappropriate.
Tian Xinming argued that the shaking of Marxist conviction fundamentally stems from a loss of faith in communism, and that establishing communist conviction requires a firm dialectical materialist worldview. Li Shen contended that the two issues—cultural proselytization [12] and the prohibition of religious belief for Party members—are in fact a single issue. A key breakthrough point for American cultural proselytization is precisely to encourage Party members to believe in religions. As long as we seize this breakthrough point and maintain a clear-cut stance that CPC members cannot hold religious beliefs, it will be of great significance in resisting foreign religious penetration. Some scholars pointed out that regarding cultural proselytization, Christian churches primarily arrange for "feedback" to the domestic sphere by students returning from abroad who have converted, operating under highly detailed and systematic plans. Other scholars noted that it is common sense that Party members cannot hold religious beliefs; the current special emphasis on this common sense is, in fact, a warning directed at certain domestic and foreign forces. [27]
References
[10] See China Academy of Social Sciences Press, 2011: A History of Chinese Atheism, eds. Ya Hanzhang and Wang Yousan. [11] See Hunan Science and Technology Press, 2011: The Grand Design, Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow, trans. Wu Zhongchao. [12] Li Shengxian and Liu Yuxin: Mind Control and the Abuse of Psychology, Wuhan University Press, 2012. [13] Xi Wuyi: "Atheism is the Crystallization of Human Social Civilization and Reflection," Science and Atheism, No. 5, 2011. [14] Gao Yangfan: "A Preliminary Study on the Relationship Between Science and Religion in Marxism," Science and Atheism, No. 3, 2012. [15] Michael Löwy, trans. Chen Wenqing: "Marxism and Religion," Foreign Theoretical Trends, No. 3, 2011. [16] Zhang Xiansheng: "The 'Opium Theory' and Adherence to the Development of the Marxist View of Religion," China United Front, No. 10, 2011. [17] Jia Runguo: "The Errors and Origins of the So-called 'Opium as Cornerstone Theory' (Parts I and II) — A Theoretical Issue in the Study of the Marxist View of Religion," Science and Atheism, Nos. 2 and 3, 2012. [18] Xi Wuyi: "Atheism is the Crystallization of Human Social Civilization and Reflection," Science and Atheism, No. 5, 2011. [19] Yuan Zhaohui: "Seminar on the Marxist View of Religion (2011) Held in Beijing," The Study of World Religions, No. 4, 2011. [20] Tian Xinming: "On the Unity of Atheist Publicity and Education with Freedom of Religious Belief," Science and Atheism, No. 6, 2011. [21] Yang Mingwei and Qi Yiming: "Current Difficulties and Expert Recommendations Facing Scientific Atheism," Science and Atheism, No. 1, 2011. [22] Xu Lin: "Retrospect and Prospect of Atheist Publicity and Education Since Reform and Opening-up," Science and Atheism, No. 4, 2011. [23] Cheng Enfu, Zheng Yiming, Feng Yanli, et al.: "An Investigative Report on the Construction of the Socialist Core Value System in Recent Years," Studies on Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping Theories, No. 2, 2011. [24] Zhang Xinying: "The Moral Aim and Humanitarian Value of Atheist Education," Science and Atheism, No. 2, 2012. [25] Wang Zhengtang and Huang Jianming: "Research on Countermeasures to Enhance the Effectiveness of Education on Party Members' Ideals and Convictions," Journal of Hubei Administration Institute, No. 3, 2011. [26] Zhu Weiqun: "Communist Party Members Cannot Believe in Religion," Qiushi, No. 24, 2011. [27] Qiu Shi: "Adhere to the Principle that 'Communist Party Members Cannot Believe in Religion' and Guard Against 'Cultural Proselytization'," Science and Atheism, No. 2, 2012.
(Authors: Xi Wuyi, Huang Yanhong) To be continued. Web Editor: Jia Fei