Summary of the 2012 Annual Academic Conference of the Chinese Atheism Society
On October 20–21, 2012, the 2012 Annual Academic Conference of the China Association for Atheism was held at Shaanxi Normal University. This annual meeting was co-hosted by the China Association for Atheism, the Center for Science and Atheism of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), and the Religious Studies Center of Shaanxi Normal University, with approximately 50 experts and scholars in attendance. They came from high-level institutions and research organizations including CASS, the Ministry of Education, the China Association for Science and Technology, the State Administration for Religious Affairs, the China Tibetology Research Center, the Party Literature Research Center of the CPC Central Committee, the China Association for the Promotion of International Friendship, the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing Normal University, Renmin University of China, China University of Mining and Technology, Wuhan University, Hebei Normal University, Shaanxi Normal University, Northeast Normal University, Xinjiang University, the Xinjiang Party School, the PLA Xi’an Political Academy, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou Normal University, and the Hebei Academy of Social Sciences. The annual meeting revolved around extensive and in-depth discussions on topics such as the theory and practice of the separation of education and religion, atheist propaganda and materialist education, and the problem of resisting the infiltration of overseas religion.
I
Researcher Xi Wuyi—Director of the Center for Science and Atheism at CASS and Vice President and Secretary-General of the China Association for Atheism—delivered an address at the opening ceremony. She stated that the most important agenda item of this annual meeting is the "separation of education and religion," a theme the China Association for Atheism has continuously followed in recent years. Since the mid-1990s, with the gradual heating up of "religion fever" [1], missionary activities in higher education institutions have shifted from secret to public. In particular, the Christian "Sino-Christian Theology" [2] movement has entered university classrooms and state research institutions. In the field of public education in contemporary China, the principle of the "separation of education and religion" has faced open challenges. Due to Christian "cultural proselytization" on campuses, the number of Christian university students has seen rapid growth; the phenomenon of religious belief among university students must be given a high level of attention. The Party Central Committee has pointed out: "Resisting the use of religion by overseas forces to infiltrate higher education institutions and preventing campus proselytization is an important and urgent strategic task"; "we must unshakeably uphold the principle of the separation of education and religion"; and "we must take Marxist atheism as the foundational work for resisting infiltration and preventing campus proselytization."
Du Jiwen, an Honorary Member of the CASS Academic Divisions and Vice President of the China Association for Atheism, delivered the keynote report titled "Who Shall Rule China’s Destiny: Developing Religious Belief or Scientific Rationality?" He pointed out that the establishment of the Center for Science and Atheism was the greatest breakthrough in the history of Chinese atheist research. Its first project was an investigation into the "separation of education and religion," which was established specifically in response to the situation of "cultural proselytization." He noted that too little is being said about scientific rationality today, and so-called "spiritual education" in modern universities violates the basic principle of the separation of education and religion, and runs counter to the direction of the "Strengthening the Nation through Science and Education" [3] strategy. Atheism is about telling the truth—it is about saying there are no ghosts or gods in the world, even though saying such things under current conditions requires great courage. Regarding the issue of faith, he argued that the faith targeted by atheists is not faith as understood by ordinary people, but faith that conforms to academic norms, whose basic characteristics are irrational and unscientific—namely, the belief that not thinking is a virtue. Such faith aims to make the Chinese people abandon knowledge and become ignorant. Regarding what decides China's destiny, he identified three factors: first, China must persist in humanism rather than theocentrism; second, it must persist in social fairness—socialism, in the final analysis, is about making society fair; third, it must persist in the strategy of "Strengthening the Nation through Science and Education," developing science and technology, strengthening the nation through talent, and emphasizing education so that China can truly stand independently among the family of nations. The China Association for Atheism should make itself a "vanguard" [4] in promoting the implementation of the "Strengthening the Nation through Science and Education" strategy.
II
Regarding the theory and practice of the separation of education and religion, Researcher Xi Wuyi argued that the "legal infiltration" by overseas right-wing Christian forces primarily takes the forms of "cultural exchange" and "academic research." Through the education system and research institutions, they promote the theory of "Christian superiority" among young intellectuals, attributing modern Western civilization to religious belief while disparaging traditional Chinese culture and devaluing socialist values. At the same time, the voice of scientific atheism has gradually faded from university campuses. Therefore, it is imperative to legally resist the infiltration of religion into campuses and effectively strengthen the research, publicity, and education of scientific atheism.
Researcher Tian Xinming of the Higher Education Social Science Development Research Center of the Ministry of Education pointed out that prohibiting the promotion of religious doctrines from entering campuses should become a basic requirement for implementing the "separation of education and religion." The dissemination of the book Science and Religion: A 21st Century Dialogue—Lectures by Four Famous British and American Scholars at Fudan University in higher education institutions is actually a form of religious doctrinal promotion. This runs counter to our national educational goal of cultivating builders and successors of socialism, and deviates from the educational policies clearly stipulated in Party and state policies and regulations. We should scientifically analyze complex socio-cultural phenomena, discern cultures of different natures and orientations, and treat them differently. The reason the view that defends religious proselytization in the name of "culture" is incorrect is that it erases the differences and even oppositions in the nature and social function of different cultures. "If one treats 'culture' as a 'basket' that can hold anything, putting various ideas and viewpoints—including religious doctrines—into the basket without distinguishing the good from the bad, and then grandly packages them together to be invited into schools and peddled to students, and then uses the resources and name of the school to distribute them to society, this deviates from the policy of upholding the progressive direction of advanced socialist culture."
Professor Zuo Peng of the University of Science and Technology Beijing pointed out that in recent years, the influence of religious activities has continuously expanded, and the issue of religious belief among university students has become increasingly prominent. Since most students on campus still have a quite vague understanding of religion, it is necessary to help them clarify the relationship between science and religion and other related issues, educating and guiding them to correctly recognize and treat religious phenomena. Central documents specially emphasize the need to utilize the "main channel" [5] of classroom teaching, create a positive campus cultural atmosphere, and take Marxist atheism as the foundational work for resisting overseas religious infiltration and preventing campus proselytization. Therefore, the focus of current work lies in implementation, combining theory with reality and striving for practical results. He noted that in the process of implementing policies, there is a tendency toward bureaucratism and "administrativization" within the education system, and there is a serious lack of teaching staff capable of undertaking education on the Marxist view of religion. He believes that responding to the main concerns of university students—such as the relationship between science and religion, whether religion can give meaning to life, and whether religion can save society from a moral crisis—using a genuine Marxist view of religion will help promote Marxist religious education among students.
Professor He Husheng of Renmin University of China pointed out that Marxist scientific atheism is an important component of advanced socialist culture and an inherent part of the Marxist worldview. Education in Marxist scientific atheism is an important part of Party building and ideological and political education in China's higher education institutions. It concerns the guiding status of Marxism in the ideological field, the building of the Party's advanced nature and purity, and the cultivation of qualified builders and reliable successors of socialism. Its content primarily includes "five points": education in dialectical materialism and historical materialism is the fundamental point of scientific atheism; education in advocating science and opposing superstition is its key point; education in the Marxist view of religion is its core point; education in a socialist core value system is its focus; and education in the free and well-rounded development of the individual is its ultimate objective. These "five points" are interconnected and inseparable.
Associate Professor Ma Yutang of Northwest Minzu University, based on a questionnaire survey of three universities in Gansu (Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou University of Finance and Economics, and Lanzhou City University), analyzed the current status, characteristics, and reasons for religious belief among university students. Currently, religion has a wide influence among university students, with a relatively higher proportion of religious students in Western Chinese universities, and diverse channels through which students encounter and believe in religion. The reasons for religious belief include: first, the influence of complex social environmental factors; second, the failure of universities to fully play their role as ideological education strongholds; third, family influence; fourth, the tolerant attitude of university students toward religious belief, which establishes the cognitive foundation for believing in religion; fifth, their vague understanding of religion, which is the direct cause of their faith; sixth, the influence of regional ethnic beliefs, which is the fundamental reason for religious belief among minority students; and seventh, multiple pressures that drive some students toward religion.
Professor Li Zhiying of Beijing Normal University, based on a survey of the "horoscope views" of undergraduates in seven colleges of Beijing Normal University, analyzed the current status and causes of horoscope culture among university students. She argued that the popularity of horoscopes reflects an incorrect worldview among students, as well as a retreat of materialism in students' minds and the expansion of superstition; therefore, it should not be underestimated. The survey results showed that over 80% of respondents were quite familiar with the twelve signs of the zodiac; their perception of the nature of horoscopes was both mystical and vague, following the principle of "better to believe it exists than not" [6]; romance and entertainment were the most-watched topics; and "herd mentality" drove the spread of horoscopes, with the influence of the internet being non-negligible. Overall, while the influence of horoscopes exists, it is not yet "a cause for alarm." She argued that compared to the spread of religions like Christianity, horoscopes involve a wider range of people, are more casual, lack the characteristics of organized dissemination, and have no specific doctrines or unique singular faith, with their "everyday life" characteristic being more prominent. However, the trend of its popularity requires attention; investigations and research must be strengthened to better guide students and consolidate the stronghold of scientific atheism.
III
Regarding the issues of atheist propaganda and materialist education, Professor Li Shen, Vice President of the China Association for Atheism, pointed out that atheism is an important ideological foundation for the "Project to Eradicate Ignorance." The theme of this meeting is the separation of education and religion, and the purpose of education is precisely to "emerge from ignorance" and make people intelligent. Mr. Ren Jiyu [7] once proposed that "we must not only eradicate poverty but also eradicate ignorance." This is not only a serious task currently facing our country but also a long-term strategic goal. Looking at the entire history of the development of the concept of deities, it is a history of continuously denying their existence and a history of humanity continuously emerging from ignorance. Believing in deities is ignorance. We must implement the separation of education and religion and thoroughly carry out the purpose of human education: "emerging from ignorance." On the question of whether the world has a god or not, the content and methods for eradicating ignorance can only be the education and promotion of scientific atheism. Therefore, in schools, the freedom to disseminate theism—which serves as a primary indicator of human ignorance—cannot be allowed. The infiltration and even "invasion" of theism into schools should attract serious attention from relevant departments, and practical and effective measures should be taken, including scientific atheist propaganda and education, to ensure the successful realization of the school's purpose of making people "emerge from ignorance."
Researcher Zhang Xinying, Vice President of the China Association for Atheism, put forward several suggestions regarding atheist research, publicity, and education. First, proceed from the whole Party, coordinate planning, and establish a long-term mechanism where various departments are responsible for their respective divisions of labor. Atheist propaganda and education is an important part of our Party’s ideological and publicity work; currently, this work is extremely weak, so it should start from the Central Committee with coordinated planning to ensure the indispensable ideological and organizational guarantees. This is of decisive significance. Second, place the focus of ideological education on Party members, cadres, and young students. Third, while studying and publicizing the general theory of atheism, attention must be paid to practical relevance. Fourth, leverage existing academic forces and strive to rebuild the discipline of atheism. Fifth, strengthen international academic exchanges in the field of atheist research to change the strange phenomenon where China actually has fewer academic works on atheism than are found in Western book markets. Sixth, as there is a serious lack of teaching staff for atheism, the Ministry of Education could commission the Atheism Research Office of the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies, the China Association for Atheism, and other relevant units to jointly undertake part of the teacher training and demonstration teaching work. Finally, he suggested that the China Association for Science and Technology take the lead in restoring the "Alliance of the Two Sciences" [8] so that it can become one of the organizational mechanisms for the scientific community to participate in the construction of the atheist discipline and the popularization of the scientific spirit.
Researcher Yang Mingwei of the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee (中共中央文献研究室 [9]) pointed out that only by firmly believing in scientific materialism can one persist in scientific atheism. He argued that one of the most worrying phenomena in China's current ideological and theoretical circles, as well as in social life, is the shaking of the ideological and theoretical foundation. The fundamental reason is a sense of doubt and a loss of confidence in the scientific nature of Marxist theory and the inevitable victory of the communist cause. Therefore, in exploring the issue of scientific atheism, one must first take a firm stand; the question of standpoint is the prerequisite. Second, one must see the situation clearly. Fundamentally speaking, to persist in scientific atheism, one must first persist in the scientific materialism of Marxism. To persist in scientific atheism, one must learn to correctly understand the laws of social development and correctly judge the dialectics of social development; the most basic requirement is to see clearly the general background and major trends of social development.
The aspects of the current situation we most need to see clearly are: first, the world-renowned achievements we have made by persisting in the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, which can firm up our confidence in Marxism and the socialist cause; second, the worldwide return to Marxism under the conditions of the international financial crisis. During this crisis, some people of insight in the international community have extensively criticized the problems inherent in the capitalist system, the fundamental issue of which is the idealist philosophy and religious theology to which the system is attached. As long as we see clearly the background and situation of this struggle between two ideologies, the status and destiny of scientific materialism and scientific atheism will naturally become clear.
Professor Li Jiansheng of Xinjiang Normal University discussed the significance of the teachings of Marx, Engels, Lenin, and Stalin regarding the Marxist view of religion. He argued that although there have been many expositions on the theory of education in the Marxist view of religion, universal attention to it remains insufficient and in-depth research is lacking. This is also a theoretical reason for the infiltration of religion into higher education institutions. To carry out education in the Marxist view of religion, one must first have a comprehensive and correct understanding of its basic viewpoints. Second, in studying the theory of education in the Marxist view of religion, one must correctly distinguish between the two forms of "struggling against religion" and correctly carry out the struggle against religious theism within the ideological sphere. Third, the implementation of education in the Marxist view of religion and scientific atheism must be maintained as a long-term task of the proletarian ruling party and pursued with unremitting grasp. Fourth, education in the Marxist view of religion and scientific atheism must adhere to dialectics, using dialectical viewpoints to correctly handle practical contradictions in the process of educational practice.
IV
Regarding the issue of resisting the infiltration of overseas religion, Associate Professor Yang Hong of the Party School of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region analyzed the current reality of efforts to resist religious infiltration in Xinjiang's higher education institutions. First, the current state of religious belief in Xinjiang's universities is worrying; the number of believers is showing a year-on-year upward trend, students’ sources of religious knowledge are diverse and disorganized, religious activities are being confused with ethnic customs, and the phenomenon of "warming" toward Christianity and Catholicism on campus cannot be ignored. Second, illegal religious activities occur from time to time, such as students engaging in religious rites, the dissemination of illegal religious books and audiovisual products, and the increasingly prominent infiltration of Christianity and Catholicism into universities. Third, hostile forces have accelerated the pace of infiltration; the "three forces" [10] inside and outside the borders are using religion to intensify their infiltration of universities and spread religious extremist ideology, while simultaneously utilizing Christianity and Catholicism to exacerbate infiltration activities in Xinjiang's schools. She proposed three basic principles for resisting religious infiltration: the principle of maintaining the separation of education and religion; the principle of combining clearing channels (疏通 [11]) with guidance; and the principle of combining patient education with management according to the law.
Associate Professor Yutiku’er Dawuti (玉提库尔·达吾提) of Kashi University (喀什师范学院 [12]) used his institution as a case study to analyze the situation of religious infiltration into universities in the Xinjiang region. As the frontline in China's struggle against separatism and infiltration, the Kashi (Kashgar) region occupies a particularly prominent position. Since its founding, Kashi University has been subjected to interference and sabotage by separatist forces and religious extremist forces, and the implementation of the principle of the separation of education and religion has been seriously affected. There have historically been two types of religious infiltration into the Kashi University campus: one is religious infiltration masterminded by Christian missionaries entrusted by Western anti-China forces; the other is the religious infiltration of Islam. He proposed that it is necessary to further strengthen leadership and educate the masses, formulate prevention and resistance measures that fit the current situation of the struggle against religious infiltration, ensure that all faculty and students correctly understand the spiritual essence of the policy of freedom of religious belief, strengthen propaganda and education in scientific atheism for all students, and build a "three-way communication" (三沟通) defense front involving the school, the family, and society.
Associate Professor Huang Chao of Wuhan University discussed the religious ideological roots of the anti-Chinese movement in the United States. Through a case study of the Chinese Exclusion Act, he illustrated that there is a deep "spiritual co-construction" and a factual causal link between the Act and the American founding spirit. He argued that while the American founding fathers absorbed the concept that "all men are created equal" from Western Enlightenment thought, they also naturally inherited Western cultural ethnocentrism and Christocentrism. The Chinese Exclusion Act was merely one of the vulgar and extreme manifestations of the latter. He profoundly analyzed the duality or internal contradictions manifested in the American founding spirit as seen in the Chinese Exclusion Act—namely, that the so-called democratic politics reflected clear instincts of racial egoism; that universal freedom of belief was restricted to the scope of Christianity; and the reflection of hegemonism and power politics in the "Hart Method" [13] and "Mahan Principle" (马汉原则 [14]) used to deal with China.
In addition, participating experts and scholars also conducted in-depth discussions on topics such as destructive cultic groups and the issue of evil cults (邪教 [15]), as well as religious work and religious policies.