Summary of the 2016 Annual Academic Conference of the Chinese Atheism Society: Implementing the Spirits of the National Religious Affairs Conference and Advancing the Development of Atheism
From December 3 to 4, 2016, the 2016 Academic Annual Conference of the Chinese Atheism Society, sponsored by the Chinese Atheism Society and the Center for Science and Atheism Research of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), was held in Beijing. More than 50 experts and scholars attended from institutions including the Higher Education Social Science Development Research Center of the Ministry of Education, the Research Center of the State Administration for Religious Affairs, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the China Institute for Science Popularization, the Central Institute of Socialism, University of Science and Technology Beijing, China University of Mining and Technology, Wuhan University, Shanghai Normal University, Northeast Normal University, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Wenzhou Medical University, Nanjing Political College, the Party School of the Guangdong Provincial Committee, Guangzhou Institute of Socialism, Zhongyuan University of Technology, and the Hebei Academy of Social Sciences. Centered on the theme of "Studying and Implementing the Spirit of the National Conference on Religious Work and Advancing the Development of the Cause of Atheism," participants engaged in in-depth discussions on how to strengthen Marxist atheism research, publicity, and education; firmly grasp the initiative in religious work; adhere to the separation of education and religion; and correctly understand and implement the spirit of the National Conference on Religious Work. Comrade Zhu Weiqun, Director of the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) [1], attended the meeting and delivered an important speech.
I. How to Strengthen Marxist Atheism Research, Publicity, and Education
Zhu Xiaoming, President of the Chinese Atheism Society, delivered a report titled "A Year of Great Significance in the History of the Development of Marxist Atheism." The report pointed out that General Secretary Xi Jinping's speech at the National Conference on Religious Work is a programmatic document guiding our country’s religious work under new historical conditions. Its important expositions on Marxist atheism are the most sufficient, thorough, and precise ever delivered by the Party's successive principal leaders. We must seize favorable opportunities and focus on implementation to promote substantive progress in atheism research, publicity, and education in terms of institutional mechanisms, the construction of organizational fronts [2], disciplinary development, and public discourse. Following the National Conference on Religious Work, two debates unfolded among experts, scholars, and some cadres regarding the issues of "Party members cannot believe in religion," "religious believers cannot join the Party," and "atheism publicity." He argued that through these two debates, understanding has been deepened, right and wrong clarified, and the influence of Marxist atheism expanded. He called on scholars to write articles from different perspectives to study and correctly interpret the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's speech, refute erroneous ideas and confused viewpoints, and publish them in collected volumes. He viewed this as a rare opportunity requiring the use of correct viewpoints to guide the debate and to promote and deepen the study of Marxist atheism. If researchers of Marxist atheism speak out collectively to explain and prove the vitality and vigor of atheism, then this debate may become a brilliant chapter in contemporary intellectual history.
At the same time, he pointed out that under the new situation, the Chinese Atheism Society still needs to play an important role. Precisely because of the existence of leading cadres and experts who persist in Marxist atheism, and because of the reflections and offensives of Marxist atheism, a productive tension has been formed in the public opinion arena. This has opened up the necessary space and room for maneuver to implement the Central Committee's propositions and intentions, and has played a positive role in curbing the spread of erroneous ideas. However, at present, the mainstream leading position and role of Marxist atheism have not yet been reflected in the ideological fronts and public opinion arenas. Therefore, we must summarize the lessons learned since the Reform and Opening-up [3] and accurately identify and break through the ideological and institutional obstacles that hinder persistence in Marxist atheism.
Researcher Jin Minqing, Director of the Department of Sinicization at the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies, delivered a speech on behalf of the Institute, sharing three views on atheism research. First, we must focus on persisting in and developing Marxism, and deeply study the relationship between scientific atheism and the basic theories of Marxism. Atheist thought is an important component of the Marxist theoretical system and has played an extremely important role in the creation and development of Marxist theory. Second, we must focus on the new concepts, new ideas, and new strategies of national governance [4], and scientifically grasp the relationship between scientific atheism and the latest theoretical achievements of the Sinicization of Marxism. The Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has enriched and developed the CPC's theories and policies on religious issues. Specifically, Xi Jinping's speech at the National Conference on Religious Work contained many important expositions on atheism, which enriched and developed Marxist atheist thought, pointed out the direction, and provided a guide for the development of the cause of scientific atheism. Third, we must focus on the Party's ideological construction and scientifically grasp the relationship between scientific atheism research and the mastery of leadership, management, and discourse power over ideology [5]. He proposed that theoretical workers in the field of Marxist atheism must be both profound scholars and "warriors who dare to struggle," unswervingly adhering to Marxist stands, viewpoints, and methods. They must defend and develop Marxist atheist thought and, centering on the overall work of the Party—especially the Party’s principles and policies on religious work—conduct a resolute struggle against various erroneous ideas, deeply criticize the erroneous proposition that "Party members can believe in religion," and firmly grasp the leadership, management, and discourse power over ideology.
Professor Tian Xinming, former director of the Higher Education Social Science Development Research Center of the Ministry of Education, noted that General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized the need to "comprehensively implement the Party's policy of freedom of religious belief." To implement the requirement of "comprehensiveness," one must adhere to the law of the unity of opposites and the method of contradiction analysis. To comprehensively implement the Party's policy of freedom of religious belief and to carry out scientific atheism research, we must actively face various objectively existing contradictions. We must comprehensively understand the two aspects of every contradiction and the dual relationship of both opposition and unity between the two sides of every contradiction, overcoming any one-sidedness that ignores contradictions, ignores one side of a contradiction, or ignores a specific relationship between the two sides. He further pointed out that the contradiction between atheism and the existence of "God," and between believing and not believing in God, is the basic contradiction in religious work and atheism research. Therefore, to comprehensively implement the policy of freedom of religious belief, it is necessary to correctly understand and handle the contradiction between atheism and the existence of "God," and between believing and not believing in God. The contradiction between believing and not believing in God/religion stems from the contradiction between the non-existence of God in the world and the existence of "God" in social consciousness. The Party and the State's comprehensive policy on freedom of religious belief is also established on the basis of a scientific analysis of this pair of contradictions. On the other hand, the fact and historical necessity of the existence of "God" in social consciousness provide an objective basis for the Constitution's endowment of citizens' right to freedom of religious belief. As opposing sides of a contradiction, atheism and the existence of "God" can transform into one another under certain conditions. For individuals, the opposition between believing and not believing is not rigid or fixed. Therefore, the contradiction between atheism and "God," and the resulting contradiction between belief and non-belief, is the root cause for the emergence, existence, and development of the discipline of scientific atheism; it is the basic contradiction that the discipline faces and revolves around at all times.
Professor Xi Wuyu, Director of the Center for Science and Atheism Research at CASS and Vice President and Secretary-General of the Chinese Atheism Society, proposed that importance must be attached to new media to actively construct the discourse power of Marxist atheism. She suggested that the powerful communicative force of new media has partially shifted the power to construct policy into cyberspace. Devising atheism research requires scholars to maintain constant attention to social hot-button issues, as "problem-consciousness" is a powerful driving force for disciplinary construction.
Researcher Gong Yun, Director of the Marxist Atheism Research Office at the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies, proposed that Marxist atheism is a component and important cornerstone of Marxist theory. Persisting in Marxist atheism is an important task of the Party's ideological work. Given that "religious fever" poses a serious impact and influence on the mainstream ideology, Marxist atheism must be emphasized to slow the growth rate of religious believers and to resist the spiritual temptation and ideological infiltration of religion among the masses. He also proposed that the basic requirements of Marxist atheism must be upheld from the height of ideological security. Persisting in Marxist atheism is a major principle; Communist Party members must be firm Marxist atheists, ensuring that Marxist atheism, as the mainstream ideology, occupies the dominant position in the minds of the people. To strengthen the research, publicity, and education of Marxist atheism within the framework of the Party's ideological work, we must summarize the lessons of the Reform and Opening-up, break down ideological, institutional, and interest-based obstacles that hinder Marxist atheism, strengthen the construction of atheist fronts and disciplines, and enhance atheist publicity and education. This will allow Marxist atheism to play a guiding role in ensuring that religion adapts to socialist society.
Associate Professor Wang Zhen of the Central Institute of Socialism proposed that a prominent feature of Marxist atheism is that it is always permeated with the spirit of communism. Regarding different forms of group organization, this is manifested at four levels: the state, society, the group, and the individual. At present, China has achieved "state atheism" and "social atheism"; that is to say, in the current state power, the social public sphere, and their overall orientation, religious theism is not used as a guide or criterion. Regarding different populations, Marxist atheism is mainstream and dominant among groups such as Communist Party members and Communist Youth League members; of course, the situation among the non-religious masses is more complex. She proposed that to maintain the dominant position of Marxist atheism in the minds of the masses, action is needed in three areas: for state power, guided by Marxism, adhere to the separation of church and state, with religious theism withdrawing from state power; for the ruling party, the Communist Party must always be guided by Marxism and its atheism to maintain its own advanced nature; and for the masses, the approach should be to "draw the bow but not discharge the arrow" [6].
Associate Professor Huang Chao of Wuhan University raised the issue of how to effectively carry out atheism publicity and education in ethnic minority areas. He proposed: first, there are rich resources of atheist thought in the traditional cultures of ethnic minorities, which serve as an important ideological basis; these resources should be diligently excavated. Second, atheism education should be strengthened among Party members in ethnic minority areas, and a backbone of atheism educators and publicists should be trained there. Finally, publicity and education on a scientific worldview should be strengthened among the youth in ethnic minority areas, guiding them to believe in science, study science, spread science, and establish correct worldviews, outlooks on life, and values.
Dr. Yang Junfeng of the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies systematically sorted and analyzed Marx's scientific atheist thought from the perspectives of the basic stance of atheism, the transition from atheism to scientific socialism, the essence and social role of religion, and the principles and policies for dealing with religion. He argued that we can not only say that atheism is the premise and foundation of Marxism, but also that insofar as Marxism advocates the eventual disappearance of religious theism through the social revolution and construction of the proletariat, Marxism itself is a form of atheism—the highest form of atheism. Unlike previous forms of atheism limited to the field of ideological publicity, Marxism is a "practical atheism," meaning an atheism that uses the practice of social transformation as a means to eliminate the concept of God. At the same time, he emphasized that Marxism as "practical atheism" does not exclude the role and significance of atheist publicity and education.
II. Firmly Grasping the Initiative in Religious Work
Researcher Jia Runguo, Deputy Director of the Research Center of the State Administration for Religious Affairs, proposed that Comrade Xi Jinping's series of expositions on religious work have become an important part of Xi Jinping's thoughts on state governance and should be formally summarized as "Xi Jinping's Thought on Religious Governance." The essence of this thought can be distilled into four characters: "guan" (view), "lun" (theory), "dao" (guide), and "hua" (transform/Sinicize). "Guan" refers to the Marxist view of religion, which must be upheld; "lun" refers to the theory of religion with Chinese characteristics, which must be developed; "dao" refers to the method of Yu the Great [7] in controlling water, meaning religions must be managed, controlled, regulated, and channeled; "hua" refers to the Sinicization of religion, which must be done well, reducing the scale and minimizing the impact of religion. These four characters centrally reflect the theory and methods of religious work and constitute an organic whole. Their logical relationship is: the root lies in the "view," the soul in the "theory," the key in the "guide," and the goal in the "transformation."
Dr. Wang Qichang, a faculty member at Inner Mongolia University of Technology, analyzed religious factors in the U.S. presidential election, arguing that China should draw lessons from them. He proposed that for a long time, the United States has flaunted its "religious freedom" and launched unbridled attacks on China’s guiding principle and policy of actively guiding religion to adapt to socialist society, claiming it obstructs religious freedom. However, the fact that Trump—who advocated for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the U.S.—won the presidential election fully demonstrates that America's religious freedom policy and its relatively complete legal system have not only failed to foster harmony between religions but have also led to open tension between Christians and Muslims. The emergence of this phenomenon is inseparable from the varying degrees of exclusivity found in religious dogmas and the inherent characteristic of religion to escalate conflicts. For China at present, it is difficult to completely eliminate conflicts brought about by religion by relying solely on the policy of freedom of religious belief and the principle of independence and self-management. Actively guiding religion to adapt to socialist society not only plays a comprehensive role in addressing religious issues but can also eliminate problems at their source. However, in actively guiding religion to adapt to socialist society, one must avoid putting the cart before the horse [8]; it must not turn into socialist society adapting to religion. We cannot solely consider the feelings of religious believers, we cannot abandon management according to the law, and above all, we cannot evade the negative effects of religion. He further pointed out that one must not "drink poison to quench thirst" [9] by utilizing religion in international relations; it is essential to learn from the lessons of European and American countries that have fallen into massive crises and difficulties due to religious issues, and to firmly maintain the initiative in religious work.
Professor Zhang Xiaohua of Northeast Normal University, based on tracking research of "house churches," proposed that relevant government departments currently have a very insufficient grasp of the number of personnel in these organizations. She suggested that "house churches" can be divided into three major categories: non-Sanyuan (or "Black Sanyuan") churches, which are illegal underground churches that refuse to register; quasi-Sanyuan churches, which have links to the Three-Self Patriotic Movement [10] but are in some cases nominal without substance and in others substantive without the name, being both legal and illegal; and independent churches. There are many types of "house churches," and they are highly complex; their public nature and legality require meticulous classification. Currently, many debates have emerged regarding the management of "house churches," including the "resolute crackdown" theory, the "guidance via legalization" theory, the "no-correction-without-illegality" theory, the "filing system" theory, and the "transition" theory. She proposed that the management of "house churches" needs to proceed from the overall situation, emphasizing broad perspectives and deep reflection, and considering management strategies from both strategic and tactical dimensions.
Professor Li Zhiying of Beijing Normal University, after reviewing the process of "promoting modern education with temple property" [11] during the late Qing Dynasty, pointed out that the Qing government attempted to change its old modes of social governance by striving to use traditional public property such as communal halls and temples to establish new-style education. By breaking the old local patterns of public property distribution, they subsequently changed the local power structures and severed the material and spiritual ties that linked the populace. At the same time, the model of new-style schools protected by the state broke the lineage-based private school education [12] tied by blood relations, moving education toward specialized modern development. However, these measures also caused intense dissatisfaction among local elites and religious groups due to their loss of power; the common people also experienced dissatisfaction and even conducted acts of resistance due to changes in their traditional lifestyles, creating instability in local rule and triggering social disorder. Therefore, she pointed out that any reform measure concerning social stability—if it involves the distribution of local power, spiritual ties of community connection, religious beliefs, or folk beliefs—must comprehensively measure the social tremors it may trigger. One must measure the emotional foundation and the limits of acceptance of the masses and remain vigilant against the ambitions of foreign aggressive forces using various contradictions to disrupt Chinese society.
III. Adhering to the Separation of Education and Religion
Associate Professor Lu Junjie of Zhongyuan University of Technology proposed that in the New Era, the environment in which students grow up is complex, their developmental pathways are diverse, and their modes of thinking are pluralistic; particularly against the backdrop of the internet, various theistic ideas spread rapidly and covertly. Therefore, the Marxist view of religion is a mandatory course for the development of university students. However, there are currently many problems in the education of the Marxist view of religion. For example, in the ideological and political education courses of many universities, education regarding the Marxist view of religion is almost zero; even where it exists, the effect is poor. If the Marxist view of religion remains a negligible part of ideological and political education courses, the results will continue to be poor. Furthermore, a gap exists between the current perspective of ideological and political work and the thinking modes of university students. He pointed out that to change this situation, it is necessary to optimize the curriculum system, incorporate the Marxist view of religion into general education courses, and strengthen extracurricular education related to it. To ensure that the guidance of university students is "methodical" and "forceful," it is also necessary to conduct dynamic research on the state of thought in universities, including cross-provincial and cross-regional surveys, and to establish public opinion monitoring centers and stations to investigate and track the condition of university students.
Zhu Qiaoyan, a teacher at Wenzhou Medical University, found through interview research that university teachers face several main problems in the promotion and education of atheism: dogmatic indoctrination fails to make university students truly understand and accept atheism; biases in the cognition of religion and atheism leave many teachers unenthusiastic about promoting atheism; educational methods lean toward philosophical speculation and lack introductions to the latest natural science research results; and current textbooks like The Marxist View of Religion lack a systematic structure. She proposed that the importance of atheism should be clarified in teaching syllabi, with specific chapters arranged in textbooks. Participatory training should be provided for teachers of relevant university courses, covering the philosophical system of atheism, the latest scientific evidence, and techniques for atheist promotion and education. Atheist education must be combined with the scientific spirit, using scientific thinking and scientific achievements to dissolve theism and resist "religious fever."
Dr. Zhang Xiaochen of University of Science and Technology Beijing proposed that the separation of education and religion is not only an important component of the separation of church and state but also an indispensable link in the state’s implementation of its educational functions. However, currently, in the process of promoting the separation of education and religion, Chinese universities have encountered various challenges brought by campus proselytization and overseas religious infiltration. To meet these challenges, first, one must actively expand the paths and channels of education and guidance to teach students to correctly understand and treat religious issues. Second, management of religious affairs in universities must be strengthened, forming a long-term management mechanism involving the united front, propaganda, education, Youth League, foreign affairs, and security departments, with clear divisions of labor and joint management. Finally, the issues of campus proselytization and overseas religious infiltration must be handled according to the law; this requires not only strengthening contact with united front, public security, judicial, religious, and ethnic affairs departments to exchange information in a timely manner but also handling university staff and students involved in campus proselytization according to campus discipline and regulations.
IV. Correctly Understanding and Implementing the Spirit of the National Conference on Religious Work
In the process of studying and implementing the spirit of the National Conference on Religious Work, some cadres and scholars have put forward views that either distort the basic spirit of the conference, misread the content of the speeches, or provide a one-sided understanding of the conference’s theme—especially by downplaying the pertinence and criticality of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on adhering to and promoting Marxist atheism. These have interfered with our study and implementation of the spirit of his speeches. Participating scholars stated that the spirit of the National Conference on Religious Work must be correctly understood and implemented.
Du Jiwen, an Honorary Member of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, pointed out that the term "faith" [13] (xìnyǎng) is not a concept of traditional Chinese culture. In Western culture, this concept originates from the Middle Ages, where not thinking was regarded as a virtue. Reason was set in opposition to "faith" in order to prove that "faith" was correct. Under the dominance of Western discourse, "faith" is generally considered to possess a sense of nobility. However, treating Marxism as a "faith" was not the original intention of Marx and Engels, and furthermore, it cannot reflect the scientific nature of Marxism as a theory. The road of scientific socialism found by Chinese Communists, including today’s path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, was explored and discovered; it was not obtained by relying on "faith." Therefore, one must scientifically and correctly understand the spirit of leadership speeches and Central Committee documents to prevent the abuse of the word "faith." Additionally, he pointed out three problems or phenomena currently existing that must be guarded against: first, the "theory of the unity of religion and ethnicity" in religious work practice; second, Christian proselytization posing as cultural dissemination; and third, religious theology becoming an academic discipline.
Duan Qiming, former Director of the Policy and Regulations Department of the State Administration for Religious Affairs, pointed out that Party newspapers and journals must correctly explain the theory of religion with Chinese characteristics. Communists do not believe in religion; they can sincerely implement the policy of freedom of religious belief because they can understand and handle religious issues through correct theoretical principles and policies, rather than it being a matter of "like or dislike" or "respect or disrespect." The CPC's requirement that Party members be thorough atheists and not believe in any religion is consistent with the principle of an individual citizen's freedom of religious belief. Since a Communist is a thorough atheist, he will certainly be able to understand and handle religious issues according to the Party's religious theories, principles, and policies. He also pointed out that after correcting the errors in the treatment of religion during the "Cultural Revolution," a tendency emerged where theistic trends of thought flooded back, and the number of people believing in religion and superstition grew rapidly. "Religion providing the stage for economy to perform the play" [14] became fashionable, and a new "god-making movement" appeared. Physiognomy, fortune-telling, and sorcery have spread throughout urban and rural areas, and cults have sprouted, causing serious harm to the safety of people's lives and property and to social stability. Faced with the flood of theism, superstition, sorcery, and cults, there is an urgent need to rectify the promotion and education of religious theories, principles, and policies. At the same time, he proposed "four 'cannots'": "freedom of religious belief" and "religious freedom" are not the same concept, and "religious freedom" cannot be used to replace "freedom of religious belief"; the "mass nature" of religious issues cannot be used to explain the policy of freedom of religious belief; the "long-term nature" of religious issues cannot be used to explain the guidance of religion to adapt to socialist society; and the tradition in Chinese history where state power did not engage in "large-scale persecution of religion" cannot be used to explain the policy of freedom of religious belief.
Xu Lin, a researcher at the Hebei Academy of Social Sciences, proposed that for many years, although the CPC Central Committee has always emphasized "establishing a correct worldview, outlook on life, and values," documents requiring the strengthening of atheist research, promotion, and education have basically not been implemented. Party and government organs at all levels, public educational institutions, research institutions, and their subordinate media have almost entirely surrendered the discourse power of atheism. Not a single radio or television station has produced or broadcast a theoretical program systematically introducing atheist thoughts and knowledge. Instead, mass media vigorously praise and disseminate religion, treat "atheism" to some extent as a sensitive word, and some even spare no effort to demonize atheism. Meanwhile, some scholars of religious studies and Marxist studies have repeatedly advocated for the CPC and even the Chinese nation to abandon the atheist stance. After April 2016, a struggle occurred over the discourse power to interpret the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s speech at the National Conference on Religious Work. This debate is related to the historical background of long-term anomalies in religious research, disorder in religious development, and insufficient research, promotion, and education regarding atheism.
Li Shen, Vice President of the Chinese Association for Atheism and Professor at Shanghai Normal University, pointed out in his closing remarks that while the current situation for the cause of atheism has improved, it remains grim; we must continue to hold our ground and seek development. He stated that the formulation "militant atheism" is very good because atheism is inherently militant—it must say "no" to theism. Harmony is the goal, while struggle is the means. Finally, he proposed that the cause of atheism is glorious and great, and is part of the cause of communism; every step in the development of the communist cause, including atheism, is the realization of the communist ideal and the basis for the existence of Marxism.
Wang Huimei, Vice President of the Chinese Association for Atheism and Vice President/Secretary-General of the China Anti-Cult Association, and Zuo Peng, Vice President of the Chinese Association for Atheism and Professor at University of Science and Technology Beijing, respectively presided over the plenary speeches.