I can't see where I would have suggested otherwise? :shrug:
I am well aware that atheism has its own fanatics. Some of them would gladly eradicate all forms of religions. This doesn't change the clear distinctions between atheism and religions. But we have already discussed this issue and our positions seem irreconcilable. So, I'll leave it at that.
Those are very interesting thoughts...even if you have no chance to convince me that a political movement can be assimilated to a religion :lol: But the comparison is relevant
Just a brief return in Russia.
Although communist leaders have committed crimes in the name of a political doctrine which was qualified as atheist, the population of Russia has never ceased to believe. Its churches were closed, they were forbidden to practice any form of religion, but the citizens remained believers. Even the people who proclaimed themselves atheists often continued to believe in God. Therefore, they were not atheists.
In 1990, the freedom of religion was promulgated in the Russian Federation and most citizens embraced again a religion. Claiming that Russians are atheists is either a sign of ignorance or intellectual dishonesty.
Nowadays, most of them are believers. Here's the result of a survey:
"Russia is a multi-ethnic and multi-faith nation. Orthodox Christianity is Russia's largest religion with 75% of the population belonging to the Orthodox Christian denomination. Islam is professed by 5% of the population. Catholicism, Protestantism, Judaism and Buddhism are professed by 1% of the population each. Other religious denominations represent 1% of the population, while 8% consider themselves atheists".
http://masterrussian.com/russia/facts.htm
And among the 8% of atheists, how many are "real atheists"?