Rebuttal to image 'atheist atrocity' fallacy? Maybe start a trend with an opposing image
Hi, I have seen this image (https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BwayeneIIAAKRJX.png) pop up on a few occasions, at first I see a few 'atrocities' were not even atheistic at all and coincidentally some religious. What I would like maybe 1 or 2 sentences explain why they have nothing to do with atheism and more to do with politics or power or just some insane leader. I have seen many essays refuting this stupid fallacy, name 'The Atheist Atrocity Fallacy', and you can use those has a basis for information or well any history book. I have looked everywhere for an image of sorts on google images but nothing really to go against this picture, there are a few with but nothing of worth. A collaboration with you guys will be extremely appreciative.
I don't mean these were done with people with no belief in a god (I could argue some of these leaders did and/or believed they were god and carried out and defended a religious worldview), rather were they done in the name of NO god. Of which I do not think so.
Was it there motive? Personally atheism is just a lack of believe of a deity and carry with it NO strong motive, i'e doctrine, worldview, book telling what to do, god telling them what to do.
My opinion would be this: While they may or may not have been atheists (most of them not), they did NOT commit their crimes in the name of "no god", they did not kill millions of people because "no god" ordered them to, they did not commit ethnic cleansing in honor of "no god". Their motive was totally different.
This little write-up below accompanied the image:
[quote]Atheism and Mass Murder in 20th century: Mao Ze-Dong (China, 1958-61 and 1966-69, Tibet 1949-50) 49-78,000,00 people murdered Jozef Stalin (USSR 1932-39 only) 15,000,000 people murdered Pol Pot (Cambodia, 1975-79) 1,700,000 people murdered Kim II Sung (North Korea 1948-94) 1.6 million people murdered Tito (Yugoslavia 1945-1987) 570,000 people murdered Suharto (Communists 1967-66) 500,000 people murdered Ante Pavelic (Croatia 1941-45) 359,000 people murdered Ho Chi Min (Vietnam 1953-56) 200,000 people murdered Vladimir Ilich Lenin (USSR, 1917-20) 30,000 people murdered Adolf Hitler (Germany 1939-1945) 12,000,000 people murdered[/quote]
Also I would like to mention but I'd say everyone know that Communism does NOT equate to atheism. I don't even know how this came about: Communism is a political ideology, atheism is not political. Its simply the disbelief in gods or goddesses. There was much more than just persecution of religious people in communist-ran countries like Russia and China. Anyone that didn't follow them or protested them that got caught were often plucked from the streets to be tortured or executed, no matter what they believed. The motives for these were political, not based off the personal beliefs of the leaders. Just like there can be a water in a orange, does not in any way mean that water has a special connection to oranges. It doesn't mean that an atheist has to share anything with communism apart from a "lack of belief in a god or gods".
So I could say to many of these atrocities something like "Not atheist but Communist/political"
[quote]For example the North Korea one, everyone worshiped Kim Jong-Il and he himself believed he was the son of god or rather a mini god himself and his father a god.. The whole servility and totalitarianism by the people of North Korea is a religious regime, and believed he was god, as the first known totalitarianism in the world was a religious one.
In a place (North Korea) with absolutely no private or personal life, with the incessant worship of a mediocre career-sadist as the only culture, where all citizens are the permanent property of the state, the highest form of pointlessness has been achieved. The whole "GOD" thing is similar to the situation in North Korea. North Koreans have been taught since childhood that the "Dear Leader" is indeed a God, so they actually believe it because they know nothing else since childhood. As children, we were drilled and instructed NOT to challenge religion, but to accept 'on faith" or be damned to hellfire and damnation. I don't wish to live under a permanent unalterable dictatorship where one grovels and praises the divine leader and his divine father sounds almost like heaven, does it not. Totalitarianism defined.
Religious belief is a totalitarian belief. It is the wish to be a slave. It is the desire that there be an unalterable, unchallengeable, tyrannical authority who can convict you of thought crime while you are asleep, who can subject you - who must, indeed, subject you - to total surveillance around the clock every waking and sleeping minute of your life - I say, of your life - before you're born and, even worse and where the real fun begins, after you're dead. A celestial North Korea.
Who wants this to be true? Who but a slave desires such a ghastly fate? North Korea has a dead man as its president, Kim Jong-Il is only head of the party and head of the army. He's not head of the state. That office belongs to his deceased father, Kim Il-Sung.
It's a necrocracy, a thanatocracy. It's one short of a trinity I might add. The son is the reincarnation of the father. It is the most revolting and utter and absolute and heartless tyranny the human species has ever evolved.[/quote] - Christopher Hitchens
So taking whats above as a guide, the summary would be: I would say "North Korea was a religious state that had Kim Jong-Il as a god and he himself believed he was the son of god and his father Kim Il-Sung was a god.. The son is the reincarnation of the father."
and Hitler & Mussolini: "Hitler was a Catholic, so was Mussolini. Both of them had an official political concordat with the Catholic churches. Both of them wanted the worship of themselves as well as of God. And their third main ally, Hirohito, the Emperor of Japan, not content just to be theocratic, was himself a god. So anyone who says that fascism and Nazism were secular is an ignoramus...on a gigantic scale." - Christopher Hitchens
Stalin: The dogmatic ideology and obsessive nature and stigma around him, thats almost a religious regime in itself. This regime became a more nationalist and statist one, to maintain at least a puppet church that could attach its traditional appeal to his. He did everything for power and not for his hatred of religion, if he had any. In fact he played into the incredulity and servility of Czar & Roman Orthodox Church. In which never left the side of Stalin during his reign of power. It shows he used the totalitarian, servility and credulity of religion for power and crush opposition. He replicates it perfectly. - Christopher Hitchens
If/when I have enough information, I will and try to create a few opposing pictures. 1) The rebuttal to this (i.e - Mark out with red marker saying "Incorrect" and give a brief explanation why.) 2) 20thC atrocities - and give the years, deaths and description of what type of regime (political, power, religious etc.) it is (preferably using the picture shown here as a direct guide). 3) Since they can do it, so can we. We will make a "Religious 20th Century Atrocities" statistical image. This site is an amazing place to start: http://www.truthbeknown.com/victims.htm
What do you guys think? If you guys think you know how to handle photoshop, please go ahead and create a master piece :) I appreciate any co-operation and feedback. Hopefully later on after people can upload an image on a blog and therefore will be on google images :) I apologise if this is too long, just wanted to be thorough.
- Cheers :)
Posted Apr 15, 2016, 1:18 AM UTC · edited