Religion Under Lenin & Stalin

Religion Under Lenin

• Bolshevism is atheist
• associated with Tsarism- Tsar is god on Earth etc
• Religion seen as propaganda to keep people in place- want to removed it from government and social structure 
• Jan 1918- Decree on the Separation of Church and State- Church couldn't own property, religious education in schools was outlawed, priests were declared bourgeoise (stripped of legal rights and on lowest rations)
• 1925- Union of the militant godless made to prove to people that god wasnt real (balloon rides), anti-religious propaganda (clergy were parasites living off the peasants) atheist art, religious rituals bolshevised (children were octobered), red weddings, vows to uphold principles of bolshevism
• New Bolshevik names (ninel, marlen)
• Churchs destroyed during collectivisation or converted…