Did atheism destroy the USSR?

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
Atheism did not result from Marxism. Where did you get that idea?

Atheism was imposed on the peoples of the Russia by their Marxist rulers when the communists seized power.

Originally posted by Ullr
This brings up the point that in Capitalism not everyone that works hard succeeds and not everyone that succeeds had to work hard. There are no guarantees.

You want guarantees? How about this one: If you graduate from high school, don't have any children before you get married and you hold a full-time job, you will have much better odds of not being poor than if you drop out of high school, start making babies without a spouse and you do not join the work force.

Originally posted by Ullr
This brings up the point that in Capitalism not everyone that works hard succeeds and not everyone that succeeds had to work hard. There are no guarantees.

Maybe not everyone in a capitalist society "succeeds," but far fewer people "fail" in countries where there is economic freedom. What we do know about people in communist societies is that millions, maybe billions live in poverty. No one ever "succeeds" because it is against the law. In fact, the only way to get ahead in a communist society is to escape from it. That's why so many Cubans will risk life and limb to get to Florida, or why so many East Germans were shot fleeing East Berlin.

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
No, it's supposed to be a parody of my thread about Christianity and Rome. I want to point out that my thread has arguments that are supported by fact, whereas this thread does not.

If you lived in a communist society, would you be inspired to work hard for the state? Every communist state I've seen is a dreary economic disaster devoid of the important things in life: religion, work, family, friendships, etc. The question at the start of this thread should have been: How did the U.S.S.R. last as long as it did?

Originally posted by MacSwain
I realize this thread is to discuss atheisms' impact on USSR down-fall. However, it seems "Fidel" Chavez has crept in, so..a bit of info.

Jose Guerra, former director of economic policy at Venezuela's central bank, in comments broadcast by Globovision.
The currency fell 2.7 percent to 4,550 bolivars per dollar in the parallel market, where Venezuelans ...[text shortened]... 5.
The bolivar is down 25 percent since the beginning of the year in the parallel market.

I was there in June and the black market exchange was only 3,500 to 1. Now the government says it is 4,500 to 1. That means it's probably more like 5,500 to 1.

Originally posted by der schwarze Ritter
If you lived in a communist society, would you be inspired to work hard for the state? Every communist state I've seen is a dreary economic disaster devoid of the important things in life: religion, work, family, friendships, etc. The question at the start of this thread should have been: How did the U.S.S.R. last as long as it did?

This is all a bit tedious, but exactly which communist societies have you seen?

And in what sense where they devoid of family or friends?

Originally posted by Redmike
This is all a bit tedious, but exactly which communist societies have you seen?

And in what sense where they devoid of family or friends?

The communist societies that I have seen are the Soviet Union, Cuba, California.

In these and other Marxist societies, the state is god and it is a very jealous god at that. Consequently, people are so scared that they trip all over themselves to denounce their family and friends lest the power of the state comes full force on them, i.e. show trials, purges, gulags, etc. You must have a short memory Redmike or you've never read any history books?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enemy_of_the_people

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulag

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Show_trial

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purges

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_Revolution

Originally posted by der schwarze Ritter
The communist societies that I have seen are the Soviet Union, Cuba, California.

In these and other Marxist societies, the state is god and it is a very jealous god at that. Consequently, people are so scared that they trip all over themselves to denounce their family and friends lest the power of the state comes full force on them, i.e. show ...[text shortened]... rial

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purges

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_Revolution

Sorry, but none of these were/are communist societies.

Originally posted by Redmike
Sorry, but none of these were/are communist societies.

Why not?

communism, Communism Show phonetics
noun [U]
the belief in a society without different classes in which the methods of production are owned and controlled by all its members and everyone works as much as they can and receives what they need
Compare capitalism; socialism.

communist, Communist Show phonetics
adjective, noun
the Communist party

society (ORGANIZATION) Show phonetics
noun [C]
an organization to which people who share similar interests can belong

society (PEOPLE) Show phonetics
noun
1 [C or U] a large group of people who live together in an organized way, making decisions about how to do things and sharing the work that needs to be done. All the people in a country, or in several similar countries, can be referred to as a society

Originally posted by MacSwain
Why not?

communism, Communism Show phonetics
noun [U]
the belief in a society without different classes in which the methods of production are owned and controlled by all its members and everyone works as much as they can and receives what they need
Compare capitalism; socialism.

communist, Communist Show phonetics
adjective, noun
the Communi ...[text shortened]... e. All the people in a country, or in several similar countries, can be referred to as a society

Which part of your (unattributed) definitions do you think they met?

Originally posted by der schwarze Ritter
Every communist state I've seen is a dreary economic disaster devoid of the important things in life: religion, work, family, friendships, etc.

Oh well then, it looks like you totally bought into the dehumanizing propaganda and still do. No families? No friendships? Imagine that.

Originally posted by der schwarze Ritter
If you lived in a communist society, would you be inspired to work hard for the state? Every communist state I've seen is a dreary economic disaster devoid of the important things in life: religion, work, family, friendships, etc. The question at the start of this thread should have been: How did the U.S.S.R. last as long as it did?

We're talking about atheism specifically, dude.

Originally posted by der schwarze Ritter
The communist societies that I have seen are the Soviet Union, Cuba, California.

In these and other Marxist societies, the state is god and it is a very jealous god at that. Consequently, people are so scared that they trip all over themselves to denounce their family and friends lest the power of the state comes full force on them, i.e. show ...[text shortened]... rial

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purges

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_Revolution

California is the wealthiest state in the Union. Nice try.

Originally posted by Redmike
Sorry, but none of these were/are communist societies.

Tsk, tsk, tsk -- you ought to be ashamed Redmike. So you truly believe that communism as practiced to date is not "true communism," which remains noble, viable and should not be judged by past history? If you believe that, I've got a bridge in Minnesota I want to sell you.

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
California is the wealthiest state in the Union. Nice try.

Certainly there's a lot of wealth concentrated in the hands of a few Hollywood entertainers, software moguls and members of the political class, but you're not telling the whole story: California is also home to the most gang members, the largest prison population, most homicides, most auto fatalities, the most illegal immigrants, and has some of the highest taxes in the nation. This is in addition to the highest workman's compensation rates in the nation which has led to an exodus of small businesses. As an experiment, you should call U-Haul and ask how much it costs to rent a truck or van to take out of the Golden State. It's the highest in the nation because so many people are leaving. Conversely, you could go to just about any U-Haul in America and find that the cheapest rates are the ones to California. What does that tell you about the desirability of living there? Indeed, if you don't mind the crushing poverty, high taxes, inanity of the political class (Gerardo Sandoval, San Francisco Supervisor) it's becoming impossible to afford a home there unless you are Steven Spielberg, David Geffen or David Beckham...that is unless you're willing to live like the illegals do and shack up with 20-30 other "undocumented" workers. Whenever people tell me they're from California, I ask them: Why do you stay?

http://www.victorhanson.com/articles/hanson041206.html

http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=14897

http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=14732

http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=14526


This is just a sampling, but you know, one only has so many hours in the day.