MCLC: Putin wins Confucius Peace Prize (16)

[Denton, Kirk]

MCLC LIST
From: yomi braester <yomi at u.washington.edu>
Subject: Putin wins Confucius Peace Prize (16)
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The CCP has persecuted many people for their religious beliefs. Yet the
characterization of the PRC regime as atheistic is a different matter. It
follows a long and not very honorable tradition. During the 1950s, Senator
Joseph McCarthy contrasted American values with "godless communism." The
rhetoric took after the repudiation of "atheistic Bolshevism," in the U.S.
by Robert Lansing and in Germany by Nazi ideologues. Hitler identified
Bolshevism as a Jewish conspiracy and saw his mission in terms of
Christian redemption, famously stating in Mein Kampf: "by defending myself
against the Jew, I am fighting for the work of the Lord." Rewriting the
history of the twentieth century as a clash between righteous faith and
godless cruelty has been used to rally support for the American right,
Islamic extremists, National Socialists, and others. There's enough to say
about Putin, Confucius, and Chinese leaders without going down that path.

Yomi Braester
University of Washington