Why We are Mad At You by an Atheist

[eqfan592]

236. At best you could say all their crimes were commited by a very specific...

...and extreme subset of atheism (assuming one were to accept the notion that communism is a subset of atheism). Nowhere was there ever any world wide atheistic policy that would enable the crimes committed by Stalin and other communists. Organized religions, such as the Roman Catholic Church, can't make the same claim.

The simple fact is that both you and humblebum are trying to frame actions that were taken as a matter of political expediency (removing potential threats to the state) as purely motivated by the specific leaders atheism. Stalin both executed religious leaders and embraced them depending on the time and the political necessities. That does not sound like the MO of somebody who hates religion because he's atheist, but somebody who is taking actions they view serve their best political interests.