Do... do people honestly think Marxists are launching a...¶

Do... do people honestly think Marxists are launching a campaign to personally "convert" people to atheism? Are people seriously still regurgitating the same tired anticommunist tropes that have been tried for over a century?? https://t.co/9P3xkqd6V7 Marxists are principled. We are materialists. We study the world through the lens of science, history, and dialectical analysis. That means our theory is necessarily separate from any metaphysical worldview. That doesn't mean we detest or disdain those who hold those views. In fact, we intentionally STUDY the deep, multifaceted role of faith in society. Whether a particular individual or group happens to be religious -- or even primarily motivated by religion -- is not a matter of scorn for a Marxist. We always judge based on social context. People often cite Marx saying "religion is the opiate of the masses," as a way of pointing to the supposed derision Marxists have for religion. But they leave out the full context of that quote: he also calls it "the heart of a heartless world, the soul of soulless conditions." Religion can of course be used as a placating force to convince people that their place in an oppressive social hierarchy is a natural, divinely-ordained condition, unchangeable, irrevocable. But it can also be a balm, or even a motivator toward justice. More than anything, Marxists are revolutionaries. We are PRACTICAL, not idealists. Believing that we can somehow eradicate religious belief with FACTS and LOGIC is idealistic nonsense and counterproductive. And no serious revolutionary is even close to attempting that. Marxist organizations absolutely must be fully secular. That doesn't mean we can't work with religious organizations that align with our goals. It doesn't even mean individual Marxists within our organizations can't have their own private faith. It just means we don't use religion, faith, or any other metaphysical beliefs as organizing tools. And yes, we should challenge our fellow Marxists when they present faith as integral to revolution -- just as much as we should challenge Marxists who call faith disqualifying. The goal is liberation for ALL oppressed peoples: all oppressed nations, all oppressed classes, all faiths -- including none at all. That's why secularism is so important. But it's also why outright antagonism is harmful. In summation, stop acting like Marxists are petulant "Reddit atheists" for espousing a worldview rooted in secularism. And if you, like myself, are an atheist, stop acting like religious people are idiot children for trying to find some hope while they struggle for liberation. Hope is a critical component of revolution. I derive my hope solely from my study of history, a scientific understanding of social forces, and a deep optimism in our inevitable success. Who are we to deride a fellow revolutionary's source of hope? Also, because I am sick of talking to people who don't actually read ALL of what I say, I'm not going to respond to anyone who doesn't stick a 🔻 somewhere in their comment. I value my sanity.