The Communists Had No Compassion or Empathy

The Soviet Union was the first state to have an ideological objective to eliminate religion. They confiscated church property, ridiculed religion, harassed believers and propagated atheism in schools, government, science and universities. The persecution of religion was determined by state interest. This meant that few groups were completely outlawed.

The main target of the anti-religion campaign in the 1920’s and 30’s was the Russian Orthodox Church.  Because it had the largest number of faithful followers and the most clergy it suffered most. Nearly all its clergy, some 92,000, were shot or sent to labor camps. Theological schools were closed and church publications were prohibited. By 1939 only 500 of over 50,000 churches remained open and about 12,000 were destroyed or used as museums for atheism. 

The top people in the Communist Party said, "We must put down these people with utmost brutality." How can we heal the children and grand children of those who were brutalized? I Have several stories about it in my book, How to Be Me in My Family Tree.