"Scientific atheism" in the era of Perestrojka

pp. 223-229

in: Studies in East European Thought 40, 1990.

Abstract

It could be argued that some in the military, like certain local officials, are the last holdouts against the reform's ideological "thaw" toward religion, though Kharčev's October–November, 1989, interview inOgonëk makes clear that there are still some higher-level forces in "the apparatus" who remain opposed to some of the changes. It could be that some of the reformers themselves are concerned about the pace of change. Even in their minds the "thaw" undoubtedly has limits. They may view the present controversy over restructuring "scientific atheism" and redefining socialism's attitude toward religion as a necessary and desirable part of the dialectical process. Thus, while encouraging a tactical and more humane detente toward religion, they have not yet moved to eliminate the basis for ideological hostility toward it. They simply want that hostility to be better channeled and controlled, while exploiting the political benefits that their new-found truce with religion offers. Looking at Gorbachevism, Soviet émigré observer Aleksandr Zinov'ev believes that the reform process "in the sphere of internal political activity concerns only separate phenomena ... but by no means the very foundations of the social system, the system of power and ideology." That system, he believes, is not yet fundamentally changing in those terms. The final answer remains to be seen.