Pol Pot was an atheist

From Religions Wiki

Background History[edit]

Pol Pot, also known as Saloth Sar, was the leader of the communist party of Cambodia from, and served as the Prime Minister from 1976-to 1979 in the Democratic Kampuchea. In his reign he attempted to purify Cambodia, through an Agrarian Socialism, which forced people to move into the country to restart Cambodian civilization. This led to a poor infrastructure and a mass genocide, killing 1.7 to 2.5 million people. With the poor quality of living and the mass murder of people, a total of 21% of the Cambodian population died. Pol Pot lost his power after the Vietnam invaded in 1979, during the Cambodian-Vietnam War. This forced him to flee into the southwestern jungle of the border between Cambodia and Thailand. Pol Pot died in 1998 under house arrest of the Ta Mok faction of the Khmer Rouge.

Apologetics[edit]

Apologists often point to people like Pol Pot, trying to make a point about atheism:

  • Pol Pot was an evil murderer.
  • Pol Pot was an atheist.
  • Thus, Pol Pot's atheism has something to do with him being an evil murderer.
  • Therefore, atheism causes evil.

The point of the argument is to try establish that it's wrong to be an atheist, because if too many people are atheists, bad things will happen.

A more sophisticated argument made by some apologists is consistent atheism leads to the belief that there is no objective good or bad (this is admitted by many atheists) and that this belief gave people like Pol Pot the justification to do what they did. If morality is subjective, then killing millions of people is not objectively wrong, and no one can tell him he is objectively wrong. If morality is subjective, whoever is in power gets to determine morality for that society.

Counter Apologetics[edit]

This apologetic is an example of an association fallacy. If Pol Pot had a mustache, we wouldn't conclude that anyone with a mustache is like Pol Pot. This particular implementation of the fallacy is rampant, whether the example is Pol Pot, Stalin or Hitler .

The claim that atheism causes evil is arguable.

Pol Pot clearly had Atheists roots from the philosophy of the party he was promoting. His party KPRP was avid followers of Marxism / Leninism. Which the ideology echoed it's founders. Here're few popular quotes by Marx, Lenin & others who followed their ways ; “The first requisite for the happiness of the people is the abolition of religion” (Karl Marx)

“I wish to avenge myself against the One who rules above.” (Karl Marx)

“The hellish vapors rise and fill the brain, till I go mad and my heart is utterly changed. See this sword? The prince of darkness sold it to me.” (Karl Marx)

“With disdain I will throw my gauntlet full in the fact of the world and see the collapse of this pygmy giant. Then will I wander god-like and victorious through the ruins of the world. And giving my words an active force, I will feel equal to the Creator.” (Karl Marx)

“Atheism is the natural and inseparable part of Communism.” (attributed to Vladimir I. Lenin)

“Our program necessarily includes the propaganda of atheism.” (V.I. Lenin)

“There are no morals in politics; there is only expedience. A scoundrel may be of use to us just because he is a scoundrel.” (V.I. Lenin)

“We do not fight against believers and not even clergymen. WE FIGHT AGAINST GOD to snatch believers from Him.” (Vechernaia Moskva, a Soviet newspaper)

“Let us drive out the Capitalists from the earth, and God from Heaven!” (early Soviet slogan)