Soviet propaganda was quite creative and formed negative perceptions of the church and priests in numerous visual images.
“Religion is the opiate of the masses,” wrote Karl Marx, who inspired the Bolsheviks. Vladimir Lenin, the leader of the Russian Revolution, repeated this in his writings. The phrase went on to become one of the Bolsheviks' main slogans. Lenin wrote that it is the helpless position of the oppressed class and its inability to resist the “exploiters” that generates faith in a better afterlife. Religion offers them “a cheap justification for their entire exploited existence”.
Take a look at some Soviet propaganda posters that were created to fight the Russian Orthodox Church.
1) “Religion is an opiate for the people”
2) “The tsar, pope and rich man ride the shoulders of the proletariat.”
3) “Religion is poison. Take care of your children” (The red sign the right says: ‘School’)
4) “Who is against the Soviets”
5) ‘Bezbozhnik u Stanka’ (literally 'The Godless at the Workbench')
A poster published in the ‘Bezbozhnik u Stanka’ (literally 'The Godless at the Workbench') satirical magazine features not only the Russian Orthodox Church. The following caricature also depicts Sabaoth, Buddha, Allah and Jehovah.
6) A peasant is blindfolded with a bandage that reads: “Creeds”.
7) “We've dealt with the earthly kings. Let's take on the heavenly ones.”
8) “The fight against religion. The fight for socialism!!!”
9) “How popes rob the people. ‘All men are my brothers, so they need to share with me’.”
10) “Expose the sectarian stuff with the pen of a proletarian correspondent and the light of science!”
11) “Enough of the scam”
12) “Thanks for the culture, you've made a gigantic contribution!
Now, go to the shelf where the myths stand!”
13) “Cross and tractor”
14) “You can’t beat a whip with a butt. For the 11th anniversary of the Soviet constitution.”
15) “There’s no God!”
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