Changes

''See also:'' [[Atheism vs. Christian revival, Christian apologetics and creationism]] and [[Reason Rally]]

''See also:'' [[Atheism vs. Christian revival, Christian apologetics and creationism]] and [[Reason Rally]]

[[File:Richard Dawkins at Reason Rally.jpg|thumbnail|200px|right|[The [[New Atheism|new atheist]] [[Richard Daawkins]] speaking at the [[Reason Rally]]. ]]

[[File:Richard Dawkins at Reason Rally.jpg|thumbnail|200px|right|[The [[New Atheism|new atheist]] [[Richard Dawkins]] speaking at the [[Reason Rally]]. ]]

Reverend Dwight Longenecker wrote: "In the late eighteenth century atheism, [[rationalism]] and [[Freemasonry]] seemed to have taken over [[Europe]]. By the mid to late nineteenth century religious revival had swept through Europe and Christianity was surging forward."<ref>[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/standingonmyhead/2015/04/the-facts-atheism-is-dying-out.html The Facts: Atheism is Dying Out], by Rev. Dwight Longenecker, April 8, 2015</ref>

Reverend Dwight Longenecker wrote: "In the late eighteenth century atheism, [[rationalism]] and [[Freemasonry]] seemed to have taken over [[Europe]]. By the mid to late nineteenth century religious revival had swept through Europe and Christianity was surging forward."<ref>[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/standingonmyhead/2015/04/the-facts-atheism-is-dying-out.html The Facts: Atheism is Dying Out], by Rev. Dwight Longenecker, April 8, 2015</ref>

==== The Reason Rally was not the largest secular event in world history ====

==== The Reason Rally was not the largest secular event in world history ====

[[File:Ncvjgfu.jpg|thumbnail|right|175px|[[Mao Zedong]] ]]

[[File:Ncvjgfu.jpg|thumbnail|left|175px|[[Mao Zedong]] ]]

Although the Reason Rally was billed as the largest secular event in world history, strictly speaking that is not accurate. Communist countries have embraced state atheism. And [[Marxism|Marxist]]-[[Vladimir Lenin|Leninism]] along with [[Maoism]] explicitly adhered to the [[atheist worldview]] and communist countries have engaged in [[militant atheism]] and religious persecution (see: [[Atheism and communism]]).<ref>[http://www.thenewamerican.com/world-news/asia/item/19567-china-s-communist-party-reaffirms-marxism-maoism-atheism China’s Communist Party Reaffirms Marxism, Maoism, Atheism]</ref>  China [[Atheism and communism|still engages]] in religious persecution. Communist countries had large/massive rallies. For example, at [[Tiananmen Square]] during the [[Cultural Revolution]], the atheist [[Mao Zedong]] greeted 1,500 [[Red Guards|Red Guards]] and waved to 800,000 Red Guards and spectators below.

Although the Reason Rally was billed as the largest secular event in world history, strictly speaking that is not accurate. Communist countries have embraced state atheism. And [[Marxism|Marxist]]-[[Vladimir Lenin|Leninism]] along with [[Maoism]] explicitly adhered to the [[atheist worldview]] and communist countries have engaged in [[militant atheism]] and religious persecution (see: [[Atheism and communism]]).<ref>[http://www.thenewamerican.com/world-news/asia/item/19567-china-s-communist-party-reaffirms-marxism-maoism-atheism China’s Communist Party Reaffirms Marxism, Maoism, Atheism]</ref>  China [[Atheism and communism|still engages]] in religious persecution. Communist countries had large/massive rallies. For example, at [[Tiananmen Square]] during the [[Cultural Revolution]], the atheist [[Mao Zedong]] greeted 1,500 [[Red Guards|Red Guards]] and waved to 800,000 Red Guards and spectators below.

<ref>(Chinese) [http://dangshi.people.com.cn/GB/85039/14329784.html 倪天祚, "毛主席八次接见红卫兵的组织工作" 中国共产党新闻网] 2011-04-07</ref>

<ref>(Chinese) [http://dangshi.people.com.cn/GB/85039/14329784.html 倪天祚, "毛主席八次接见红卫兵的组织工作" 中国共产党新闻网] 2011-04-07</ref>