Champion." In a 1988 interview Mr. Alburt had this to say about religion in the Soviet Union: in the American sense of the word religious freedom. Immediately after the Revolution, Lenin destroyed the Russian Church and destroyed physically people who were servants of the church, priests, and officials who were servants of other religions. Also many people who just believed in God and who didn't want to switch to Atheism were physically destroyed. I think it can be explained why Communist rulers in virtually all countries, in Russia, China, Cuba, have always been hostile to religion. A Communist regime is 1 you slavery, and the prime goal, the prime concern of Communist rulers is to convince their subjects that there is nothing in this world beyond materialist values, that there is no life after this life. And in order to have a good life, they should serve Communism well. And in this case they should, otherwise, they will be punished, and there are no other values for which you should receive rewards and take Religious people believe in God, in a life hereafter, in certain religious and moral values. And a religious person when pressed too far by Communist authorities, is likely to say, 'I won't do it, I draw the line. I won't cross this line, no matter what you are going to do to me, or to my family. I won't do it because it is immoral. You can do to me whatever you want. I would rather die, but I won't commit this act of betrayal of morality ' And therefore, for Communist rulers, religion is a dangerous phenomenon. And they are doing everything they can to discredit, and destroy religion. . . . 119 Babylon's War Against God There is no religious freedom in Soviet Russia today ak a toe - 4 punishment. ne: