by Chris Staron | Mar 17, 2020 | Episodes
In Russia during the Soviet era, hundred of posters and magazine covers were printed to encourage people to abandon their faith. They were state-sponsored and designed to be interpreted even by people who could not read. This propaganda clearly tied anti-Christian sentiment to the United States.
In his new book, Godless Utopia, Roland Elliott Brown collected a number of these images and provided commentary on their meaning.
What does it mean that we call the United States a Christian nation? What does it mean when presidents like Ronald Reagan merge their faith with the US? How does that impact our witness? These are questions we’ll continue exploring throughout this series.
Helpful links:
- You can view images from the book here. Please note that some of these images may not be appropriate for all eyes.
- Watch the whole “evil empire” speech here.
- Article about Ruth Snyder, the first woman to be sent to the electric chair
- Rolland’s article about Soviet propaganda (see page 18)
- Mobituaries podcast episode about lynching and D.W. Griffith’s film “Birth of a Nation”
Topics covered:
- What did Soviet propaganda look like?
- How did Stalin use the Orthodox church to fight in WWII?
- What was Ronald Reagan’s “evil empire” speech?
- Is it okay for US Presidents to speak at Christian events?
by Chris Staron | Mar 3, 2020 | Episodes
How strong was the soviet mythology? Strong enough to make a young boy turn in his own parents. At least… that’s what the communist government of Russia wanted their people to believe. They created a myth around a boy named Pavlik Morozov who they deemed Pioneer 1.
Select Sources:
TRANSCRIPT (please note – some changes may have been made during editing)
by Chris Staron | Feb 18, 2020 | Episodes
After the fall of the Romanov dynasty, Russia fell into the hands of the Bolshevik political party. They led the country into one of the darkest chapters in world history when religious people and dissidents were targeted, imprisoned, and murdered. This history is hard to hear but important for us to know.
Our special guest this episode is Felix Corley of www.forum18.org.
In this episode, we discuss why Vladimir Lenin persecuted Christians and how Joseph Stalin instituted a policy of fear in the Soviet Union.
Helpful Links:
Topics discussed:
- Why did Vladimir Lenin hate Christians?
- Persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia
- Persecution of Muslims in Russia
- How many people did Joseph Stalin kill?
- Nikita Khrushchev
by Chris Staron | Feb 4, 2020 | Episodes
When the Russian tsars fell, they left a power vacuum. Who would rule Russia after the Romanov dynasty? The Bolshevik’s rose to power, led by Vladimir Lenin. Lenin immediately began persecuting anybody he didn’t like.
In this episode, we’ll examine the dark realities behind the Russian revolution: how it started with good intentions but ended with the death of millions. We’ll also see how a culture of fear and suspicion held the nation captive.
Our guests today are Professor Barbara Engel (author of “Russia in World History“), and Roland Elliott Brown (author of “Godless Utopia“).
This is part of our series examining how the rise of communism in Russia impacted the Christian church. Check out the rest of season three for more information. We’re working hard to make Truce the best Christian podcast on the market. Please rate and review the show!
Topics covered:
- How did Vladimir Lenin come to power?
- How did Stalin come to power?
- How many people did Stalin kill? (20-25 million)
- Is communism bad?
- What was the Soviet Union?
- How did the Soviet Union begin?
- Who were the Bolsheviks?
- Why do some people like Stalin?
Select Links:
by Chris Staron | Jan 21, 2020 | Episodes
What is the difference between communism and socialism? They get used interchangeably in our culture, but do they really mean the same thing?
In this episode, we’ll give a textbook definition of each and then see how those ideas change in the wild. Our guests today are my friend Brian Faehnrich, Professor Barbara Engel (author of “Russia in World History“), and Roland Elliott Brown (author of “Godless Utopia“).
The basic difference between communism and socialism is where the profit goes:
- In communism, the profits go to the government
- In socialism, the profits can go to the people
Also, communism is inherently atheistic, in keeping with the vision of Karl Marx.
Select Links:
Topic Covered:
- What is the difference between communism and socialism?
- Who was Karl Marx?
- Who invented communism?
- What was the first communist country? (Russia)
- How did Vladimir Lenin rise to power?
- Does communism work?
- Is communism a utopian idea?
- What did Karl Marx have against the Christian church?
