This is the one thing I always keep in mind and hope other marxist atheists do as well. In essence (and correct me), what you’re saying is religion like a gun for example, is a tool that can be used for oppression but it can also be vice versa. Religion can also be a strong motivator that unites people and helps them fight back against oppression as we’re seeing in places like Palestine & Iran.

Did I get that right?

I appreciate your response, it makes me feel better about myself.

I’m very interested in those selected works of Mao and his speeches you bought up, is there a name for these works?

Assalamualakum brother, I am with you. I will take your suggestion into account. Though bringing up philosophers, their philsophy, and explaining all these terms like socialism might be a little hard for her to understand. I think on top of the things I already show and explain to her (Beliefs, culture, anti-imperialism, etc.), the next step is probably to explain to her the violence our sect (sunnis) have done to shias in an effort to gain sympathy from her.

Hello, no not at all. In fact, being a sunni, I’m very proud of the revolutionary fighting that Iran (that is predominately Shia) is doing compared to sunnis in other Middle East countries that choose to side with imperialists. I’ve actually been working on getting rid of the prejudice that my mother has towards Shias by showing her the work they’ve done and explaining their differences which aren’t a betrayal of Islam.

Thank you, you give me some hope and relief. I once though brought up your point about scientists and other professionals still believing in religion to an atheist and they responded with “There is a cognitive dissonance. Relativity of simultaneity automatically rules out most religious metaphysical interpretations.”