Christianity and Genocide

A lot of people seem to have convinced themselves of the odd notion that belief in Christianity somehow involves “genocide.” Including, sadly, our own former Governor-General’s vice-regal consort, John Ralston Saul.

Let’s consider, if we may, the great genocides of history.

Or at least, of the 20th century, because it is the golden age of genocide, because it offers us the most reliable figures, and because it suggests what is a current clear and present danger.

Here are the figures of R.J. Rummel, who has specialized in trying to come up with hard figures:

• Mao: 77 million killed. Atheist government.
• USSR: 62 million killed. Atheist government.
• Hitler: 21 million killed. Atheist/neo-paganist government.
• Pol Pot: 4 million killed, out of a total population of 7 million. According to Guinness, the worst genocide ever on a per capita basis. Atheist government.
• Imperial Japan: 3-10 million. Shamanist (Shinto) government.
• Armenian Massacre: 4.3 million, Armenians and others. Partly under a Muslim government, but secularist movement (Young Turks). Mostly under an aggressively secularist government.
• Polish expulsion of Germans: 2 million. Atheist government.
• North Korea: 1.6 million. Atheist government.
• Pakistani genocide in Bangladesh: 1.5 million. Muslim secularist government.
• Revolutionary Mexico: 1.4 million. Atheist (Marxist) government.
• Tsarist Russia: 1 million. Christian government.

Is there perhaps a pattern forming here? Let’s see; I count:

• Atheists: 7
• Muslims: 2 (both secularist governments)
• Shamanists: 1
• Christians: 1

Seems striking to me. It is not as if atheist governments form anything like that proportion of total governments in the 20th century. Indeed, it even seems proper to say that genocide, while otherwise rare, is a defining feature of atheist governments.

For earlier periods, figures are far less certain. A few of the biggest seem to be:

• Genghiz Khan. 30 million. Atheist/shamanist government.
• Taiping Rebellion. 12 million. Confucian/Buddhist government. Because this happened only in the mid-nineteenth century, figures are fairly reliable.

The worst massacre in history in which Christianity figured prominently seems to be the Thirty Years war: estimated by R.J. Rummel at 6 million killed.

And note that this is not unambiguously religious in nature either: “Catholic” France fought on the “Protestant” side.

Looking at the record, I think I’d rather try my chances with an overtly Christian government than with any New Agers or atheists. The great advantage of a Christian government is that it allows an objective check on the morality of its actions.