"Letters to the editor" as a means of "renouncing god" of the Soviet population in the 1920-30s

The paper discusses the aspect of the anti-religious struggle of the Bolsheviks in the 1920-30s as ways to destroy the religious consciousness of Soviet citizens in the anti-religious press and, in particular, letters published by non-religious citizens belligerent to religion published on the pages of print media. Insufficient attention of researchers to this issue determines the relevance of the stated topic. Moreover, the use of similar means of influencing public consciousness in the media at present gives the topic a topical character. The study demonstrates how the «Letters to the Editor» of the magazine «Atheist» became a way of constructing, forming the image of the clergy as an enemy of society. Reading the letters of ordinary fellow citizens, the reader identified himself with them, their relationship with the clergy, experienced anxiety associated with the threat to the construction of socialism emanating from the clergy and laity. However, a formal analysis and comparison of letters from both atheists and people of believers made it possible to discover the contradictions and the limits of this means of «renouncing God». Moreover, this approach made it possible to question the authenticity of the «Repentant» letters of church leaders. The main conclusion of the work done is that «Letters to the Editor» was a significant means of «godless» identification of the young, growing population of the country, but an ineffective means of destroying the religious consciousness of believers.