The activity of the commissions for control over execution of the legislation on cults in Western Siberia in the second half of the 1960s — early 1980s

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to study the activities of commissions for monitoring the implementation of legislation on cults in Western Siberia in the second half of the 1960s — early 1980s. The article discusses the forms and methods of commissions to weaken and limit the activities of religious organizations. In addition to carrying out scientific and atheistic propaganda in various public organizations, the commission had to study the nature of religious holidays, ideology, composition and orientation of religious communities. On the basis of archival materials, a detailed description of the activities carried out by the commissions of assistance in monitoring compliance with the legislation on religious cults together with the authorized councils for religious affairs, regional and district councils of people's deputies, "Knowledge" societies, instructors of the propaganda and agitation Department, teachers and medical workers is given. In the Altai region, Novosibirsk and Tomsk regions, a great influence on the spread of scientific atheism had the Society "Knowledge", the commission for monitoring compliance with legislation on religious cults, the regional Department of health, educational institutions. On the basis of archival materials in the study period there was a certain decrease in the role of atheistic propaganda, which also largely became abstract.