Landmarks is quoted:
At a very early age, while still a pupil in the ecclesiastical school, Comrade Stalin developed a critical mind and revolutionary sentiments. He began to read Darwin and became an atheist.
G. Glurdjidze, a boyhood friend of Stalin's, relates:
"I began to speak of God, Joseph heard me out, and after a moment's silence, said:
"'You know, they are fooling us, there is no God. . . .'
"I was astonished at these words, I had never heard anything like it before.
"'How can you say such things, Soso?' I exclaimed.
"'I'll lend you a book to read; it will show you that the world and all living things are quite different from what you imagine, and all this talk about God is sheer nonsense,' Joseph said.
"'What book is that?' I enquired.
"'Darwin. You must read it,' Joseph impressed on me" 1
I haven't read the book, but it is real. If the above is accurate would you all agree that Darwin had a foundational impact on Stalin?
"On many website including WorldNetDaily is the claim that Stalin became an atheist after reading Darwin as described in "Landmarks in the Life of Stalin" by E. Yaroslavsky published in Moscow in 1940-- the height of Stalin's rule for those who don't know history, so obviously with his endorsement."
And yet... there is no connection between anything Darwin wrote and communist ideology or practice. Another WND junk article.
"I haven't read the book, but it is real. If the above is accurate would you all agree that Darwin had a foundational impact on Stalin?"
Big if.
Lunatics say all kind of things. How about looking into the history of Baden Powell, founder of the Boy Scouts?
If I were trying to determine the influence of an idea, I would look to the influence on sane people, not the mentally ill.