Should the State enforce Atheism?

[civfanatic]

Should the State enforce atheism as the "official" viewpoint, as in the erstwhile Soviet Union?

Will such enforcement of atheism only push people away from it in the end, making such enforcement ultimately counter-productive?

I think we would all agree that it is better for people to become atheists voluntarily, by asking questions and doing their own research, rather than being indoctrinated to become an atheist by the government. But in societies where religious fundamentalism is rife, is forced atheism a better alternative then simply waiting for an "Enlightenment" than may never happen?

I am thinking of the case of Soviet Central Asia in particular. In 1920, an Uzbek women was stoned to death for singing in public and not wearing a veil. By the 1980s, Central Asian women were wearing bikinis, going to college, and working outside the home. I don't think anyone can deny that the region benefited from godless socialism and the eradication of religious dogmas. Unfortunately, religion has been making a comeback in the region since the fall of the U.S.S.R.