I vaguely remember that Soviet Union had a tendency of sending some political opponents in psychiatric wards to be treated as mentally ill.

Does anyone know if there have been studies or reports that indicate whether this sort of technique works in the long run? In addition to it being inhumane, I can see it going two completely different ways: either getting rid of political opponents/Muslims/... or fostering revolution/martyrdom.

You should understand that communism is and very likely will always be the ONLY religion allowed in the People's Republic of China.

I guess it's a matter of picking your poison

In this case, you don't get to pick, the party picks it for you.

The party, your parents, the culture you grew up in ...

Does it make that big of a difference in the end?

In all cases, someone else picks how to best indoctrinate you.

If you can change your beliefs without being incarcerated for that, it's a BIG difference. My parents and culture where I've grown up are highly catholic, yet I'm not being persecuted for being atheist.

However many cultures do/did do exactly that. Is it still better than the state prescribing it? Probably.

Depending on where you live you can always choose to change the religion you were raised with. Don’t like being Christian? Become a Muslim. Not happy with Islam? Why not try Buddhism? Don’t want a religion? That’s fine, too.

Not everyone has the option to make those sorts of choices without being imprisoned or killed.

> "Don’t like being Christian?"

Besides the places where that's not really an option, you're assuming that's even an idea than can actually pop in anyone's head.

I content that for a sizable fraction people, it's not: they're handed an "operator's manual on how to live one's life well" early on, and the very notion that you can question the manual is darn near impossible to digest.

Yes difficult but not impossible. It's easier to not question things, so many won't. Was raised Christian with the idea that being anything else was being "lost". At one point, truly believed.

Eventually found my way out, despite psychological difficulty (fear of hell, etc) built in to the system to keep me in.

I know, even in the US, there are a number of people that have personally left the faith but hide this fact, still attend church, etc. just because of the communities, families, etc and so forth they are in would not react well.

But comparing all of that to state persecution is still a bit off, IMHO. The power dynamic is very different when a government is involved.