critiques and post modern

Question 1

what is Marx’s critique

Answer 1

sociological critique

Question 2

why is religion bad for Marx

Answer 2

religion is bad from society’s point of view

Question 3

why is religion bad for society for Marx (3)

Answer 3

religion exists to oppress people e.g. sinners

religion is an opiate, it keeps the working class under control;

allows hierarchy to pass through the monarchy, divine right of kings, no access to power for others

Question 4

what is Marx’s critique of religion to do with alienation (3)

Answer 4

alienation is more extreme under capitalism, workers don’t own what they produce

no freedom to influence company, workers are stuck doing repetitive actions and opiate exists to stop workers speaking out

similar to religion, offers not solution to those in poverty

Question 5

what is Marx’s critique of religion to do with religion as a distraction (4)

Answer 5

• focuses on promise of after life, not here and now, which is a distraction
• doesn’t focus on happiness or pain currently being felt
• created alienation derived from suffering
• doesn’t solve suffering, just offers support

Question 6

what is Marx’s critique of religion to do with abolishment of religion (3)

Answer 6

society would be more equal, communism

everyone owns everything equally

religion would play no part and would not need to be an opiate for the people

Question 7

quote about religion from Marx

Answer 7

religion is the sign of the oppressed creature,
the heart of the heartless world
and the soul of soulless conditions
it is the opium of the people

Question 8

what are two strengths of Marx

Answer 8

liberal
caters to all the classes

focuses on the now and equality

Question 9

what are two weaknesses of Marx

Answer 9

religion is not necessarily an instrument of oppression, e.g. liberation theology

early church aimed to help the poor

Question 10

what is Freud’s critique

Answer 10

psychological critique

Question 11

what is religious belief for freud

Answer 11

psychological construct

religion is an illusion based on wish fulfilment and a reaction against helplessness

Question 12

what does the human mind do in terms of religion for freud

Answer 12

human mind creates religious beliefs and images to satisfy longings and desires

Question 13

what does the mind contain in terms of religion for freud

Answer 13

mind contains unconscious parts we can’t normally access, but could
e.g. later surface as a neurotic illness

Question 14

what is religion a symptom of for freud

Answer 14

religion is a neurotic symptom being channelled out

‘universal obsessional neurosis’

Question 15

what is religion like for freud and how

Answer 15

like obsessive rituals
people with neurosis may feel guilty if not performing them
religious people perform rituals and feel guilty if not

Question 16

father idea from freud (4)

Answer 16

repressed trauma is invariably sexual in nature

religion needs derive from longing for a father - Oedipus complex

the mind keeps in the unconscious and represses children’s desires to have sexual relations with parent of opposite sex

and hatred towards parent of same sex with sexual access

Question 17

helpless idea from freud

Answer 17

children feel helpless in the face of danger

mankind crave protection from dangers within themselves and external world
e.g. justice in an unjust society, life after death

Question 18

quote about religion from freud

Answer 18

a bottom god is nothing more than an exhausted father

Question 19

strength of freud

Answer 19

initial ideas were revolutionary, parts make sense

Question 20

4 weaknesses of freud

Answer 20

manipulated evidence

oedipus/Electra complex excludes homosexuality etc, heteronormative

oedipus complex theory has been discredited

no evidence against God

Question 21

what is Dawkins’ critique

Answer 21

Atheism

Question 22

what is Dawkins’ stance on religion

Answer 22

strong militant atheist

anti-religion, thinks it’s dangerous and disruptive

Question 23

what is weak atheism

Answer 23

absence in belief of God

Question 24

what is agnostic

Answer 24

not enough evidence to prove existence

Question 25

what is confusing for Dawkins

Answer 25

the word 'God' is confusing, means different things for different people

Question 26

argument about danger from Dawkins

Answer 26

religion leads to violence | believers feel threatened by criticisms, leads to violence and irrational actions

Question 27

why does Dawkins criticise agnosticism

Answer 27

clear evidence for God not existing religion is the enemy of science if science were to explain away miracles, religion wouldn't exist

Question 28

why does Dawkins criticise arguments for the existence of God

Answer 28

proving God's existence is no more than a word game | evolution cancels out the idea of intelligent design

Question 29

quote about religion from Dawkins

Answer 29

when one suffers from a delusion, it is called insanity | when many people suffer from a delusion, it is called a religion

Question 30

what is a strength of Dawkins

Answer 30

favours actual evidence, violence e.g. crusades

Question 31

what is a weakness of Dawkins

Answer 31

scientific fundamentalism, thinks science can just replace religion doesn't always cause violence e.g. pacifism of Quakers

Question 32

what do post modern thinkers reject

Answer 32

post modern thinkers reject any assumption that an objective scientific understanding of reality is possible

Question 33

what is reality for post modern thinkers

Answer 33

a reflection of human understanding human mind creates personal reality reality is an interpretation

Question 34

problem of valid reality for PM thinkers

Answer 34

any explanation of reality that is valid for all groups/times/cultures is therefore not valid truth is relative to each person or to particular groups

Question 35

what's suspicious for post modern thinkers

Answer 35

any claim to absolute truth is suspicious atheism is just as untenable as theism unsupportive of religion

Question 36

what is a weakness of untenable religious views for all

Answer 36

doesn't allow for many views even science uses faith some scientific theories have been doubted a lot not absolute truth?

Question 37

what is religion for post modern thinkers 5

Answer 37

``` religion is a cultural phenomena we create in our own mind doesn't exist as a truth 'metanarrative' - Lyotard this somewhat allows for religion argue for pluralism ```

Question 38

what are post modern thinkers suspicious of, overview (3) + s & 2w

Answer 38

suspicious of religious institutions rather than personal beliefs and practice belief is personal presence not based on objective standards or moral absolutes no right to wrong, religions are just cultural constructs s respectful of multitude of views w dilutes religion doesn't give religious views any integrity - undermines authority

Question 39

strength of defence of religious belief

Answer 39

religious belief is part of the human psyche to look for explanations a shared natural idea to wonder why the universe was caused/created

Question 40

weakness of defence of religious belief

Answer 40

doesn't prove accuracies | furthers idea of wish fulfilment - Freud

Question 41

what does Keith Ward think about religious belief

Answer 41

religious belief is not harmful

Question 42

what is good about religion - Keith Ward (3)

Answer 42

played a part in the abolishment of slavery gives the poor opportunities and rights sets standards for moral behaviour

Question 43

criticism against what Keith Ward says is good about religion

Answer 43

other things set moral standards e.g. law, secular ethical theories Christianity also justifies. slavery and has contributed to violence (crusades)

Question 44

what does Keith Ward think about belief

Answer 44

belief in God is a natural belief | e.g. wandering about consequences of actions

Question 45

criticism of what Keith Ward think about belief

Answer 45

could say it's just a blik consequences could be a secular thing e.g. not wanting to go to jail

Question 46

what does religious belief provide people with | + weakness

Answer 46

religious belief provides people with answers | could be inaccurate answers, misinterpretation and not verifiable

Question 47

comparison of religious and scientific statements

Answer 47

they're different in kind overlap because both look at how the universe operates but they're distinct

Question 48

what is the difference. between s scientific and religious statements

Answer 48

different because they are dependant on faith, not evidence and findings