Marxism, Neo Marxism & Postmodernism Flashcards
Marxist Perspective
“it is the opium of the ppl”
= conserv force - primary function = reproduce, maintain & justify class inequals = ISA serving Bour interests
Opium of the masses
dulls pain of exploitation & = temp high through promises of better afterlife to distract from exploitation
gives distorted world view no solus to suffering
Legitimates Inequality
Religion as an Ideology
suggests poor suffering = inevitable & god given - religion misleads into believing will be rewarded in next life - camel through needle
Legitimates the power of the Ruling Class
Religion as an Ideology
religion teachings encour idea soc = org by gods will
Spiritual Gin - Lenin
Religion as an Ideology
religion doled out to masses by rich & powerful to keep order - keeps confused & in place
L believed used to manip & prevent overthrowing ruling class - obscures reality
Suffering as a test of faith
makes virtue out of suffering - make poor seem more godly - camel
Existential Security
can offer hope of supernatural intervention to solve probs - makes it seem useless to try improve situ
Promises Afterlife
gives something to look forward to - easier to put up with misery
Engels (1975)
‘the history of Christianity has notable points of resemblense w/ the mod WC movement. Like the latter Christianity was originally a movement of oppressed ppl’
Leech
Supporters of Marxist View
critical of CofE bc recruits from UC base = extremely wealthy - lost contact w/ ordinary ppl should be doing m to = accessible
Halvey (1927)
Supporters of Marxist View
methodist relig played key role in preventing WC rev in C19 m other Eur nations exper some attempt at soc change not GB - expressed by disserting CofE for Meth = distracted from class grievences - inhib maj soc change & upheaval
Hook (1990)
Supporters of Marxist View
pope has v conserv views on contraception, abortion, homosexuality, & female priests - shared by predessessor - stance on contraception = causing issues in less developed areas
wealth of ch should do m to tackle world pov
Criticisms of Marxist Approach
failed to explain existence of relig where it does not appear to contrib to oppression of a particular class
some religion movements have brought about radical soc change & helped remove ruling class - can legit radical ideas as well as conservative ones
Neo marxists recog the way religion is sometimes used as the only means to oppose the ruling class
Neo Marxism
talk about the apparent indepen of cul institus = rela autom argue = m affective as RC aren’t directly involv but econ power of RC will always control
Otto Manduro
religion can = rev force - relig ideas & rad cler fight for p’s & w’s in situ when no alt cler can give guidance
Gramsci
didn’t think = inevi that Ch sup RC interests
can develop to sup & challenge RC - not directly controlled
Lowry
NM Evaluation
questions Marx’s view relig always legits soc inequal
other M’s agree can bring about soc change - depends on definition of soc change
Changes to Religion due to Postmodernity
role of ch = less direct - ppl no longer go to ch just bc = expected = dec attendence - doesn’t mean dec faith - could = private
also acting as form of iden - in PM soc trad gender, sexuality etc = m fluid
David Lyon
Postmodernism
Jesus in Disneyland (2001) - relig = disembedded in post-mod soc - no longer embedded in relig orgs / a particular country/cul - beliefs not in original context
pick & mix belief systems
relig appearing in unexpected places eg Disney - relig becomes matter of choice - shouldn’t be viewed in terms of obligation but in consumption
Implications for Metanarratives
Postmodernism
ideas about changes to relig have impact on funcs described by Func, M & Fem
if relig not about a shared set of beliefs = private indu beliefs then cannot lead to col con
if relig = about meeting needs & wants as a product to = consumed rather than putting obligations on believers then won’t ensure discipline & control
ppl worshipping an individualised privatised relig are not worshiping soc
Lyotard - Monopoly of Truth
Postmodernism
rejects metanarratives - macro mod theories like M & scientific theories - meaning relig = another narrative
to undermine & minimise relig = a challenge to secularisation theory - says relig truths are as true as scientific ones
the idea ppl can chose their own truths = another factor in resacrilisation of soc
Holistic Milieu
Postmodernism
consump of relig fits w/ idea of holistic milieu & nature of New Age relig movements
companies sell spirituality as a commodity
tech = maj factor - internet has taken relig out of chs - now TV & websites = m privitised - Davie ‘believing w/o belonging’
Sociology = Ethnocentric
Evaluation of Postmodernism
Berger - sec theory = eurocentric & relig = growing in other parts of world
post-mod socios neglect for these relig ppl relig is still mainly trad & doing trad funcs
eg Islam not disembedded in Islamic world from mosque/ trad context - same for many Christians in Africa & Latin America - some argue sec thoery = wrong bc relig has stayed the same in many areas
Lyon Overstates Internet NBance
Evaluation of Postmodernism
whilst Televengelism & Youtube preachers = example of relig changing NBance could = overstated - m will still go to church - marketed to relig audience
like public address systems created bigger congregations & bigger churches being addressed - mod tech extends reach of relig message - doesn’t necessarily change fundmental nature of the message/meaning to audience
Evaluation of Postmodernism
= evidence in western liberal democs sec theory = accurate
although = inc in New Age movements don’t challenge the pop of maj religs / atheism - many who consume = happy to consider selves christian / non relig
those ‘believing w/o belonging’ & worshipping vicariously through professional clergy might as well not really believe much at all - Bruce
