Marxist Theories of Religion Flashcards
Describe the Marxists view that religion is an ideology
- For Marx, ideology is a belief systems that distorts people perception of reality in a way that serves the RC.
- Religion operates as an ideology used by the RC to legitimate the suffering of the poor as something inevitable. Religion misleads the poor into believing that their suffering will be rewarded in the afterlife, creating a false consciousness
Give a quote that supports religion as an ideology
- Lenin describes religion as ‘spiritual gin’ given by the RC to the WC to confuse them.
- The RC use religion to manipulate the EX and keep them from attempting to overthrow.
How does religion legitimates the power of the RC?
- Religion legitimates the power for the RC by making their position appear to be divinely ordained.
- e.g.. in the 16c, people believed that the King was God’s representative on earth and is owed total obedience
Describe how religion is the product of alienation
- Alienation involves becoming separated from or losing control over something that one has produced or created.
- Under capitalism, workers are alienated as they don’t own the means of the production in which they work, so they have no freedom.
- In these conditions, the exploited turn to religion as a from of consolation
Describe how religion consoles the effects of alienation
- Marx argues that religion is an opiate that dulls the pain of exploitation. But this just masks the pain, so religion masks the underlying problem of exploitation.
- As religion is a distorted view of the world, it offeres no solutions. Instead, it promises an afterlife to create an illusion that distract from the true source of the suffering
- So, religion arises out the suffering from alienation
Give evaluation of Marxists theories of religion (ignores positive)
Marx ignores positive functions of religions, such as psychological adjustment to misfortune
- Neo-Marxists see certain forms as assisting, not hindering the development of class consciousness. e.g. activism in the USA.
Give evaluation of Marxists theories of religion (exposes religion)
It exposes how religion serves the interests of the powerful and points flaws in many of the major world religious fundamental teachings
