Marxist Theories Of Religion Flashcards
What does Marx believe that religion operates as?
An ideological weapon used by the ruling class to legitimate the suffering of the poor as something inevitable and God-given
What is the Marxist view on religion?
Marxism sees religion as a feature only of a class divided society
Give an example from Christianity that justifies the position of the poor
It is easier to pass through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of heaven
How does Lenin describe religion?
He describes it as ‘spiritual gin’ - an intoxicant doled out to the masses by the ruling class to keep them in their place
How does religion legitimate the power and privilege of the dominant class?
It makes their position appear to be divinely ordained, for example the 16th century idea of the divine right of kings
Why does Marx see religion as the product of alienation?
He argues that under capitalism, workers are alienated because they do not own what they produce and have no control over the production process
What does Marx describe religion as?
The opium of the people which dulls the pain of exploitation and oppression
