Marxist view of religion Flashcards
View of religion from
Base superstructure- class conflict shapes religion
religion is used to maintain dominance of the ruling class
-rich people made up religion
-religion has justified class inequality through feudalism
-god supports the rich and monarchy
religion is used to fight back against the ruling class
-religion has inspired rebellion
-Voodoo inspired the subordinate class to rebel but voodoo became oppression
Marx
-not asking for religion to help but asking for a better life
-its the opium of the people
Lenin
described religion as ‘spiritual gin’ - an intoxicant doled out to the masses by the ruling class to confuse them and to keep them in their place
alienation
-religion is a product of this
-argues that religion acts as an opiate to dull the pain of exploitation
-masks the pain with the promise of the afterlife
Althusser: alienation
-rejects the concept of alienation as it’s unscientific and based on romantic idea that human beings have a ‘true self’
-religion doesn’t necessarily function effectively as an ideology to control the population
evaluation : positive
shows how religion is used to exploit the subordinate and creates a flase consciousness
evaluation : negative
ignores the positive outcomes of religion: psychological, adjustment to misfortune