Secular Thinkers

Question 1

Durkheim was not interested in the concept of God itself but instead…

Answer 1

He was interested in how religion in its many forms (including those without concept of God) functioned.

Question 2

What was Durkheim called due to his interest in the workings of religion?

Answer 2

He was called a ‘functionalist sociologist’.

Question 3

What did Durkheim believe religion gave society?

Answer 3

Social cohesion, collective conscience, values and norms.

Question 4

What was Durkheim’s concept of collective consciousness?

Answer 4

Shared ideas that make social life possible.

Question 5

For Durkheim, how is religion social?

Answer 5

Occurs in a social context and when people celebrate sacred things they unwittingly celebrate the power of society.

Question 6

What is Durkheim’s definition of sacred?

Answer 6

Holy and special; religion explains the sacred.

Question 7

What is Durkheim’s definition of profane?

Answer 7

Not holy, non-significant; science explains the profane.

Question 8

What are the positives of Durkheim’s view?

Answer 8

Shows a moral dimension to social relationships based on religious beliefs.

Question 9

What are the negatives of Durkheim’s view?

Answer 9

Marxist and feminist criticism; no ‘dark side’ to functionalist analysis, doesn’t address religions leading to oppression, etc.

Question 10

Marx saw religion as an aspect of what?

Answer 10

An aspect of ideology, rather than important in it’s own right.

Question 11

How did Marx believe that religion negatively affected the workers?

Answer 11

Religion was one way in which their alienation was alleviated, focused on rewards in the afterlife.

Question 12

How did religion effect the bourgeoisie?

Answer 12

Religion acted as a cloak of respectability behind which they pursued profit at the expense of the workers.

Question 13

What are the negatives of Marxism?

Answer 13

Dismisses the reality of sincere religious feelings that individuals experience, monocausal.

Question 14

How would Marxists criticise the functionalist view?

Answer 14

Disagree that religion is a unifying force that strengthens the value and consensus of societies.

Question 15

For Marx, where is the only place religion is a feature of?

Answer 15

Only of class-divided societies.

Question 16

Under what condition did Marx argue that religion would disappear?

Answer 16

In a communist society, as the oppressive conditions would have disappeared (this is ideological as communist societies can still be oppressive).

Question 17

What were Marx’s views of God?

Answer 17

Did not actually produce philosophical arguments against God, but started on the idea that God is an anthropomorphic invention.

Question 18

Possible responses to Marx’s challenges?

Answer 18

Theory must be accepted on faith alone, monocausal, deterministic.

Question 19

What were Freud’s views on religion?

Answer 19

A stage of human development, ‘universal obsessional neurosis’, addresses fears about the world, neurotic illness from unconscious mind, repressed sexual memories, caused by childish needs for a father figure.

Question 20

How did Freud’s views challenge believers?

Answer 20

Suggested religion is an illusion, a ‘sign of sickness rather than health’.

Question 21

How might believers challenge Freud’s theory?

Answer 21

Freud cannot justify Gods from non-Abrahamic religions, matriarchal religions, or religions without a God, such as Buddhism. It is reductionist.

Question 22

What is one challenge to Freud’s idea of the ‘sick mind’ of the religious person?

Answer 22

Religion may appeal to people with problems, but this does not deny the value of the religion. Rather, it shows why religion is needed.

Question 23

What were Dawkins’ views of religion?

Answer 23

Atheist, Darwinian evolutionist, against creationism.

Question 24

How did Dawkins believe God effected society?

Answer 24

Do not need religion to be moral; roots of morality can have a Darwinian explanation; altruistic genes, selected in the EEA, gives people natural empathy.

Question 25

How do Dawkins’ views challenge believers?

Answer 25

Directly argues against Creationists.

Question 26

What are some counter arguments to Dawkins’ claims?

Answer 26

Religion answers the why, science answers the how. Not a true empiricist; instead he is a fundamentalist as is not open to any falsification.

Question 27

How did Marx define God?

Answer 27

An ‘anthropomorphic invention’.

Question 28

What was the function of Marx’s God?

Answer 28

A socially constructed illusion which imposes oppression through authoritative control.

Question 29

What did Marx argue was the true governing force of the world?

Answer 29

It’s economic, with whoever controls it being able to influence society.

Question 30

What was Marx’s concept of God?

Answer 30

A way to blur the truth, this God has little actual influence on society; it is only used as a tool for oppression.

Question 31

How did Marx compare Protestant Christianity to Capitalism?

Answer 31

Both identify the possession of wealth as a positive sign of God.

Question 32

What was the role of Marx’s God?

Answer 32

Fear for uneducated and vulnerable people; through compliance with religious doctrines, authorities would be able to control the people.

Question 33

How does Marx’s concept of God help people cope in times of misery?

Answer 33

Gives future hope, but this can be a dangerous illusion, blinds people from the true evils of life.

Question 34

What did Marx propose the role of God SHOULD be?

Answer 34

To help people stand up to this oppression.

Question 35

How could this Marxist concept of a role of God; ‘the more man puts into God, the less he keeps for himself’, be interpreted both positively and negatively?

Answer 35

Positive: discourages capitalist values (profit and self-gain).
Negative: makes the oppressed give up what they have, worsening their position in society.

Question 36

How are Marx’s views influential?

Answer 36

In Christianity; reminded Christians about the evils of wealth and church’s support for unjust decisions.
Also influenced liberation theology.

Question 37

For Freud what are the 3 main roles of God?

Answer 37

1. Give comfort in times of suffering.
2. Provide a balance to the suffering.
3. Bring co-existence to the concepts of life and death.

Question 38

For Freud, what is the purpose of worship?

Answer 38

To intensify neurosis and reduce vulnerability.

Question 39

What gives strength to Freud’s view?

Answer 39

Some link between religion and neurosis does exist, eg. the Christian tendency to repress sexual feelings.