Is religion the opium (drug) of the people?

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   Pedro Moralesposted 9 years ago

   Karl Marx's intention in saying those words was not just to make a statement concerning the social impact of religion. His intention was to do away with religion.
   He failed to see that although institutionalized religion had become corrupt and power-hungry, many sincere people emerged that did their best to teach people that the real value in religious beliefs was in how much the faithful can take responsibility to deal with social issues of poverty, ignorance, an others.
   Karl Marx had been religious when he was growing up, even writing a beautiful poem about Jesus.  However, when he  saw the hypocrisy of the established religion he became very critical of it.

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2. 59

   cjhunsingerposted 9 years ago

   Is religion the opium (drug) of the people?
   
   In 1843 Karl Marx wrote that, "Religion was the opium of the people." Was it meant that the belief in gods, although not originally contrived to do so, but evolved, as a sedative to quite and to control people through this gods self appointed spokespersons, who were also representative of a government?
   Marx was really not the Atheist however, as he saw government, as omnipotent. The deification of a secular government, as opposed to the deification of a supernatural being.

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3. 73

   lone77starposted 9 years ago

   No, religion is the egoistic corruption of spirituality.
   
   Ego (self-concern) is the drug of the people.
   
   Karl Marx was fairly observant and slightly creative, but entirely blind on the subject of spirituality. This makes him far less than an expert. In fact, he was quite the dilettante on the subject as are all atheists and most believers.
   
   The only true religion (spirituality) is Love -- not the love of physical need, but pure altruism (without any self-concern or ego).

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4. 53

   Immanuvel Peterposted 9 years ago

   Yes it is according to Karl Marx but what we believe may be different from his view. I would admit his view for a certain reason, that religion makes people to believe that whatever happens is at god's will, either you are poor or rich its not because of you but it is god's will. So people sometimes take everything that happens as god's will and no more want to try in their life. That's what Karl Marx would say as a drug given by the religion. This of course will be seen by different understandings from the view of religions. It is god's will whatever happens on earth but the misunderstanding is that we too have to we need not do anything about it. That is not true. We should participate in god's will by working more efficiently. If this understanding is spread more than Karl Marx himself would not have said those words.

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      Immanuvel Peterposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      God and religion can never be understood in a social view of justice. It should be understood only by faith alone. Without faith we are sure to misunderstand everything about God. Not just I anyone who has faith will answer the same way I did.

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      cjhunsingerposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Immanuvel
      You have some valid points, but how is it that you are qualified to say that others misunderstand the message or intent of this god?

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   Antoine Van Hoveposted 9 years ago

   Basically, religion is a projection. Of our own divine nature, of the divine nature of everything. Be it that this nature is suppressed. The answer we come up with for that suppression, is what we call religion.
   We project the suppressed content into deities. God(s).
   It is our attempt to deal with fear. Primarily with fear of death.
   And we try to tell ourselves that rituals, and rules, and habits, and worship, will save us in some mysterious way. But one day we will outgrow it!

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