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Marxist Theory of
Religion
- Religion as Ideology
- Religion legitimises the suffering of poor as inevitable and
'God-given'. E.g. In Christianity "It is easier for a camel to
pass through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to
enter the kingdom of Heaven"
- Creates a 'false consciousness' - distorted view of
reality that prevents poor from trying to change.
- Lenin - Religion is 'spiritual gin'. Obscures
reality for working class to prevent them from
overthrowing ruing class
- Legitimates the power of ruling class as divine right. E.g, Royalty
is God's representation, making disobedience a sinful challenge
- Christianity: " To resist power is to resist God"
- Hindu 'Caste System'
- Christianity: " To resist power is to resist God"
- Religion legitimises the suffering of poor as inevitable and
'God-given'. E.g. In Christianity "It is easier for a camel to
pass through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to
enter the kingdom of Heaven"
- Religion and
Alienation
- Alienation is more extreme under capitalism:
workers do not own what they produce
- Workers have no freedom. Turn to
religion to dull the pain.
- "Religion is the opium of the people"
- No solution to the
problems on Earth
- Promises the afterlife as an illusion of a
solution
- Promises the afterlife as an illusion of a
solution
- "Religion is the opium of the people"
- Legitimises both the suffering of the poor
and power of the ruling class
- Alienation is more extreme under capitalism:
workers do not own what they produce
- Evaluation
- Ignores positives such as psychological
adjustment to misfortune
- Some Marxists see alienation as
'non-scientific' and therefore inadequate
theory. E,g. Althusser (1971).
- Abercrombie and Turner (1978) - Religion is ineffective
as ideology. E.g. Pre-capitalist Christianity had limited
impact on peasants.
- Ignores positives such as psychological
adjustment to misfortune
- In communist society, religion ceases to
exist because there is no need for it
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