Marx Response Paper - Lei

Marx's quotation that "[religion] is the opium of the people" is misinterpreted to imply a condemnation of religion as an evil drug and a casting aside of religious people as those who are foolish enough to become addicted. On the contrary, Marx understands the reasons for religion's emergence and in his works empowers the religious people to become more self-reliant.

Among the many epithets Marx gives religion, a few, such as "encyclopedic compendium", "moral sanction", and "the self-consciousness and self-esteem of man who has either not yet won through to himself" show that Marx views religion as a belief system necessary to fill a void which would or should in time be replaced by scientific knowledge, personal morality, and understanding of oneself. Additionally, religion was not created by Man as an individual, but rather rose out of "state and society," relieving the onus of responsibility from the Man by making religion a byproduct of society.

Criticism of religion is by no means a criticism of the man who has faith in that religion. Rather, it is the leveraging of real happiness founded in concrete truths over the "illusory happiness" of religion. It is not possible to force people to abandon religion, but the search for true happiness must result in the abolition of religion. The difficulty in disillusioning Man of religion is that, frequently, religion has caused problems that can only be remedied with more religion. Therein lies the real meaning of Marx's comparison of religion to opium. Religion began as a way to mediate between oneself and society, but has become in modern times a cause of self-estrangement. Once one is free from under the yoke of religion, one is free to think and act for himself and to "move around himself as his own true Sun".

Marx's view of religion is still pertinent today as sociologists and anthropologist uncover more of the commonalities between modern religions and as the notion that religion is not necessary to humanity gains ground. The usefulness of religion will diminish as Man seeks to have the real experience.