Essay about Karl Marx and His View on Religion - 1186 Words

Karl Marx and His View on Religion Karl Marx, the founder and main advocator of his Marxist philosophy, wrote the Communist Manifesto in 1848. This document was the basis for all of his thoughts and ideas of the world at the time being. One of the major topics that he spoken on was how religion affected the society and how it was an institution that was not actually necessary to exist. Marxist VS Religion Marx saw religion as an evil that existed in society and that it brought down all the people that believed in that religion. Marx said that, ?It [religion] is the opium of the people,?[1] and in saying this, Marx meant that religion was contagious on society. Once†¦show more content†¦There was always constant separation between the different creeds and even conflicts between different sects of the same basic religion. ?For in so far as society is viewed as class divided and religion as a source of social stability, then it follows that religion is an instrument of class domination.?[3] In saying this, Marx means that religion does not accomplish what it was intended in doing, and not only has it failed in one of its true goals, but it has done a one-hundred eighty degree turn to do the opposite of its aim. People originally made up religions as a way of life, but Marx criticizes it no longer exists in this fashion. The state of religion that Marx hates is when the rel igions begin to make the man.[4] A major belief of any religion is the belief in the spiritual aspect of one?s life. Marx denounces this because anything spiritual is merely a surreal thought that has no relevant backing to it. ?Marx teaches that spiritual as well as physical faculties are inherent in the human body, that man is a product of nature and consists of natural elements changed into a human form.?[5] The physical aspect is the basic part of life is what Marx is trying to communicate here. Because everything physical is of nature and human beings are also part of nature, everything in the physical world is essential part of humanity.Show MoreRelatedMarxs Claim on Religion: Explanation, Analysis, and Problem1088 Words   |  4 PagesMarxs Claim on Religion: In the past few years, Karl Marx has been increasingly incorporated in general sociology though his ideas are briefly mentioned or totally ignored in certain specialties in the sociological field. One of the major sociological specialties where Marxs ideas have been briefly mentioned is the sociology of religion. 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