Marxist Theories of Religion Flashcards
What is religion a feature of?
A class divided society
Religion’s function (regarding the poor)
It is an ideological weapon used to legitimate the suffering of the poor into something God-given e.g. Jesus being a carpenter creates a false class consciousness
“Opium of the masses”
Religion’s function regarding the ruling class
Legitimates the power of the ruling class by making it seem divinely ordained e.g. divine right of kings
Religion as a product of alienation
It soothes the pain of alienation and arises out of suffering without dealing with the cause of the suffering
Positive of this theory
Shows how religion may be used as a tool for oppression
Negative of this view
Althusser- alienation is unscientific and based on a romantic idea that humans have a true self
