The opiate of the masses.

[Zorak]

We all know the famous line from Marx (not Engels apparantly, so I understand)

The line we all know is "Religion is the opium of the people", or similar. Contracted from the full line: "Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people."

Do you agree?
What do you think Marx means when he calls it the 'opium'?

At first glance it seems a pretty straight forward metaphor. But it's been open to different interpretation for years.

 

[porterjack]

the fallback
the excuse
the raison d'etre
the hope
the suffering
all encompassing

the one thing to submit to without fear

 

[Tangerine]

An self-induced haze to numb oneself from reality and provide a sense of calm and escape from a somewhat scary human existence.

 

[Pabst]

An self-induced haze to numb oneself from reality and provide a sense of calm and escape from a somewhat scary human existence.

i'd have to agree with this one.

in group therapy there was this phrase often said about leaving it in god's hands. no only YOU can really change your circumstances. saying things like "it's god's will" and shit like that when bad things happen for example is a way to remove oneself from the reality of the situation, when you do this you are numbed to the situation in a way. its a way of saying "i want someone else to deal with this instead".

that's what opium does, it removes you from reality so you dont have to deal with your circumstances.

hell that's what some people do with the government. they want the government do do it for them so they dont have to deal with it. it's a rather universal thing here.

 

[Peter Parka]

An self-induced haze to numb oneself from reality and provide a sense of calm and escape from a somewhat scary human existence.

This ^^^. Like drugs, religion gives people a false but nice, comforting sense of reality.

 

[Zorak]

It's been said, to modernise the phrase, it would be changed to "Religion is the morphine of the masses," or to put it in even more certain terms: "Religion is the paracetemol of the people"

 

[MoonOwl]

I dislike organized religions for this very reason. Checking your critical thinking skills at the door, which is required w/some of them, just doesn't appeal to me.

 

[Minor Axis]

Do you agree?
What do you think Marx means when he calls it the 'opium'?

Opium means as when drugged, critical thinking diminished. I don't agree with "religion as an opiate" as an all encompassing, 100% true statement. In many cases, yes, but you can't fairly condemn all those who seek spiritual meaning in their lives. What can be debated are the conclusions people reach.

 

[Zorak]

Opium means as when drugged, critical thinking diminished. I don't agree with "religion as an opiate" as an all encompassing, 100% true statement. In many cases, yes, but you can't fairly condemn all those who seek spiritual meaning in their lives. What can be debated are the conclusions people reach.

But scholars and philosphers used to smoke opium to keep them sharp later in the day. Confucious (sp?) was famous for this.

 

[edgray]

I think this refers to the specific effects of Opium - that of complete and total comfort and security. Opium takes away all your worries and leaves you in a dream world, totally detached from reality. I think that's the reference they were making.

Many artists and scholars and philosophers have used opium to inspire them. Many appreciate the dream world it takes you to and find inspiration there.

In general, I believe Marx was referring to the false comfort of the drug.

As an analogy, it's helpful for lots of things. Works great in reference to TV too...

 

[Minor Axis]

But scholars and philosphers used to smoke opium to keep them sharp later in the day. Confucious (sp?) was famous for this.

Hmmm. So opium does not make you muddled, it sharpens you up? Ok, maybe I ment, it's a high. Yeah, that's it!

 

[Hans]

I think opium is not the correct word at all. I feel that religion serves different motiviations for a lot of people, but the most common isnt out of desire, but necesity and fear. Although that is in my opinion an awful stance to believe in a religion, I feel that it is by far the most common.