Marxist Theory of Religion
- Created by: Priya Bharadwaj
- Created on: 09-01-16 17:57
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- Marxist Theories of Religion
- Religion as an IDEOLOGY
- Religion serves to reflect the ruling class ideas and interests.
- Legitimate the power & privileged of the dominant class by making their position appear to be divinely ordinary.
- Disobedience - illegal + sinful challenge to God's authority.
- Lenin - describes religion as "SPIRITUAL GIN" which confuses the W/C & keeps them in place.
- Manipulates them from attempting to overthrow capitalism by creating a "mystical fog" that obscures reality.
- Creates FALSE Consciousness - distorts view of reality which prevents the poor from changing their situation.
- Controls economic production and distribution of ideas through institutions such as religion and media.
- Religion & ALIENATION
- Fellerbach saw the characteristics of God as nothing & the characteristics of man are projected beyond man into fatalism realm whom are thought to lead an independent existance.
- ENGLES said that religion is nothing but the fatalistic reflection in men's mind of those external forces which control their daily life.
- Marx sees religion as a product of alienation. (being seperated from or loosing control over something that one has produced or created.)
- The nature of work in a capitalisy society cuts the worker off from themselves, others, their work and what they produce.
- Untitled
- CRITISISMS
- Ignores positive functions of religion such as psychological adjustment to misfortune.
- Some Marxists like Aluthesser reject the concept of alienation as unscientific. Makes the concept as inadequate basis of theory of religion
- Ideological manipulation can only explain why it takes certain emphasis and interpretations.
- It is not a comprehensive analysis of religion.
- Aluthesser stated that religion is an ideological state apparatus which spreads hegemony.
- Religion as an IDEOLOGY
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