Freud

Freud's argument is that religion is an illusion based on human wishes. It is created by the mind to help us overcome; inner psychological conflict, stress stemming from the structure in society and fear of the dangers of the natural world.

• In certain circumstances, the human mind will create beliefs and images to satisdy its most basic longings and desires. This is the idea know as "Wish fulfilment"
• When Freud talked about "Illusion" but he did not mean that religion is false or that there is no God, but that is answers the inner needs of the person.
• Freud's theory demonstrated his view of the psychological purpose of religion.

Religion as an aid to overcome inner psychological conflict forms the main body of Freud's work on religion. Here's a summary;

• Religion is a form of neurotic illness
• It stems from the unconscious mind
• It results from incomplete repressed traumatic memories
• The trauma is invariably sexual in nature
• Therefore religion is an illusion resulting from sexual difficulties

In other words Freud believed that the minds solution to such trauma results in humans locking it…