Marx’s Valid Point

As I read about Frazer, Freud, Durkheim, and Marx, I begin to rethink my faith.  Is what I believe true?  If it is, how can I be sure?  All four of these theorists have some valid points.  The one theorist that has really interested me though is Karl Marx.  He is the one that makes you think very literally about the world.

Karl Marx calls religion “pure illusion” on page 138 of the reading.  He does not sugar coat it or go around his point.  He believes religion is totally made up to provide reasons (or excuses) for keeping things in society the way they are.  This gives a reason for the upper class to stay rich and the lower class to stay oppressed.  If you think about it, this can make very good sense.  Even all of the middle class has at times wondered why they are not the upper class and why they can’t get there.  They are still somewhat oppressed.  Religion can explain this for them.

Karl Marx’s point about religion being reasons for the oppressed to stay oppressed raises a greater thought in my head.  Even the upper class has troubles in their lives.  It may not be financial troubles in their lives, but all human beings at some point have emotional set backs.  If we didn’t, we would be robots.  So what Marx’s theory prompts in my head is a question away from economic struggles.  Do we just create religion to have answers, reasons, and excuses for all of our set backs?  Marx brings this point out to me the most because he is the theorist that makes it most clear that religion is just an illusion.  Is there a reason for everything, or do we just make up fake reasons for everything that happens in the world?  If you start thinking this way, you might scare yourself.  You start to have a feeling of emptiness, like everything you have ever believed is false.

Marx definitely raises an interesting point that makes you rethink what you believe.  I don’t really believe all religions are illusion (although I do think some are), but this point makes me think of why I believe what I believe.  It has somewhat strengthened my reasons for keeping my faith.  If you read deeply into these theorists’ definitions of religion, you find that you either start to lose your beliefs or really strengthen them.