Question

Option #1

MARX AND EASTERN RELIGIONS

Professor Pals expresses the suspicion that Marx''s account of religion might better be understood as an account of "the essence of Christianity." You may recall that he reported a similar standard criticism of Freud to the effect that Freud's theory of religion seems drawn from reflection on the religions of the West. To what extent might Marx's account of religion be open to that same critique as Freud's?

Answer 1

Marx's account of religion is open to that same critique as Freud's;

Hence the Religious Experiences from Freud and Marx

Sigmund Freud (1856-1936)

• Freud’s criticism of religious experiences is similar to his criticism of Kant’s moral argument

• According to Freud religion is just wishful thinking

• The mind creates an illusion while attempting to deal with the ‘outside’ world

• According to him religion is a ‘universal obsessional neurosis’

• Religion is ‘neurotic illness’

• Religion is a way of coping with a chaotic and frightening world

• Religion is a consolation – i.e. a security blanket

• Like Marx; Freud saw religion as a means to suppress people

Karl Marx (1818-1883)

• Marx was a materialist philosopher – i.e. he believed only in the here and now!

• He believed that all human activity is rooted in economics

• Religion removes self-determination

• Religion serves capitalism

• People have needs – society is organized to meet those needs

• Society is organized to benefit the few

• Religion simply serves to maintain this system at the expense of the people

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