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Why did Marx believe that religion is an expression of human self-consciousness? Do you know the reason behind it?
Karl Marx, the 19th-century German philosopher and founder and leading theorist of Marxism, has always been notable for his views on religion. He once described religion as "a soul without soul conditions" and "the opium of the people." Marx believed that in this world full of exploitation, religion is not only a manifestation of pain, but also a protest against real suffering. In his theory, religion exists because of social oppression, and when this oppressive situation disappears, religion is no longer necessary.
"Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, the soul of soulless conditions."
Marx believed that religion could be seen to some extent as a protest of the working class against poor economic conditions and their resistance to alienation. These views of Marx were later expanded and explored by scholars. For example, Denys Turner believes that Marx's views belong to Post-Theism, which believes that the worship of gods is the spiritual development of human history. The idea of a temporarily necessary stage in the process.
"Religion is the universal theory of this world, and its logic exists in a popular form."
In the Marxist-Leninist understanding, all modern religions and churches are seen as "organs of bourgeois reaction" and "tools used to exploit and paralyze the working class." This view led some Marxist regimes in the 20th century, such as the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China, to implement policies of state atheism.
Marx and Engels' views on religion
Marx's views on religion were fully expressed in his "Critique of Hegel's Philosophy of Right". He pointed out:
This sentence means that religion is a reflection of human self-consciousness, and social conditions affect the existence and form of religion. Marx believed that religion was a response to the sufferings of the real world, not a simple transcendence."Man creates religion, not religion creates man."
Lenin and Stalin's views on religion
Lenin reiterated Marx's views in his writings and emphasized that religion is a product of oppression. He once said:
Although Lenin was critical of religion, he also allowed Christians within the party to participate in policy discussions."All modern religions and churches are regarded by Marxism as organs of bourgeois reaction."
Stalin emphasized his anti-religious stance in many public statements and pointed out the contradiction between religion and science. He believed that religion was a tool of oppression and exploitation, and that only by completely eliminating the influence of religion could the proletariat achieve substantial liberation.
Religious Phenomena in Marxist Countries
During the Soviet era, atheism became the mainstream ideology of the country and religious beliefs were suppressed, but a considerable proportion of the people still believed in Christianity or Islam. In Albania, Heja's government has declared the country non-religious and has taken strong measures to eliminate religious influence. In China, although religion was once severely cracked down on, attitudes toward religion have become more relaxed over time, and conditional religious freedom has gradually been implemented.
Marx's religious views made him deeply criticize the various inequalities and oppressions in the society at that time. He believed that only when society was liberated could religion be truly liberated. However, in the process of pursuing happiness and truth, can human beings really free themselves from religion and gain a deeper understanding of themselves?
