Karl Marx :: essays research papers

According to Karl Marx, trust is like other cordial institutions in that it is dependent upon the material and economic realities in a presumptuousness society. It has no independent history instead it is the creature of productive forces. As Marx wrote, The religious world is exclusively the reflex of the real world. Religion arouse only be understood in relation to other amicable systems and the economic structures of society. In fact, religion is only dependent upon economics, nothing else so much so that the actual religious doctrines are almost irrelevant. This is a functionalist interpretation of religion understanding religion is dependent upon what social goal religion itself serves, not the content of its beliefs. Marxs opinion is that religion is an fast one that provides reasons and excuses to keep society functioning just as it is. Much as capitalism takes our productive labor and alienates us from its value, religion takes our highest ideals and aspirations and alienates us from them, intercommunicate them onto an alien and unknowable being c every last(predicate)ed a god. Marx has three reasons for disliking religion. First, it is irrational religion is a delusion and a worship of appearances that avoids recognizing underlying reality. Second, religion negates all that is dignified in a human being by edition them servile and more amenable to accepting the status quo. In the acquaint to his doctoral dissertation, Marx adopted as his motto the words of the Greek whizz Prometheus who defied the gods to bring fire to humanity I hate all gods, with gain that they do not recognize mans self-consciousness as the highest divinity. Third, religion is hypocritical. Although it might profess valuable principles, it sides with the oppressors. Jesus advocated helping the poor, but the Christian church merged with the oppressive Roman state, taking disjoint in the enslavement of people for centuries. In the Middle Ages the Catholic church buil ding preached about heaven, but acquired as much property and power as possible.