Is Religion Really The Opiate of The Masses?

“Religion is the opiate of the masses”…….Karl Marx

Regardless of what you might think about Karl Marx, I thought it would be interesting to look at the logic and reasoning behind this sentiment. It is not my intention to single out any particular religion or belief, but rather focus on religion as a whole, and many of the ideas that are consistent with most forms of religion. I know this can be a touchy subject for some and I do not wish to step on anyone’s belief system, but I encourage you to read with an open mind and heart.

Human beings are unique to other forms of life in that we live with the uncomfortable truth that our lives will end at some point. Deep down we know that everyone we know and love will someday be gone and that we ourselves will grow old and die. Most of us carry this truth around as a conceptual idea. All you have to do is look at popular culture to see how much the fear of death influences our lives. There are vast amounts of products available to slow aging, live longer, or feel and look younger. There is a constant reminder that death or injury is ever present and safety is paramount. Now don’t get me wrong there is an obvious need to make sure activities and occupations are done safely and responsibly. What I am talking about is our tendency as humans to go overboard.

According to Dr. Karl Albrecht there are 5 basic fears we all have as humans.

1. EXTINCTION – Fear of annihilation or ceasing to exist. (Death)
2. MUTILATION – Fear of loss or damage to the body or body parts.
3. LOSS OF AUTONOMY – Fear of being trapped, imprisoned, paralyzed, restricted, smothered or controlled.
4. SEPARATION – Fear of rejection, abandonment, and loss of connectedness.
5. EGO – DEATH - Fear of humiliation, shame, or any other self-disapproval. Loss of the constructed self. (Dr. Karl Albrecht, Psychology Today, 2012)

The world is a very uncertain place and as humans we try both consciously and unconsciously to make it solid, predictable, and permanent. Of course this goes against what we see around us every day and creates a need to “solve” this dilemma.

Most of the major religions of the world attempt to solve this perceived problem. They address the issue by offering such things as eternal life, divine approval, or some kind of paradise or heaven; a place filled with love acceptance and belonging for all eternity as a reward or alternative to death. These promises require your belief and support of the doctrine, whatever that may be, to become fulfilled. These promises deal directly with basic human fears and offer a way to deal with life’s many uncertainties and disappointments.

There is a similarity between the relief offered through religion and belief and the relief others gain through drugs or alcohol. Both give an altered state of consciousness that gives one something to grab on to in order to dull the pain that is an inevitable part of the human condition. Both give a type of strategy for dealing with unpleasantness.

I would like to challenge everyone to a little thought experiment. Imagine for a moment that this is all there is. No afterlife or second chance. No reward to be collected. Everything and everyone you have ever known vanishing into nothing. No way to escape the inevitability of one’s own demise. Watch how you react to this. Is your mind struggling to justify your belief structure? Are your initial feelings ones of anxiety or fear? Or do you defiantly say I know my beliefs are sound and not even let yourself go there. Whatever your reaction to these thoughts see if you can just observe it without comment from your mind. It might open some doors for you or put you in touch with an aspect of yourself you never realized.

Religion, faith, and belief bring a lot of comfort and peace too many people, but I cannot help but see that it can also, like drugs or alcohol, be seen as a man-made response to a man-made problem.

Peace to all