Karl Marx famously said "Religion is the opiate of the Masses".
Opiates can be used responsibly to help aid patients who are suffering severe
pain, but it can also be abused as a very addictive drug that can destroy
communities. Religion embodies both aspects. In the United states, religion is
often used as an excuse for hatred towards anybody and everybody. People wield
Religion as a weapon to oppress people of a different walk of life. This use of
Religion dates back to the early days of the United States. Religion was used as
an excuse for slavery, killing of Indians and other heinous crimes against
humanity. On the other hand, religion can be used to help people less fortunate
and other positive actions. Large charitable organizations such as Habitat for
Humanity are often started by religious groups. Religion often inspires hope and
structure to peoples lives, there is no doubt that Religion has done good for
many. Religion is just like government, money or resources. In the hands of the
right people with the right intentions Religion can be used for good, it can
also be used for evil.
i dont like this
ReplyDeleteWhy don't you like it?
DeleteDear Gabriel,
ReplyDeleteI like your thoughts on religion, and how it can be used and misused. I agree that in the right hands religion can be a helpful thing. My question is what about religion do you think, as well as politics, can be misused? I agree it can be misused, but what about religion or politics give someone the idea that it is ok to misuse it? I really enjoyed reading this.
Thanks,
Matthew
Thanks for your insightful comment Matthew. As far as politics go, it is also a double edge sword. Politics, and government in general can be used to properly distribute wealth, help the sick, and further the progress of the country. That being said, politics can also be used to satisfy personal interests and pander towards a specific minority (not necessarily an ethnicity) in order to simply win an election, not to further the good of the people. All of the previously discussed elements of society have the power to do good and evil, it just depends on who is in charge.
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ReplyDeleteHi Gabriel!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your post! The quote about Religion being the "opiate of the masses" is a really interesting way to present both the positive and negative effects religion has on our country. I completely agree with the comparison you make between religion, government, and money. Throughout history, people have used religious beliefs as a way to explain many terrible things, such as war and slavery, as you mentioned in your post. in many cases, the terrible things done in religious history are overlooked. In your opinion, has religion been more destructive to our community than it has been helpful? Do you think the patterns religion has followed in history will continue to get worse over time?
I really enjoyed your post!
Lauren
Thanks for the feed back Lauren! Humans made leaps and bounds over their primate relatives due to their ability to use tools. Religion, is a tool used by man. It is very unclear if man will learn how to properly use this tool as time moves on. Yes, we don't have government backed crusades, but we do have religious backed crusades against homosexuals and woman's rights. It could go both ways Lauren, really depends on how much faith you have in man as a whole, not just religion. T
DeleteHello Gabriel,
ReplyDeleteAfter reading your post, I would first like to congratulate you. This was truly excellent, and made me think about Religion in today's modern world. For so long, Religion has been used as a tool. Without a doubt, Religion has been used for bad through the Crusades, the European domination of the Americas, or the cause of World War 2. However, it also has been the cause of the Renaissance, a way of connecting the world, or to reach out the those less fortunate (An example being the Salvation Army). But, whether or not Religion has been good or bad, no person goes untouched by religion in some way or another.
In your opinion, has more good come from Religion than bad?
Once again, fantastic post,
Nathan (OES)
Thanks for the response Nathan. Sadly, Id have to say that more bad then good has come from religion. You could have an eon long debate on whether or not religion has helped or hurt more people, but in my mind hurting someone carries a lot more weight. It goes with out saying that religion does do good in this world, but some philosophies of certain religions can cause pain in suffering to many people. There is one thing in this world I am intolerant too, and it is intolerance. The act of putting down a person for the sexual orientation, gender or color of their skin because of your religious belief, is the most blasphemous act one can accomplish. I strongly believe that if religion has some how caused any one person to be discriminated, it negates any and all positive actions influenced by religion. I know this may be a little harsh, but I strongly believe that everyone should have the exact same rights, and any group that prevents this, does not hold a place in my heart.
DeleteNote: When I say religion I mean in general, and it would be erroneous to say that there are not plenty of religious groups that fight for equal rights for all.
Hey Gabriel,
ReplyDeleteI am fascinated by your explanation of how religion can actually be a bad thing sometimes. I have never thought of it that way,a dn it's really interesting to see how that fits in. Do you think that religion plays more of a positive or more of a negative role in society?
Thanks for the response! I answer that question in reply to FaustNathan and Lauren.
DeleteThis was an interesting read, and a great metaphor. I am a fairly religious person, going to church most Sundays. I have heard things like this before but you explained it in a better way. Although in my community we cannot start a civil war over religious beliefs there has been instances of conflict caused by not religion but the improper use of religion.
ReplyDeleteReligion is a very interesting topic upon many people. It's crazy how much religion has phased since back then. They used to use religion for everything and now-a-days there are people who could care less about anything. There are more atheists out there than there would every think to be before.
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