Actually, the phrase is "religion is the opiate of the masses", a popular Karl Marx observation. This could be taken as truth to those who are particularly cynical about religion, faith, and the power these facets hold over most human societies. Many people see religion as a drug or sorts because of the way it captures people and in many cases changes their behavior. For example, if a person is a criminal and ends up in prison, they may have a religious experience and upon release may be "a different person" because their values and mores have changed drastically.
Religion may or may not be the opiate of the people. There are many who would argue that religion is not the opiate of the people. These are generally people of faith, individuals who believe. And there are those who believe that people with religious tendencies are "out of touch" with what is going on around them and/or are seeking a form of escape from reality.
"The opium of the people".
Karl Marx and his followers called religion the "opium of the people." He concluded religion is used by the upper class to give false hope to the lower class.
i believe freedom of speech and freedom of religion constitute a free society . ;) :D
Okay, well the opium wars did not help China's economy at all and the opium was still being trade. In 1899 the United States. declares the open door policy to China which means China has to open the door to every merchants in all nations
The opium war mainly began because of the British and China having an opium trade for tea. The British would get there tea if China got there opium. but the cause of the war was that china wouldn't accept opium anymore, and the british wern't okay with that.
Opium kills pain. Many religious people use religion as a drug to take away the pain of an unjust society.Opium also makes one dreamy and complacent--if one is happy on their drug, they don't want to make the needed changes in society.
The Opium wars ruined the Chinese functioning society
"The opium of the people".
You mean "opium of the people". Opium is a narcotic. It make people less analytical.
The phrase "opium of the masses" was coined by Karl Marx to describe religion as a tool used by the ruling class to keep the working class passive and content with their oppressed conditions. It suggests that religion can be used to distract and pacify people, preventing them from seeking social change.
Religion is a very important and integral part of Society. Without religion there is no Society
The earliest religion in society was animism.
A society without religion will be a ship in the ocean without compass and rudder.
The British Society for the Philosophy of Religion was created in 1993.
Society for the Scientific Study of Religion was created in 1949.
International Society for the Sociology of Religion was created in 1989.
Marx meant that religion functions as a tool for keeping the oppressed masses passive and content with their circumstances by offering a form of comfort and distraction. Just as opium can dull physical pain, religion can numb the psychological pain of exploitation and inequality, thus preventing people from seeking genuine solutions to their suffering.