RELIGION

Religion

Religion

Introduction

The history of the spiritual culture of evidence that religion has never completely did not possess the minds and hearts of people. In the spiritual culture of the society can provide the scope - and on the theoretical level and at the level of everyday consciousness - and opposed to religion or some of its ideas. As a real knowledge of natural and social world opposition to religion as the illusory form of development of the world as manifested in the ideology of some social movements, and in various spheres of culture and philosophy.

The transition from religion to atheism and in the historical and logical plan is not some one-time jump, using a dialectical notion of intermediate links; we can say that "space" between religion and atheism finds various forms of critical attitude towards religion, explicit and implicit, informed, and timidly doubter, irreligious and not free from religious concepts. The terms designating the opposition of religion or her individual ideas are widespread in the scientific literature: "dissent", "criticism of religion", "free thinking", "atheism", "anti-religious skepticism," "secularism", "religious indifference", "religious nihilism" etc.

Religion was an important theme for Marx, Durkheim and Weber.

Religion as a social phenomenon Karl Marx (1818-1883)

Also dealt with religion in its interactions with society, but in his understanding it was not the interaction between two independently existing values.

Marx came, in fact the first time, to religion as a social phenomenon, by its nature is included in the system of social relationships, relationships.

Religion is rooted in social structures; they should seek an explanation for religion, Representations of the supernatural, sacred generated by this framework: the religion lives on Earth, not Heaven. Understanding of religion as a social phenomenon also means understanding that it performs very real function in society, meets quite specific needs.

Religion as a social phenomenon is an objective factor, external and coercive manner affect people like any other public institution.

Definition of Religion, according to Marx

Religion - an add-on generating its economic base, a derivative of it. Its social function is that it is in some way interpreting the existing relationship, and does not produce them.

Religion is an ideology; it is the earliest, historically the first form. Its social function - the ideological function: it or justify, and thus legitimize the existing order, or condemns them, denies them the right to exist. It can fuel social conformity, serving as a brake on social development, or encourage social protest, playing a revolutionary role.

For nearly two millennia of Christian history, from the time of signing the word "altar and throne," when Christianity was recognized as the state religion of the Roman Empire in the IV., Its social principles justify the existing social order, the exploitation of man by man, as a divinely established order; reconciling with him, it promised compensation in the afterlife, and explained that "the kingdom of God is not of this world." Religion was in this sense "the opium of the people."

Central role in Marx's theory

Thesis about compensating played the ...