The Opium of the People

"Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people" – Karl Marx

There is no doubt that religious sentiments and beliefs are becoming stronger and more polarised in today’s world. Whether it is militant Islam throughout the Middle East, Zionism in Israel, Buddhism in Sri Lanka or Hindutva in India, religious belief and dogma are becoming more and more significant. Strangely enough even as material prosperity increases almost universally mankind still seeks solace in the “opium of the people”.

Religion was invented to try to answer the basic questions of life that were not amenable to strictly logical thought. Why do we exist? and What happens to us after we die? Philosophical questions indeed. Worthy of examination by the keenest intellects. Unfortunately, answers to these questions even by the most erudite thinkers are full of circumlocution and obfuscation. The simple fact is that nobody knows the real answers to these questions. All inquiries are met with a dogmatic statement that “you need to have faith – mere logic will get you nowhere” The other unfortunate offshoot of this confusion is the creation of ritual. You need to pray 5 times a day facing in a particular direction in one religion while you need to pray to a particular god on Tuesdays for your wishes to be fulfilled in another! I ask you – can anything be more ridiculous? All this will get to Jannat, Nirvana, or Heaven – take your pick. The names differ but the premise is consistently absurd.

The real question is why is religion gaining ground? Marx has some pointers to the answer. The human condition, moral, spiritual and social is deteriorating. While we are better off materially our lives are becoming increasingly barren on all other parameters. We clutch at straws – the oily Hindu Godman or the wily Mullah who promises us salvation and a modicum of spiritual comfort in return for a ‘small’ consideration mainly in cash! We are like rabbits under the spell of the ferret who with his glistening greedy eyes is waiting to gobble us up.  

Strictly logical thought will not show you the way to heaven. But it will prevent you from acting irrationally. It will point you in the direction of ‘good’ behaviour, of being a rational human being with a mature and sensible outlook to your fellow men and society. In the ultimate analysis this is all we need. Religion and associated irrational behaviour needs to be curbed by society. By all means worship your gods in whatever fashion you want. But do it in the privacy of your own home and don’t let your behaviour impinge on others. Religion like opium is a pernicious social vice and if it has to be practiced let it be in within the four walls of your own space.