In the Introduction to A Contribution to the Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right, Karl Marx expresses his opinion of religion as the “opiate of the people”. He refers that religions are just illusions made by man’s self-esteem and self-consciousness and they disturb people from living in real life. This is an extremely exaggerated, insensitive statement overall, but I think he made an agreeable point. If a person just practices religion to go to heaven when he dies, which it is totally fine considering the fact that no one wants to go to hell, it suggests that the person is living for the after life with lots of expectation, but not in the life progressing right now. He may be well prepared for the heaven that he sees someday, but the question is; is he missing something in his real life? Is he doing his best to live each day? People have been, still are, suffering from poverty, especially around the time of Marx. The people at the time died from hunger and thirst because they had no money to buy them. But the people still spent hours for praying and made donations to the God, who was not even saving their miserable situations. Therefore, Karl’s intention of criticizing religions may have come from his hope for the people not to waste their time on the God anymore and to work for their families to live. Since we were given lives, we have rights and responsibilities to fulfill them with our bests. That is the main point of the passage in my interpretation. I believe, however, his observation was not persuasive to everyone at the time because the people might have desperately needed something that they can relay on such as doctrine of Christianity or Judah. In short, Religion can be a guide that people follow and a belief that gives people hopes, but depending on the time and perspectives, it sometimes distract people from what they have to do in this moment.