Karl Marx's Religious Criticism

How can one man’s “[truths]” and “illusions” be the same for the whole world? Karl Marx maintains that the “illusionary” world man creates to live in through religion separates man from his “true happiness” and “any true reality”. However, Marx’s argument does not include the faith that numerous peoples draw on in religion to find joy and peace. Although religious theories may contradict and overlap each other, Marx denies “true [realities]” of all religions- the strength of a people to trust one truth together, and the “real happiness” a religious life can in fact cause in its people.

Faith is the backbone of most religions, and an attribute that cannot exist in a world that, according to Marx, “requires illusion”. Without faith in a common idea or “[truth]”, a group of people cannot successfully agree and form a set religion or following. Without a common faith or goal, what “society” could “produce religion” and last? Religion requires the blind trust of its followers in order to survive as a religion. Perhaps the “real happiness” Marx believes is denied from man is not estranged by religion, but whatever “suffering” religion causes is the struggle to maintain faith as a people.

A unified people that follow a religion do not, therefore, seem to be a group of individuals who have “lost [themselves]”, but a collective confident enough to establish their own societies, and therefore forge their own “true [realities]” as a people. Marx decides a religious life to be lived in a “fantastic reality”; an “illusory” world fashioned to be “superhuman.” However, Marx’s favored “state” and “society” that the “disillusioned” man lives in are also functioning on an idyllic design. It cannot be said that any “state” or “society” in the world runs perfectly, but that systems are constantly being improved and modified to reach an ideal state. In this same way is a religious life practiced everyday for improvement toward an ideal state of being. Religion can in turn bring some “suffering“ and “happiness“ to people, just as “society“ “state“ are capable of doing. Therefore, religion, as well as “state” and “society”, can establish circumstances and “realities” for a group of people.

Although Marx presents a well-supported opinion on religion, it cannot be ignored that so many positive effects of religious life on the daily people- the real “man” that Marx speaks of. Surely the art, literature, philosophy and very “real happiness” religion can instill in an individual cannot all be denied as “[illusions].” Marx scoffs that religions is the “illusory happiness of the people”, but seems to be outnumbered thousands to one, as religious groups, cultures, ideas and “truths” continue to endure the ages.