Religion: Opiate of the Masses

[Infrazael]

Do you believe religion is the opiate of the masses?

[slipthejab]

Something has to keep them doped. :D

[Strafio]

Perhaps it to be. Nowdays it's TV.

There's too many competing secular religions to let them be opiate. Infact, some of them are coming close to being amphetamine...

[Infrazael]

I thought Acid might be more fitting since it just screws up everyone's perspectives.

but on a more serious note, what do you think.

[tekkengod]

Most definately, that is after all what it was designed for.

[Humblebee]

Do you mean all religion or certain ones because i dont think taoism or Buddhism could be put in that bracket.

[Strafio]

Well, "Buddhist Tradition" has kind of become a religion in itself in some places.
Nowdays TV and computers games are the opiates.
I think Acid was a good one. :D
I think you could also compare it to ectasy if you meet certain religious people - ectasy that's good for your health and has no comedown (well, if you're proved wrong maybe, but can that happen in this lifetime? And with Buddhists/Taoists there's nothing to disprove...) - makes you wonder why everyone isn't taking it! :)

I was going to say that the days of religion being used as an opiate in the west has passed but the Neo Con's seem to be applying it quite well in America.

[CosmicFish]

Most definately, that is after all what it was designed for.
*Designed*? Who by, God? ;)

[simonlarcombe]

Do you believe religion is the opiate of the masses?

You're having a laugh mate. People fight because of religion? Interesting parallel though, maybe your right. It's a point of interest, like politics. It helps govern the world, unfurtunately... like politics.

Perhaps drugs, politics and religion have more in common than you might think.

Acid is dangerous, it can really screw up your mind. Ecstasy does have a come-down, it released a great deal of ceratonim into your blood stream. The next day your ceratonim level is very low and you can suffer temporary depression. Some people experience permanent depression after prolonged use of ecstasy.

Interestingly. Vegetarian diet, drinking lots of water, light exersize and meditation can have a similar effect to ecstasy, in my experience. Trouble is I also like steak and beer :)

[Kwajman]

Boy this threads messed up already.

[tekkengod]

*Designed*? Who by, God? ;)

yea, the god of marketing.

[Davey Bones]

Do you believe religion is the opiate of the masses?


I'm with a lot of others. It's not religion, it's pop culture.

[aikiMac]

I'm with a lot of others. It's not religion, it's pop culture.
Naw, it's TV. Television is the opiate of the masses.

[tekkengod]

Naw, it's TV. Television is the opiate of the masses.

actually, i think your right.

[thepunisher]

Do you believe religion is the opiate of the masses?

Yeah, I think so. At least as an information fuelled medium it certainly seems to keep ppl believing and so tied to it. But another medium helping with this is the TV channels, especially in the US, with their preachers on TV.
So in effect, one medium is helping the other in tieing to and keeping ppl staying with it.

Christian

[Kwajman]

I personally think there is very little religion left that is as its founder intended. I mean there are so many religions that say will say for instance, "drinkings bad, but then a little bits okay". Or they hold their parishioners to one standard but then over look their ministers or priests behavior. One HUGE example, how many catholics supposedly follow the Popes teachings, but then use birth control?????? So much of religion is contradictory with itself, its confusing to me the older I get.

[Ular Sawa]

TV fits the modern "opiate of the masses" definition but what about sports? You'll find lots of sports fans that are more religious about their favorite team than religion. Religion or certain ones in different cultures can still be considered an opiate but would not be the only one.

[Jesh]

Football is THE opiate for the masses. (and I don't mean American football, because that isn't football at all :D)

Just watch next years World Cup in Germany, and pay close attention to all the people dressed in orange.

[Joe_GA]

I certainly think that religion can function as an opiate. I know of two contexts in which that expression, "religion is the opiate of the masses" is used. The first, in a late 18th century poet named Novalis. Novalis was himself quite religious. But by calling religion an opiate, I believe he was referring to the tranquilizing effect that belief in afterlife has on people. I imagine that for many people, religion does function as that thing which guarantees that when they die, they'll have a nice place to go and live forever. I grew up in a family and culture where confession of belief in Jesus was sufficient to serve as a "Get out of Jail free" card. One could live one's life anyway that one wants. Religion was the icing on the cake.

In Marx, I believe the expression is used to point out that religion pacifies the masses so they will not revolt against the ruling powers. I would say this used to be true for most societies. I'm uncertain whether its true today, at least in western society.

[Strafio]

I still say TV/pop culture.
Look at all the bull that Tony Blair's been getting away with because everyone's more tuned into Big Brother/X Factor than real issues. Computer games are my opiate. When I get sucked into a good game the real world suddenly becomes really far away. A good book can have a similar effect but even the best book is a lot harder to get into and is over a lot more quickly than your average computer game.

[tekkengod]

Yeah, i'd have to say that Video Games are my opiate.

[jroe52]

I think opium, alcohol, cigs, coke and such are bigger problems. on the flip side, people that use religion to support problems they try to solve, also are not helping much.

thats like saying... we want immigrants that work, then block funds to educate/train them or teach them native languages 0.o

[Infrazael]

I think MAP is the Opiate of the Masses.

[Taff]

Football is THE opiate for the masses. (and I don't mean American football, because that isn't football at all :D)

Just watch next years World Cup in Germany, and pay close attention to all the people dressed in orange.

Yeah, people can get so obsessed with their local team, even if it's just a crappy bunch who get watched by one man and his dog each week.

[Infrazael]

MAP is opiate.

[Jesh]

MAP is opiate.

True...

OMG, I need rehab !!! :eek:

[Strafio]

I'd not played a proper computer game in nearly a month.
I see a friend playing Medievil:Total War and decide to borrow it for a while - play some historical strategy.

That was at around 8pm.
I lifted my head up and it had gone 5 oclock.
I overslept my 9am lecture that morning... :)

[Jesh]

That was at around 8pm.
I lifted my head up and it had gone 5 oclock.
I overslept my 9am lecture that morning... :)

Strafio needs some rehab too apparently... :D

[Strafio]

Meh! I did it 5 days in a row before I decided to give the game back to him and go cold turkey! :o

[baubin2]

Religion can be used as a sort of opiate. Certainly there are people out there who use their religion to comfort their woes or escape from their lives.

I think religion started as a tool to explain how the universe worked. There was no science to figure it out with yet; how else does one explain one's existence? But then it also became a tool. When people started to be officially recognized as authority figures within their religion (whatever it was), this gave them power over their fellow men. Sometimes, this power was used for good. Sometimes it wasn't.

Nowadays however, I believe that religion has become almost nothing BUT a tool and a drug. Politicians use religion to further their goals. Religious figures use their position to assert their opinions upon their followers. People follow religions in order to feel morally superior, or to make sure they go to heaven (or more to the point, avoid hell), or to comfort themselves in their bad situations or escape from those situations entirely.

Personally, I feel that religion is pointless, because it brings an unconsultable third party into play. This is God's will? Well how do you know? When did YOU get to go up and have a chat with God where he conveniently revealed to you in full His exact nature and His intentions for humanity? And if you haven't ever had this nice, convenient chat with God, then how can you go about prating that something is His will? Why would you even WANT to live your life constantly debating whether your actions are alright with, not only you and those around you, but with an invisible, unknowable, unconsultable third party that does not even for sure exist? Determining and then consistently sticking to one's OWN ideology and moral code is hard enough.

[Devoken]

It's not religion, it's pop culture.

Religion=The oldest form of popular culture.

But seriously, its amazing how often the two coincide these days. At least in my part of the world there is a massive surge in youth church membership, its the new rock n' roll. Christianity in particular is now so factionalized that you can find a Christian denomination to support any particular belief you might happen to have. This has led to the appearance of thousands of trendy new-age religions on the open market, not to mention the satiric religions like the flying spaghetti monster.

As for Karl Marx, he considered everything from religion to artistic pursuits to be but mere distractions: tools of oppression utalized by the bourgeoisie. That would probably include Martial Arts aswell. :D

[tekkengod]

I think the flying spaghetti monster is a good idea.
It just makes my day when other religious groups, be it islam/catholicisim, or christianity. when they see what FSM is saying and critisize it. well guess what, its equally plausable.

[Devoken]

You just like the idea of being "touched by his noodly appendage", you wierdo. :D

[tekkengod]

You just like the idea of being "touched by his noodly appendage", you wierdo. :D


ya know i DO have a fetish for pasta :D

[Stuart H]

I think the flying spaghetti monster is a good idea.
It just makes my day when other religious groups, be it islam/catholicisim, or christianity. when they see what FSM is saying and critisize it. well guess what, its equally plausable.

I wasn't aware Islam and Catholicism were part of the same religion :p

[tekkengod]

LOL, well it was just an example

[kiaiki]

There are so many roots (Zoroastranism, vedic religions etc.) which feed the extant religions that at the end of the day, I have to fall back on my Buddhism to explain what is awry. If everything is an 'appearance to mind' which we all experience, surely there are as many religions as there are minds, so tolerance and compassion are required, since nobody may every agree totally with anyone else!

We get problems when mass hysteria and greed influence groups to act against others after indoctrination against a perceived threat. The old adage that 'right is might' is surely on the tongues of Bush, Blair AND the leaders of the countries they oppose.

Religion is not the 'opium of the masses' - sadly, hatred seems to have that crown in recent times. :(

[Jesh]

I think the flying spaghetti monster is a good idea.

It's got my vote too... :D

[Devoken]

Pasta fetishes all round then eh? :D

[Peacemaker]

I'd not played a proper computer game in nearly a month.
I see a friend playing Medievil:Total War and decide to borrow it for a while - play some historical strategy.

That was at around 8pm.
I lifted my head up and it had gone 5 oclock.
I overslept my 9am lecture that morning... :)

Man, that game is awesome!!! I can understand your situation. :p

[Devoken]

I might get that game, its like $5 from the local. Well...$5 and then your soul once you start playing.

[Angelus]

Something has to keep them doped. :D
agreed. Ruins way too many lives ....

[JayKayD]

I always thought calling people "the masses" was really pretentious.

[PASmith]

Depends if you count yourself as part of those masses.

[flyingplant]

Do you believe religion is the opiate of the masses?

Yes. Sadly, though, some people wouldn't adhere to moral codes if they didn't have eternal punishment as a consequence.

[medi]

Well I certainly believe in the resurrection now


*zing*

[Moosey]

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b91/Moose-kung-fu/altbwizard.gif

[Capt Ann]

Well I certainly believe in the resurrection now


*zing*Three stars!

(Good catch, Medi!)

[LJoll]

I always thought calling people "the masses" was really pretentious.

I think the actual quote is "opium of the people".

[Stuart H]

The Marxist view of religion as an opiate is outdated. Much more sophisticated theories on the origin of religion now exist - Pascal Boyer and Richard Dawkins would be excellent starting points.