Religion is opium for the masses, right?

[HenryM]

It's ironic.

Isms have proven to be big opiums for the masses. Capitalism, socialism, communism, humanism, feminism, secularism, atheism etc. All opiums for the masses.

What else?

War is opium for the masses. Just research nations being led to hate other nations and living off hate and fear.

Or promise of technology for better humanity. Or sly tongue of propaganda. Or entertainment full of rock stars and pop stars and movie stars and sport stars. All opiums for the masses.

Granted, religion at large, which is idolatry, is opium for the masses too. But by now it's obvious masses are injected with one opium after another.

You know what's not opium for the masses, though? Christianity, as revealed in God's word, the Bible.

Jesus says take up your cross and follow me. What kind of opium is that? Most people don't want to hear that.

Jesus says give up all your possesion if you want to be my disciple. And He talks about not having where to lay his head at night. How many people are excited for that prospect? That's not opium.

Jesus says cut off your hand when it does wrong and take out your eye when it looks at evil. Who wants that?

Jesus died for our sins and rose again. That's not opium either. Most people don't think they are much sinnful in the first place, if at all. And of those that do, most want to work their way towards God to prove themselves. They don't want someone taking away their thunder.

Jesus reveals that "gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life and those who find it are few." Doesn't seem like he is talking about opium for the masses to me.

But, we live in an upside down world. Which Bible itself testifies about. So we can't really be surprised that truth is generally accepted as lie while lie is generally accepted as truth.

 

[Blessed Each Day]

Uninformed people say religion is opium for the masses, because it's easy to say, "Hey I'm a Christian because I said so, now I'm saved." That's now how it works. It takes a lot of work and self-sacrifice to truly want to walk closer in His footsteps, but no one wants to mention that.

A lot of (I'd presume younger high school/undergraduate philosophy students) will say that having a divine authority will regulate people who would otherwise tear society to shreds, but I could easily say, "The Steelers run America" and it would include about the same amount of logic behind it as the above statement. You make great points though, and please inform the next person you see who uses that ever-popular phrase. God bless you!

 

[Halbhh]

Uninformed people say religion is opium for the masses, because it's easy to say, "Hey I'm a Christian because I said so, now I'm saved." That's now how it works. It takes a lot of work and self-sacrifice to truly want to walk closer in His footsteps, but no one wants to mention that.

A lot of (I'd presume younger high school/undergraduate philosophy students) will say that having a divine authority will regulate people who would otherwise tear society to shreds, but I could easily say, "The Steelers run America" and it would include about the same amount of logic behind it as the above statement. You make great points though, and please inform the next person you see who uses that ever-popular phrase. God bless you!

There is a new usage for the old word "religion" in widespread use now which is quite different than the older definitions you can find in a dictionary. See how this new usage is very different than the older meaning we may have grown up with 20 or more years ago? As the OP is pointing out, Christianity is not 'religion' in that way (the fake religion if you like) at all. But, even 2,000 years ago James already was using careful adjectives to carefully single out what was real vs just 'religion' --
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (James chapter 1)

It's even more so now than when James wrote almost 2,000 years ago, that we want what is "pure and faultless", and not the 'opium'.

 

[Blessed Each Day]

There is a new usage for the old word "religion" in widespread use now which is quite different than the older definitions you can find in a dictionary. See how this new usage is very different than the older meaning we may have grown up with 20 or more years ago? As the OP is pointing out, Christianity is not 'religion' in that way (the fake religion if you like) at all. But, even 2,000 years ago James already was using careful adjectives to carefully single out what was real vs just 'religion' --
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (James chapter 1)

It's even more so now than when James wrote almost 2,000 years ago, that we want what is "pure and faultless", and not the 'opium'.

In my post I meant to say "That's not how it works" not "That's now how it works." You're right, people (whether intentionally or not) citing themselves as Christians, not making any effort however to further themselves in the study of His word seems to be prevalent. I'd add the religious institutions themselves that continue to corrupt His Word, which seems to be on the rise as well, and is often cited as "religion" nowadays, but great citation of James; he was on top of it over two millennia ago.

 

[Cearbhall]

Isms have proven to be big opiums for the masses. Capitalism, socialism, communism, humanism, feminism, secularism, atheism etc. All opiums for the masses.

How so? You seem to be broadening the meaning of the quote and suggesting that it refers to any institution or philosophy that might lead to groupthink. On the contrary, the focus of the "opium of the masses" criticism is specifically the way in which religion is sometimes used to make people feel content with the injustices that they face.

 

[HenryM]

Just to be clear, I don't think Jesus' commandments are conditions for salvation. I read them as rules to follow and be rewared accordingly, after salvation. Nevertheless, as salvation and opium goes, just to believe on Jesus Christ as a saviour who paid for one's sins is also not an attractive idea for the masses, I think. Might be because most people are too prideful for that.

 

[HenryM]

...the focus of the "opium of the masses" criticism is specifically the way in which religion is sometimes used to make people feel content with the injustices that they face.

Just like switching off in entertainment for who knows how many hours a day, biting propaganda and cursing the other side, believing on ism to provide the solution... those all make people feel content with the injustices that they face.

 

[Cearbhall]

Just like switching off in entertainment for who knows how many hours a day, biting propaganda and cursing the other side, believing on ism to provide the solution... those all make people feel content with the injustices that they face.

I don't see how you're piecing this argument together. That's incredibly abstract. Not to mention that half of the -isms that you listed are exactly the opposite of trying to make people content with injustice. If you have other problems with those social movements and schools of thought, fine, but this quote doesn't apply.

 

[HenryM]

That's incredibly abstract. Not to mention that half of the -isms that you listed are exactly the opposite of trying to make people content with injustice. If you have other problems with those social movements and schools of thought, fine, but this quote doesn't apply.

Ok, it's abstract to you. All those isms are surely opiums for the masses.

 

[Cearbhall]

Ok, it's abstract to you. All those isms are surely opiums for the masses.

Could you elaborate on your understanding of the quote, and perhaps also on what traits of an institution or movement lead you to consider it to be an appropriate application of the quote?

 

[nonaeroterraqueous]

Opium of the masses is religion.

It sounds like a parody of the original quote, but if you look at the sentence structure it's a simple equation. R = OM. Therefore OM = R. If enough people get hooked on the drug, then it becomes a religion. Broaden the drug to include anything that makes a person feel better, and enough people doing it makes it a religion. The "isms" are large groups of people doing things, not to make them feel worse, but to make them feel better. Hence, the isms are alternate non-Christian religions, of a sort. Ironically, Communism was one of those religions, according to the logic of Karl Marx, the father of Communism, who made that very quote, thinking he was condemning religion, while condemning his own ideology without even realizing it.

 

[Paulos23]

It is funny to see the circles of logic used to keep Christianity out of the group religion mentioned in the quote.

 

[lisah]

How so? You seem to be broadening the meaning of the quote and suggesting that it refers to any institution or philosophy that might lead to groupthink. On the contrary, the focus of the "opium of the masses" criticism is specifically the way in which religion is sometimes used to make people feel content with the injustices that they face.

Well, I don't think it used to make people feel content with injustices they face, merely to help one cope and regroup.

 

[HenryM]

It is funny to see the circles of logic used to keep Christianity out of the group religion mentioned in the quote.

Not really. In whole Bible word "religion" is used five times, with four of those five times in negative connotation. In one verse it's labeled as "traditions of fathers" as opposed to God's truth. So word of God itself reveals religion as something that's predominantly not about worshipping true God.

But main point, I think, is not comparing Christianity to idolatry religions, but understanding that there are not many true Christians, just as Jesus Himself said there won't be. Therefore Christianity is not an opium for the masses, as evidenced by reality.

 

[Cearbhall]

Well, I don't think it used to make people feel content with injustices they face, merely to help one cope and regroup.

It has historically been used that way, especially in church-state systems to prevent and quell class warfare.

 

[Tinker Grey]

Not really. In whole Bible word "religion" is used five times, with four of those five times in negative connotation. In one verse it's labeled as "traditions of fathers" as opposed to God's truth. So word of God itself reveals religion as something that's predominantly not about worshipping true God.

But main point, I think, is not comparing Christianity to idolatry religions, but understanding that there are not many true Christians, just as Jesus Himself said there won't be. Therefore Christianity is not an opium for the masses, as evidenced by reality.

James 1:27

 

[Paulos23]

Not really. In whole Bible word "religion" is used five times, with four of those five times in negative connotation. In one verse it's labeled as "traditions of fathers" as opposed to God's truth. So word of God itself reveals religion as something that's predominantly not about worshipping true God.

It is still a religion, and has been used and is being used to sway the masses for the powerful.

But main point, I think, is not comparing Christianity to idolatry religions, but understanding that there are not many true Christians, just as Jesus Himself said there won't be. Therefore Christianity is not an opium for the masses, as evidenced by reality.

It is a belief organized in a group structured by dogma, it is a religion like all the others. You can try to separate your group of believers be saying your group are the true Christians, but that does not stop it from being a religion.

It is just special pleading via no true scottsman.

 

[HenryM]

James 1:27

Yes, that's one positive verse. I wrote "word of God itself reveals religion as something that's predominantly not about worshipping true God."

That's reversely similar to word church or ekklesia in original Koine Greek, for example. That word is mostly used to describe God's church, but on some occasions it's used to describe church against true God.

 

[HenryM]

You can try to separate your group of believers be saying your group are the true Christians...

I'm not trying to do any separation. Jesus Himself said: "Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness."

"That day" is day of judgement, just to note.

And He also said, as I already wrote, that "gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life and those who find it are few."

 

[Paulos23]

I'm not trying to do any separation. Jesus Himself said: "Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness."

"That day" is day of judgement, just to note.

And He also said, as I already wrote, that "gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life and those who find it are few."

So what? It is still a religion. It is still used to sway the masses, no matter how small that group may be.