A-Z Challenge 15: Opium of the people

Carl Marx was a great thinker with some original ideas. He wrote a heavy book about the importance of capital, and the difference between does who have it and those who don’t. Unfortunately, his ideas didn’t fit with human nature, and didn’t work very well in practice.

Marx also had thoughts about the role of religion. His most famous statement is that “religion is the opium of the people”. Here, I think he has a good point.

Most species of animals manage quite well without gods. Even the most intelligent animals, such as monkeys, dolphins and parrots live happily without religious practise (as far as I know). So, why do the humans believe in God? I think there are three main reasons:

1. Because we needed to explain observations that were difficult to understand. In ancient times, this incuded thunder and lightning and earth quakes, things that are currently well understood by science. But there are still questions science has not yet been able to answer.

2. Because we are taught to believe in God, by our parents, in school, and by the authorities in our society. In the Islamic part of the world, the latter is still a very effective force. This is where the statement by Marx applies.

3. Because of our collective fear of death. At some point in the evolution, humanity developed such and extraordinary intelligence (compared to the other species). It’s hard for us to accept that we only have this short earthly life. There has to be something more, something that lasts forever.

I have always refused to take the opium. I rather drink a dark beer >:)