Critics of Religion a. Marx vs.

Kierkegaard

Karl marx Religion is like other social institution He wrote The religious world is but the reflex of the real world. Religion can only be understood in relation to other social systems and the economic structure of society. Religion is an illusion 3 Reason of his dislike of religion 1. Religion is irrational Religion is delusion and a worship of appearances that avoids recognizing underlying reality. 2. Religion negates all that is dignified in a human being by rendering them servile and more amenable to accepting the status quo. I hate all gods with addition that they do not recognize mans self consciousness as the highest divinity. 3. Religion is hypocritical Although it might profess valuable principles, it sides with the oppressors. Problems why it would not appropriate to accept Marxs ideas uncritically 1. Marx doesnt spend much time looking at religion, instead he focuses on the religion with which he is most familiar, Christianity. 2. His claim that religion is wholly determined by material and economic realities. 3. Is more economic than religious. Soren Kierkegaard -Danish philosopher, theologian.religious author.

He described his own view of the single individual In his pamphlets and potemical books, including The Moment, he criticized several aspects of church formalities and politics. According to him, the idea of congregations keeps individual as children since Christian are disinclined from taking the initiative to take responsibility for their own related to God. He stressed that Christianity is the individual, here, the single individual. Kierkegaard also believed that the states bureaucratic mission was to increase membership and oversee the welfare of the members. In his journals he writes, If the church is free from the state, its all good. I can immediately fit in this situation. But if the church is to be emancipate then I must ask: By what means, in what way? A religious movement must be served religiously otherwise it is a sham. Consequently the emancipation must come about through martyrdombloody or bloodless

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