Summary Ideology, science and religion

Marxist view He found that their religion was based on ‘Opium of the masses’
totemism. To a community, their chosen sacred
All ideologies, including science and symbol represents themselves as a society Marx said religion was the ‘opium of the masses’
religion, are manipulated by the ruling class along with a higher power that protects them. as it dulls the pain of oppression by giving its
to maintain and reproduce social class followers a temporary ‘high’ through promises of
inequality. They are in place to justify the Collective conscience a better afterlife in order to distract them from
capitalist system and prevent a working their exploitation. Lenin agreed, comparing
class revolution. This feeds into the Therefore, by worshiping their god, they are religion to ‘spiritual gin’, an intoxicant that
proletariats false class consciousness. also celebrating their own society. He argued numbs the pain of oppression.
that by worshipping together, religion provides
Feminist view the community with a collective conscience. An ideology
This means they had a shared understanding
of the norms, values and beliefs that held their Marx believed that religion's main function was to
All ideologies such as science and religion
have promoted patriarchy in society for community together. benefit capitalism through its power as an
generations. Science and religion become ideology. He claimed that it maintained
male stream as they defined the male Psychological functions capitalism in two ways.
position of power by representing women as
weak and impure. Malinowski claimed that religion also provides Maintaining capitalism
society with psychological functions. He argued
Postmodernist view that when faced with a life crisis religion can Firsty, religion suggests that inequality is God-
help you overcome this. He referred to this as a given and therefore unchangeable. Secondly, it
They claim any ideology that seeks to rite of passage. A rite of passage, such as a teaches the poor that their poverty is a test from
explain ‘truth’ is a ‘meta-narrative’ due to funeral, helps the community return to God that will be compensated in the afterlife.
the fragmentation of society. These meta- normality as quickly as possible therefore
narratives are dangerous as they do not maintaining social order. Accepting inequality
allow for individual thought and free will.
Bellah
By convincing the proletariat to accept
Functionalism and Religion inequality, religion is succeeding in its purpose to
Neo-functionalist Bellah argued that America maintain the false class consciousness. The
Functionalists believe that religion creates has its own civil religion known as proletariat remain unaware of the true extent of
social stability. ‘Americanism’. In order to avoid conflict and their exploitation and as a result will never revolt
promote integration, the worship of the against the bourgeoisie.
Secondary socialisation American culture unites its citizens better than
any other religion. Feminism and Religion
Durkheim believed that religion creates
a collective conscience through secondary Americanism Feminists believe that religion creates social
socialisation. Religion acts as part stability.
of secondary socialisation, it teaches its For example, Americanism can be said to
followers the norms and values of ‘worship’ the American flag. A civil religion is a Religion and patriarchy
society. By performing this function, religion faith in Americanism or ‘the American way of
reinforces the value consensus creating life’ rather than one almighty God. Feminists argue that religion reproduces
social order. patriarchy as it is male dominated. For example in
Marxism and Religion monotheistic religions:
Australian Aborigines

Marxists believe that religion creates social o God is a man.