What does the phrase :religion is the opium of the masses mean”?
This quote, which I believe was penned by Engels (Marx’s comrade) is actually ‘religion is the opiate of the masses’, and has two main interpretations, both of which are plausible, and differ primarily in their resentment towards religion. The first interpretation (the popular interpretation) is that just as opium distorts one’s perceptions of reality and makes them more of a burden to society than an asset, and leads to poor thinking and addictive behavior, and (perhaps most importantly) false comfort, so does religion. Thus, someone who is comfortable in their religious world-view is akin to an opium addict in an opium haze, unaware of the importance of things happening around them, and incapable of fighting in a good cause. The second interpretation is a bit ‘softer’ on religion, and may actually be more in line with what Marx and Engels intended; in this interpretation, religion can have definite benefits, and get people through certain times of trouble and despair, but must be rec
