Religion: the Perfect Drug

Is religion really the opiate for the masses that Marx refers to? If it is, then it is the perfect drug. It is a high without the withdraw, not only does it make the user feel better, but it appears to make the world better. At least that’s the way it seems, but a junkie is still a junkie no matter what the drug.

From the outsider, religion may look like a very peculiar custom. The symptoms of a religious high may involve abnormal gestures and movements, fainting, talking to an imaginary being, and rituals as well as many others. All for that euphoric feeling. An easy and cheap drug to administer to the masses. People are impelled towards this drug, as it fulfills emotional needs. A sober believer is lost.

Part of the compelling draw of religion is the coercion. A group of people getting together with much the same beliefs and similar looks. Comfortable. Religion gives their lives meaning. It tells them what to think. A pot head aims to score weed, a religion addict aims to serve the next religious based self/God help book.

Religion seems harmless enough, but perhaps it is the most dangerous of all drugs. A few O.D.’s and some broken families is about all one ever hears with the standard drugs. With religion many more livees have been lost. Holy wars are a very common aspect of human nature. Holy wars seem to be the equivalent of turf wars. Some priests selling a religion that interferes on another. Wars have even been fought under the same God. Addicts do some crazy things.

Religion seems to be a selfless act, but in reality it is one of the most selfish things. It appears that people join a religion out of love and faith, but in reality it is just out of fear or greed. Who wouldn’t fear eternal fire? What about the acts like feeding the homeless and sending money to Aids orphans in Africa? The truth is that this is only to make the religion addict feel better about themselves. People like to hear about the pain and suffering in the world. Look at the type of news. People don’t want peace.

In reality this opiate for the masses is a weapon of mass destruction. If one were to look at religion in its pure form, it is a beautiful thing. The cure has become the toxin. To follow through with what the heart of religion says would be pure lunacy in our modern world. No one wants to care about others, truly care about others. People don’t want to give up their comfortable consumer lives dedicating their lives wholly, the kind of dedication that the heart of the religion truly wants. People only want to throw money at the problem to make themselves feel better. People don’t want peace, they thrive on affliction and pain. Deep down they may be the reason for that pain in the world, but as long as they are comfortable and happy in their lives it doesn’t matter. If someone doesn’t believe what you believe, kill them. It’s a holy war. It’s ok. Or at least sap all of the life out of their well being. Addicts do crazy things.

Karl Marx was right when he said religion is the opiate for the masses. 92% of the worlds population at least seems to be experimenting with its mind altering affects. Religion may be the perfect drug, and the most dangerous, but God (Yahweh, Allah, or whoever) forbid that the people actually follow through with the beliefs. It would change the world order. There would be peace amongst all nations, but who really wants that?