General Humanities

It is important to distinguish the difference between religions and the texts upon which they are based . Karl Marx wrote that religion is the opiate of the people . It is interesting to examine what he means in terms of the Bible and the Qur 'an , as well as Christianity and Islam As an opiate , Karl Marx is implying that religion reduces peoples ability and desire to think . It creates a good feeling within which people can relax into comfort and forget about the real world Picturing an opium den in China with people

sitting around smoking pipes , not wanting to move or take initiative really draws a clear picture . Important also to remember is that opiates are used to alleviate pain . Karl Marx is also saying that religion is used to take away the pain of life . How true is his statement

The biggest fear all human beings have is What happens after I die As far as we know , there are no human beings who have died and then come back to tell us what it was like . Therefore , in our great desire to know and to understand , something as dark and mysterious as death is incredibly frightening for people . Therefore , since the beginnings of human civilization there has been some type of religious practice After the Agricultural Revolution , people became less linked to the land and more dependant upon technology . Under these circumstances , they lost their natural understanding and relationship to death . The fear began to creep in . Death was the one thing people could not control or master . Therefore , religions have been structured mainly around the fear of death . The Bible addresses this basic fear very clearly . It asserts that Heaven is the destination for those who believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and call on him for Salvation . The Qur 'an says that when people die their souls will be asked three questions

Who is your Lord , What is your religion , and What did you say about this person ' The proper Muslim will answer these questions correctly and proceed to paradise . For the person who believes in either tradition , paradise awaits the true believer . Hell and suffering await the unbeliever . Therefore , people who read these books and follow these religions can assuage their fear of death . They now know through a simple formula if they will attain heaven or hell . They now know what awaits them after death

However , the appeal of knowledge of life after death has a greater psychological appeal . People also have the desire to be right . In the minds of people we tend to think in opposites . It is black or white right or wrong , light or dark . We tend to think in these binary forms In fact , people project this in many ways - especially in terms of the self and other . Therefore , each person wants to justify their own existence and their own rightness . People do not like to feel wrong or evil . In following either Christianity or...