Civil Society/Religion/Theme

 Religion is an opiate to the masses, Marx is famously said to have wrote. Many people view this as an indictment of religion, taking that quote out of context entirely. The actual quote was: "Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the masses." This was an indictment of the dominant culture, not of religion per se. Just as opiates can relieve the suffering of those in chronic pain, religion in this day and age can help bring meaning to a world gone mad and help alleviate the suffering of those living with the alienation and desperation of the modern world.

 Religious leaders-- the good ones --try to direct this positivity towards healing the social ills that make religion necessary to so many. They feed the hungry, clothe the naked, house the homeless, give voice to the voiceless, speak out against injustice, and champion equality. Others instead use the audience they have as a source of temporal power, of influence in government, as a revenue stream and little more. It can be hard for those caught in the middle to discern a charlatan from a true believer, and this is entirely to the benefit of the charlatans of the world. Even those who want to believe in something must confront the ills modern day religious practice has brought to the world, and so jaded and disillusioned former faithful wander away from the faith as a result.

 What do you believe? And what are you willing to sacrifice in its pursuit?