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Jurnal Al- Ulum
Volume. 11, Nomor 2, Desember 2011
Hal. 257-266
KARL MARX’S CRITICISM ON RELIGION
Juhansar Andi Latief
The Graduate School of Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta
(juhansar@mail.ugm.ac.id)
Abstrak
Artikel ini membahas tentang keunikan agama di antara disiplin akademis lainnya.
Agama hampir secara eksklusif didekati sebagai objek studi. Studi agama menjadi
studi tentang agama. Makalah ini menyajikan secara deskriptif kritik Islam di kritik
Marx tentang agama. Penelitian ini kemudian menemukan bahwa Islam dan
Marxisme pada dasarnya memiliki kontradiksi mencolok terutama dalam
pandangan ke-tauhid-an. Marx berdasar pada filosofi Marxisme; manusia membuat
agama, dan agama tidak membuat manusia. Namun, Islam meyakini konsep
spiritual yang tak terbatas di mana Islam menggambarkan manusia sebagai tanah;
lahan; tanah, atau dapat dikatakan bahwa agama, dalam hal ini, Allah menciptakan
manusia, bukan sebaliknya.
This article discusses about the uniqueness of religion among other academic
disciplines. Religion is almost exclusively approached as an object of study. This
paper presents a descriptive criticism of Islam in Marx's critique of religion. The
study then found that Islam and Marxism is essentially a contradiction particularly
striking in view of the unity-an. Marx, based on the philosophy of Marxism; man-
made religion and religion does not make the man. However, Muslims believe in the
spiritual concept of the infinite in which Islam describes the man as the ground;
land; ground, or it can be said that religion, in this case, God created man, not vice
versa.
Key words: Marx, criticism, religion
257
Juhansar Andi Latief
A. Introduction
Karl Marx was born on May 5, 1818 and died on March 14,
1883. He was a German economist, philosopher, and revolutionary
whose writings form the basis of the body of ideas known as
Marxism. With the aid of Friedrich Engels, he produced much of the
theory of modern socialism and communism. Marx's father, Heinrich,
was a Jewish lawyer who had converted his family to Christianity
partly in order to preserve his job in the Prussian state. Karl Marx
himself was baptized in the Evangelical church.
1
In 1837, Karl Marx (1818-1883) transferred to Berlin
University; it was with the intention of continuing his study of law.
However, despite his best intentions, he was inexorably drawn into the
study of philosophy in general and the Hegelian philosophical system
in particular. A decade earlier, this would have meant adhering to the
unified outlook which had come to dominate thought in Prussia. By
the late 1830s, that outlook was in a state of decomposition.
2
As a
student at the University of Berlin, young Marx was strongly
influenced by the philosophy of George Hegel and by a radical group
called Young Hegelians, who attempted to apply Hegelian ideas to the
movement against organized religion and the Prussian autocracy. In
1841, Marx received a doctorate in philosophy,
3
and had been writing
many master pieces. However, in this case, I am interested in
discussing the criticism on religion from his perspective.
B. Karl Marx’s and Religion
Unlike other great thinkers in discussing religion, Nietzsche,
for instance, states that “Religion is a part of a slave rebellion on
morals-a substitute for the unsuccessful slave rebellion on reality.”
4
While for Durkheim, “Religion is in a very real sense simply the
1
John Raines, Marx on Religion: The Criticism of Religion [Part Four]
(Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2002), p. 169
2
Cyril Smith, “Karl Marx and Human Self-Creation” Submitted on
October 27
th
, 2005 by libcom.org @ www.cix.co.uk/~cyrilsmith/.2002.
3
Franz Magnis Suseno, “Marx tentang Agama” [ed.] John C. Raines,
[trans.] Ilham B. Saenong (Jakarta Selatan: Teraju; Khazanah Pustaka Keilmuan
Kelompok Mizan, 2003), p. 72
4
Andrew Collier, Transcendence: Critical Realism and God; The Masters
of Suspicion and Secularization [Chapter Six] (Rutledge, Taylor and Francis Group,
(London and New York: First Published, 2004), p. 31
258
Karl Marx’s Criticism on Religion
worship of society.”
5
In this case, Durkheim considers that society is
not able to exist without some set of either religious rituals or the like.
On the other hand, both Freud and Marx come closer without
believing such that thing. Freud thinks, “People would be much better
off without neurotic illusions of faith but he seems to realize many
will still cling to them.”
6
Nevertheless, Marx’s critique on religion is
more radical and hardly compared with others. He says, “Religion is
pure illusion.”
7
Furthermore, he sees in religion a more active moral
agency, and religion itself for him is less a device for pacifying
suffering than a protest against the suffering. According to him
“Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of the
heartless world.”
8
Since he was still young, Marx refused religion. At that
moment, he expressed himself as an atheist. What makes Marx said
so? I am wondering that he may be pushed by socio-economical
factor, intellectual, personal problem or combination of some real
things that are difficult to know, or he is possible discontented with
his father who insignificantly converted from a Jews to Christian just
because of maintaining his career as lawyer in Prussia.
9
In addition,
Marx also has no ambition to follow anti-semit that became a
tendency of Christian militant in Prussia at that time. Marx also
rejected to believe in God, not only Christianity but all religions. In
his acknowledgement of dissertation, he put Prometheus word from
ancient Greek legend as motto, “I do hate all gods". His reason is that
gods do not confess man’s awareness as a highest degree.
10
Furthermore, Marx does emphasize that believe in gods is a
disappointment symbol to drubbing in class struggle. That trust is
embarrassing positions which must be ignored, even by the way of
constraint.
11
Indeed, for Marx, religion is something that is useless.
5
Daniel L. Pals, Seven Theories on Religion: Religion as Alienation;Karl
Marx [Chapter Four] (New York: Oxford University Press, 1996), p. 179
6
Ibid.
7
Ibid.
8
John Raines, Op.Cit.
9
Ibid.,
10
Karl Marx, “Doctoral Dissertation” in McClellan (ed.), Early Texts in
Daniel L. Pals, Seven Theories on Religion: Religion as Alienation;Karl Marx
[Chapter Four] (New York: Oxford University Press, 1996), p. 180
11
Daniel L. Pals, , Op.Cit.
259
Juhansar Andi Latief
Moreover, he states bravely and radically that the condition of the
society cannot be better when religion still exists. It means that
humans’ life of real happiness depends on religion.
According to Marx’s theory, life determines consciousness.
His theory can also be applied in the context of religion, such as the
condition of suffering that alters religious thinking and concept. In
addition, religion not only helps the poor and the oppressed people to
survive but also to change the condition to be better. For them (the
poor and oppressed people), religion can encourage them to respond
the enormous problems that caused by globalization, such as poverty,
environmental crisis, social justice and the like. All in all, Marx’s
criticism on religion basically not only offers some challenges and
opportunities for religious believers to evaluate and renewal with a
new spirit but also functioned in giving best and concrete solution.
The foundation of irreligious criticism is Man makes religion,
religion does not make man. Religion is indeed man’s self-
consciousness and self-awareness as long as he has no found himself
or has already lost himself again.
12
But man is not abstract being
squatting outside the world. Man is the world of man, state and
society. This state and this society produce religion, which is an
inverted consciousness of the world, because they are an invented
world. A religion is general theory of this world, it is encyclopedic
compendium, it is logic in popular form, it is spiritual point, and it is
universal basis of consolation and justification.
13
It is the fantastic
realization of the human essence since human essence has no acquired
any true reality. The struggle against religion is therefore indirectly
the struggle against the world whose spiritual aroma is religion. All in
all, Marx notes that religion clearly benefits for those people in
alienated society, but the ruling class benefit the most because one of
the unintended consequences of religious beliefs. The solution to
unhappiness is to remove the cause of it rather than escape from it,
and the cause of human misery was the capitalist economic system
and the solution was its forcible removal and replacement by non-
exploitive economic system namely communism.
12
Taken from “Religion is the Opium of the People” by Producer 11:10pm
Sun Nov 11 '01 (Modified on 7:22am Mon Nov 12 '01), it also can be opened at
website: http://la.indymedia.org/display.php3?article_id=12841.
13
See…http://www.baylor.edu/~Scott_Moore/texts/Marx_Contr_Crit.html
260
Karl Marx’s Criticism on Religion
C. Some Critiques to Karl Marx on Religion
From some arguments mentioned before, it seems that Marx’s
statement is not only functionalist but also more aggressively
reductionism as well. He always describes religion as an effect, an
expression, a symptom of something more real and substantial in
community life. That is the way; I tend to think that Marx had a
monolithically negative view of religion. Here is his further statement:
Religious distress is at the same time the expression of real
[economic] distress and the protest against real distress.
Religion is the sight of the oppressed creature, the heart of a
heartless world, just as it is the spirit of a spiritless situation. It
is the opium of the people. The abolition of religion as the
illusory happiness of the people is required for their real
happiness. The demand about its condition is a demand to give
up a condition which needs illusions.
14
Actually, Marx’s rejection on religion is one side that is different from
intellectual campaign in order to make all people show religion
badness. Up to decade 1840s, Marx has not written a detail
explanation about the things mentioning his criticism on religion. He
has just written it after passing most important period in his idea, and
after reading Ludwich Feuerbach’s article, a young Hegelian
materialist in Berlin.
15
According to Magnis-Suseno that actually Marx does not
discuss about the function of religion in public whether it is positive or
negative. However, he only answers Feuerbach’s criticism on
religion.
16
Furthermore, Marx deals with Feuerbach, but according to
Marx that Feuerbach still has not finished it yet. It means, Feuerbach
still desists in the middle of the street. That is fine to say that religion
14
Karl Marx, “Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right,” in Neibuhr, “Marx
and Engels on Religion”, p. 42 in Daniel L. Pals, Seven Theories on Religion:
“Religion as Alienation”;Karl Marx [Chapter Four] (New York: Oxford University
Press, 1996)
15
Daniel L. Pals, Op.Cit.
16
Franz Magnis Suseno, “Menalar Tuhan” (Yogyakarta: Kanisius Press;
Anggota IKAPI, 2006), p. 25
261
Juhansar Andi Latief
is a fantasy world where man looks for his/her own spirit. But
Feuerbach does not enquire why man runs away to fantasy from
realizing his/herself in real life. Indeed, Marx states that it happens
because of the reality of life, and that means that power structure in
public does not permit man to realize the properties essentially. Man
runs away to fantasy world because real world grinds him/her. On the
other hand, Darmawan says that actually, there is an implicit message
about the real mission of religion to against the injustice system and to
create new humanity civilization in the ideas of Feuerbach and
Marx.
17
Furthermore, Supono says also that Marx deals with Feuerbach
but Marx is still questioning; why Feuerbach states and explains what
and how religion is. He, Feuerbach, does not question, why do the
people embrace a religion?
18
By this question, may be as a way for
Marx, to explore his argument or criticism on religion which was
stated by Feuerbach. Indeed, Marx says that people embrace a religion
because of suffering and oppression. For Marx, suffering and
oppression are two things that cannot be separated. It means, people
became suffering or poor because of oppression.
On his most famous statement: “Religion is public opium”. I
assume that Karl Marx said it because he saw the reality in Europe at
that time. The religious people were so dominance, and they repressed
the oppressed people by the legalization of religion. Some people said
that what Marx said (religion is public opium) has a real special
context. The utterance actually was addressed for the priests’ authority
of Christianity religion because they are a part of system repressing
public like in France. Most Marxists agree indeed on its common
utterance or meaning than its specialty utterance or meaning. They are
more seeing what Marx said than seeing why Marx said so. Therefore,
they usually also become atheist like Marx.
It is the time, therefore, to review the classical Marxist analysis
of religion in order to understand what said and what did not. Such a
17
Eko P. Darmawan, “Agama Itu Bukan Candu; Tesis-tesis Feuerbach,
Karl Marx dan Tan Malaka” (Yogyakarta: Resist Book, 2005), p. 25
18
Eusta Supono, “Agama: Solusi atau Ilusi? Kritik atas Kritik Agama Karl
Marx”, (Yogyakarta: Published by Komunitas Studi Didaktika, 2002), p. 23
262
Karl Marx’s Criticism on Religion
review will enlighten religious believers and others who are sincerely
concerned with understanding the Marxist view of religion. But the
Marxist analysis of religion has more than an abstract theoretical
purpose. In exhibiting religion’s social roots, it aids us in the
understanding of past society, and through the understanding of past
society, present society, which has evolved from it, raising
fundamental questions and indicating suggestive answers.
D. Karl Marx on Religion in Islamic Perspective
Ali Shari’ati
19
critiques Marx in Islamic perspective; he says
that the biggest mistake and surprise applied at modern humanity
understanding since Diderot and Voltaire where Feuerbach and Marx
equalize an ancient Greek myth which is limited by material margins
with an ancient holy religious spiritual.
20
They compare and even
gallery them become one; the relation of man to Zeus and its relation
to Ahuramazda, Rama, Tao, Isa and God. Where those two are
contradicted networks.
Furthermore, in maintaining the honour of Islam from
Marxism or western ideology, Shari’ati is not only confessing by his
close friends but also an atheist like Jean Paul Sartre who is famous
with his essentialism statement “I do not have any religion. But, if I
am asked to make a choice, I will choose Shari'ati’s religion”.
21
Based
on Sartre’s confession, an atheist one, it can be said that Shari’ati’s
criticism on western ideology like Marx really touches other thinkers’
heart not only a Moslem but also non-Moslem thinkers. Sociologi-
cally, Shari'ati says, Marx fails to differentiate the form of ownerships,
the class relation or civilization and structure domination between
19
Dr. Ali Shari'ati (1933-1977) who criticizes philosophy and idea of West
in Islamic Perspective. He was born in 1933 in Mazinan, a hinterland countryside of
Mashhad in North-East of Khurasan, in obedient and viscid family of his religious
tradition. He ended his middle and low education in Mashhad. Then continue his
further study at Maktab higher school. Over there, he associated with youth from
those who earn low income. There, he felt also the suffering and the difficulties of
life.
20
Ali Shari’ati, “Marxism and Other Western fallacies an Islamic
Critique”, (Bandung: Mizan Press, 1980), p. 53
21
Ibid.,
263
Juhansar Andi Latief
leaders and who are mastered by them.
22
This stand-out failure can be
seen at industrialism era of Lenin and Stalin. Indeed, Shari'ati express
that the third world nations will not obtain self-confident to move his
society forward except returning to their own culture roots. For
Shari'ati, the model of Marxism is not only unsuitable with Islamic
society, but also confusing. Because it refuses the absolute creation of
humanity values and yields man as economic creature solely.
Nevertheless, Shari'ati’s fulminating does not mean that he deals with
the disposal idea of masterpieces communism.
Based on some opinions mention before, it can be concluded
that Marx has refused religion. It means that he expressed himself as
an atheist. Here, I am still in doubt that he may be pushed by social
economics factor, intellectual, personal problem or combination of
some real things that are difficult to know, or he is possible
discontented with his father who insignificantly moved from a Jews to
Christian just because of maintaining his career as lawyer in Prussia.
Furthermore, Marx says that he rejects to believe in God, not only
Christianity but all religions. For me, it cannot be said all religions
generally because it may be one religion different with other religions.
E. Conclusion
I myself see Marx’s statement that what religion offered was
not real solution but real illusion, that’s maybe fine for unbelievers
(like him), or for those who believe that the life in this world is the
eternal life. However, for me, what religion offered is not real illusion
or illusionary happiness but real solution or way to get real happiness
for those who are not addicted by religion. I mean, for those who are
not only depend on religion (God) by receiving their own destiny
(receive the way they are without doing any effort) but also keep their
relation with others. As a believer, I believe that religion (God) will
never change one destiny unless he/she changes his/her own destiny,
as mention in the Holy Qur’an, (QS. 13: 11).
On the other side, we should also try to look for the equation
between Islam and Marxism such as in aspect of ideology including
all life dimensions and man ideas. Marxism idea also has struggled to
constitute every human life, material aspect, spiritual, philosophy,
individual, economic and social in context materialism. Indeed, there
are at least two parallelisms of Islam and Marxism. First, all
22
Ibid.,
264
Karl Marx’s Criticism on Religion
components mustered in Islam and Marxism is leaning (stiff-backed)
one another. It is like a goods business where it can be added or
decreased in a partial of component that can cause disrepair of the
whole structure. Second; Islam and Marxism are ideology including
life problem and man ideas. On the contrary, between Islam and
Marxism also have conspicuous contradiction especially in the view
of Ke-tauhid-an where Marx based on the philosophy of Marxism that
man makes religion, and religion does not make man. Nevertheless,
Islam believes the spiritual concept of the infinite where Islam
describes man as soil; land; ground, or it can be said that religion
(God) creates (makes) man, not man creates religion (God).
265
Juhansar Andi Latief
REFERENCES
Collier, Andrew, 2004, Transcendence: Critical Realism and God; The
Masters of Suspicion and Secularization [Chapter Six]
Rutledge, Taylor and Francis Group, London and New York:
First Published.
Darmawan, Eko P., 2005, “Agama Itu Bukan Candu; Tesis-tesis
Feuerbach, Karl Marx dan Tan Malaka” Yogyakarta: Resist
Book.
Magnis-Suseno, Franz, 2003, “Marx tentang Agama” [ed.] John C.
Raines, [trans.] Ilham B. Saenong Jakarta Selatan: Teraju;
Khazanah Pustaka Keilmuan Kelompok Mizan.
Magnis-Suseno, Franz, 2006, “Menalar Tuhan” Yogyakarta: Kanisius
Press; Anggota IKAPI.
Marx, Karl, 1996, “Doctoral Dissertation” in McClellan (ed.), Early
Texts in Daniel L. Pals, Seven Theories on Religion: “Religion
as Alienation”;Karl Marx [Chapter Four] New York: Oxford
University Press.
Marx, Karl, 1996,“Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right,” in
Neibuhr, “Marx and Engels on Religion”, p. 42 in Daniel L.
Pals, Seven Theories on Religion: “Religion as Alienation”;
Karl Marx [Chapter Four] New York: Oxford University
Press.
Pals, Daniel L., 1996, Seven Theories on Religion: Religion as
Alienation;Karl Marx [Chapter Four] New York: Oxford
University Press.
Raines, John, 2002, Marx on Religion:The Criticism of Religion [Part
Four] Philadelphia: Temple University Press.
Shari’ati, Ali, 1980, “Marxism and Other Western fallacies an islamic
Critique”, Bandung: Mizan Press.
Supono, Eusta, 2002, “Agama: Solusi atau Ilusi? Kritik atas Kritik
Agama Karl Marx”, Yogyakarta: Published by Komunitas
Studi Didaktika.
266
