CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
The history of religion can be traced to the ancient world. It can be traced to some religions such as orphism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, African Traditional Religions and so on. Religion, no doubt is a basis of societal order. It is a belief in a supernatural being which can influence one’s behavior. Religion enables us to play some roles in the society which includes shaping the life style of the individual that will make people live in unity. Religion also functions as an account of the wonders or mysteries in nature. Religion is important because it gives the individual that consciousness of living a moral life in the society. Religion is one of the key of morality which teaches us to separate what is right from what is wrong. It is a source of moral obligation which makes people to recommend that: “you must live a moral life because God has commanded you to do so”.1
Having said that, religion in the era of Karl Marx was a tool of exploitation. At that time, the powerful and rich (bourgeoisie) used religion as a tool to exploit their workers or less privileged (proletariat), hence religion became the tool by which the bourgeoisie satisfied their egoistic desire through the labour of their workers. No wonder Karl Marx defined religion as “an opium of the people”.2 The issue of exploitation started with the origin of religion and not with Karl Marx.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The issue to be addressed is that of religion. Religion as already said above is a source of moral obligation. But it seems that this definition of religion is different from what Marx defined religion to be. Marx defined religion as a form of social consciousness.3 Religion is used to oppress and subjugate people. He believed that religion exists because of the economic exploitation that exist in the capitalist system. In the capitalist system, the masses who are always the majority (proletariat) are exploited by the minority (bourgeoisie). This leads to the problem of conflicts. This raises questions about the role of religion in suppressing people’s genuine agitations. It is this issue that this research sets out to deal with. The question really is, how can the link between man and God be compromised in order to serve the interest of domination and oppression by the bourgeoisie given the fact that “religion from the theological standpoint can be seen as the link between man and God”.4
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
Religion is concerned about the morality of human conduct, and both presuppose human freedom and responsibility. Religion today has become a practice that leaves so much to be desired by people. Speaking from the Christian perspective, it is clear from what the new generational churches of today practice, that there is the problem of some so-called men of God, going about establishing churches with the aim of deceiving and exploiting people to enrich themselves. For this cause, this project is necessary in order to expose any false religious practices that may have informed Karl Marx’s notion of religion. Again, this project is important for the purpose of transforming religion by giving it a sincere concept where morality stands as its basis.