A Socialist View of Religion

bristol | media and culture | event notice Friday October 09, 2009 17:55 by martin - East Bristol Socialist Workers Party

Wednesday 14th October, 7.30pm Easton Community Centre, Kilburn Street

This meeting will discuss the relationship and sometimes tension between socialism and religious ideology. Marxists have traditionally been critical of religious ideas as 'the opium of the masses', implying that religion can be used by ruling elites to dope the masses into false consciousness about their own oppression and expolitation. Trotsky described the rituals in Church services as pure 'theatre' designed to inculcate ideas of wonder and mystery into the miserable lives of workers and peasants. At the same time socialists have a long tradition of fighting for the rights of oppressed people to practice their religion. Such tensions are apparent today in debates over Islamaphobia and the wearing of religious dress by young Muslim women in supposedly 'secular' schools. All are welcome to come to this meeting and discuss ideas for action.