Religious belief really does seem to draw the sting of poverty
Whether the cause is spiritual or social remains to be determined
“RELIGION IS THE sigh of the oppressed creature…it is the opium of the people.” So wrote Karl Marx in 1844. The idea—not unique to Marx—was that by promising rewards in the next life, religion helps the poor bear their lot in this one.
This article appeared in the Science & technology section of the print edition under the headline “Faith and fatalism”
From the September 25th 2021 edition
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