[Buddha-l] Marx and Buddhism

[Joy Vriens]

Franz Metcalf wrote:

> Read Marx's words once more, thinking of Buddhism:
> 
>> /Religious/ suffering is, at one and the same time, the /expression/ 
>> of real suffering and a /protest/ against real suffering. 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 people.
>>
>> The abolition of religion as the /illusory/ happiness of the people is 
>> the demand for their /real/ happiness. To call on them to give up 
>> their illusions about their condition is to call on them to /give up a 
>> condition that requires illusions/. The criticism of religion is, 
>> therefore, /in embryo, the criticism of that vale of tears/ of which 
>> religion is the /halo/.

Hi Franz,

Thanks for posting this. Marx's ideas are often mixed up with what 
Communism did with them. But when one reads this
bit about religion, the condemnation of religion doesn't look so 
outspoken. It is of course better not to have oppression and a heartless 
and soulless world, but in such a world he seems to think religion is 
the sigh, the heart and the soul. Religion is no doubt an illusion but 
so is the wish to abolish it as Stan Ziobro suggested. Kick it out of 
your door, it will be creeping back in through every crack of your 
bunker. Even kicking it out is religion. What is condemnable in a 
religion, its participation in furthering oppression, a heartless and 
soulless world, should and can be eliminated. That is not an illusion 
IMO, if political reasons allow it, which is another problem.

Joy