Marx's Humane Criticism of Religion

I was reading the passage of Marx wherein he makes the famous remark about religion being 'the opium of the masses' and I was struck by his sensitivity and understanding - in contrast to how the quote is usually portrayed: as an extremely hostile 'socialist-atheist' position. True, it's an atheist's view. But it certainly doesn't lack empathy, understanding or sympathy.

Marx says

Religion is the general theory of this world.....

Less true today, surely - but still true. Religious education surely is the most common sort - and it has a refined call on human consciousness - it is meant to deal with human concerns, so it speaks to people. Yah - functionalism.

Religion is the general theory of this world, its encyclopaedic compendium, its logic in popular form, its spiritual point d'honneur, its enthusiasm, its moral sanction, its solemn complement, and its universal basis of consolation and justification.

All true, surely? Humanity's encyclopaedia, its logic, its ethics. Isn't it?

It is the fantastic realization of the human essence since the human essence has not acquired any true reality.

Out of the shadows, from tree-climbing ape to rocketeering man. It's a process, from ignorance to knowledge, innocence to ability.

The struggle against religion is, therefore, indirectly the struggle against that world whose spiritual aroma is religion.

Religious suffering is, at one and the same time, the expression of real suffering and a protest against real suffering.

That doesn't lack empathy - it's a recognition of suffering, not a dismissal of religion as irrelevant nor is it contempt of religion as if for a disease. Rather it's a sympathy for religion as a symptom of disease. Religion less as cause but more as effect - the target of criticism is the disease (the real human conditions), not the symptom (religion).

Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world.....

That's a very touching sentiment. It's very humane, warm, understanding.

Religion is....the soul of soulless conditions.

the heart of a heartless world.....the soul of soulless conditions. And isn't it? Those aren't the words of some firebrand intent on causing harm. It's a very warm, sensitive description of religion.

It is the opium of the people.

It doesn't sound the same in context, does it? [I wonder if he ever tried some?]

The most important part, which makes perfect sense to me, is this:

The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required 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.

Brilliant.

The full passage:

Religion is, indeed, the self-consciousness and self-esteem of man who has either not yet won through to himself, or has already lost himself again. But man is no abstract being squatting outside the world. Man is the world of man—state, society. This state and this society produce religion, which is an inverted consciousness of the world, because they are an inverted world. Religion is the general theory of this world, its encyclopedic compendium, its logic in popular form, its spiritual point d'honneur, its enthusiasm, its moral sanction, its solemn complement, and its universal basis of consolation and justification. It is the fantastic realization of the human essence since the human essence has not acquired any true reality. The struggle against religion is, therefore, indirectly the struggle against that world whose spiritual aroma is religion. 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 required 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.