How Did Freud View Religion

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The Answer is Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, had a complex and critical view of religion. He explored this topic in several of his works, most notably in "The Future of an Illusion" (1927), "Totem and Taboo" (1913), and "Moses and Monotheism" (1939). Freud's perspective on religion was influenced by his broader understanding of the human psyche, particularly the roles of the unconscious mind, the development of civilization, and the management of inner psychological conflicts.

Freud viewed religion as a collective neurosis, a universal obsessional neurosis of humanity. He believed that religion is an illusion—a wish-fulfillment that arises from human desires and needs, particularly the need for protection and the fear of the uncertainties of life and death. According to Freud, religion serves to comfort individuals by providing explanations for the unexplainable and by establishing a sense of control over the uncontrollable forces of nature.

He argued that religious beliefs are rooted in the Oedipal complex, a stage in the psychosexual development of a child when they experience a subconscious desire for the opposite-sex parent and a rivalry with the same-sex parent. Freud suggested that the figure of God in many religions is an exalted father figure, representing both the idealized protective father and an authority figure that must be obeyed.

Freud also believed that religion is a manifestation of the human tendency to repress certain instinctual drives and that it functions to uphold social order by controlling these impulses through moral codes and commandments. He saw religious rituals as symbolic reenactments of primal events and taboos from the early history of human societies.

Despite his critical stance, Freud acknowledged that religion has played a significant role in the development of civilization by providing a framework for social cohesion and moral guidelines. However, he hoped that as societies advanced, scientific understanding would replace religious beliefs, and that individuals would find more rational ways to cope with reality and their inner psychological conflicts.

In summary, Freud's view of religion was that it is a psychological phenomenon born out of human needs and desires, serving both to soothe existential anxieties and to maintain social order, but ultimately based on illusions that he believed would eventually give way to scientific and rational thought.

How Did Freud View Religion

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