Final answer:
The conflict perspective on religion views it as a means to maintain social inequalities, with Karl Marx describing it as the 'opium of the people.' Religion legitimates these inequalities by promising rewards in the afterlife, encouraging passivity among the working class. Religious leaders also shape practices that maintain the status quo.
Step-by-step explanation:
Conflict Perspective on Religion
The conflict perspective views religion as a tool for maintaining social inequalities and perpetuating the status quo. Karl Marx, a prominent figure in this school of thought, described religion as the 'opium of the people,' suggesting it provided an illusory happiness that helped individuals cope with capitalist societies while simultaneously legitimating social inequalities. Through its doctrines and teachings, religion often encourages obedience and conformity, leading individuals to accept their socioeconomic position and discouraging them from challenging existing power structures.
From the conflict standpoint, institutions like the Christian church legitimize political and economic inequality by assuaging the working class with promises of rewards in the afterlife. This dynamic reinforces a passivity among the oppressed, who may believe that their suffering is divinely ordained and that their true compensation lies beyond this life. Moreover, religious leaders often hold significant power, shaping doctrines and practices that align with their interests and maintain the existing social order.
Examples of religion's role in legitimating inequality can be seen historically with the divine right of kings and more contemporary systems such as India's caste system. Conflict theory also sheds light on the discrepancies in wealth within religious communities, such as the wealth of the Vatican compared to average Catholic parishioners.