Final answer:
Each theory on religion by Durkheim, Marx, and Freud has distinct criticisms: Durkheim's possibly minimizes individual religious experiences, Marx's may be overly reductionist and under-appreciate religion's potential for social change, and Freud's is criticized for speculation and lack of verifiability.
Step-by-step explanation:
When analyzing the theories of Durkheim, Marx, and Freud on religion, each presents its strengths and weaknesses. One of the most salient criticisms of Durkheim's theory is that it may overlook individual religious experiences by focusing predominantly on the social functions of religion. Marx's theory, which views religion as an ideological tool to justify the status quo and placate the oppressed, is often criticized for being overly reductionist and ignoring the spiritual and communal aspects of religion that might serve as sources of social change. Freud's theory, meanwhile, that religion is an illusion and a projection of human desires and fears, is critiqued for being speculative and not readily verifiable.
Applying these criticisms to learning about another culture's religious beliefs, Marx's theory could be seen as less useful, as it might lead one to overlook the nuances and positive aspects of the religion's role within the culture. On the other hand, Durkheim's focus on the social cohesion provided by religion and Freud's exploration of psychological needs satisfied by religion can offer some insights, although Durkheim might give a more balanced view as it's less dismissive of religion's validity than Freud's.