1. Psychological Freud ‘it’s all in the mind’ People are deluded Religion is a way for people to play on the mind of the weak. Religion is as a result of an ‘inner conflict’ Or Psychological impulses. It is a way of ‘coping’. God is merely a substitute for the need for a father figure therefore it is a projection. A way of living out our inner desires! The origins of religious belief can be explained away (cf with Durkheim and the totem) Jung Some aspects of religion are an illusion but they have benefit. God, therefore, becomes an ‘archetype’. A product of our ‘collective unconscious’. Like Freud Jung pointed to a projectionist belief. God therefore is a human construction. Feuerbach God is merely a projection of our inner desires. God is not real. God is a human construction.

2. Durkheim Religion is important BUT it is a product of society and not a revealed truth. Not ‘Religious Truths’. Religion is like ‘totem worship’ It is a human construction. Sociological Critiques The manner in which religions operate is dangerous and harmful. Marx ‘The first requisite for the happiness of the people is the abolition of Religion’ Religion is the ‘sigh of oppressed culture’. ‘The opium of the people’ Happiness experienced as a result of religion is not real. It is illusory and as such is detrimental to us as a society.

3. Modern Critiques Secularisation is taking place Religion is outdated in today's society because of technological and scientific advances Dawkins Religion is dangerous. ‘The God Delusion’ and ‘The root of all evil’ he says: Religion is not necessary Faith claims of religion are nonsense The purpose of humans is to reproduce not to worship God. Memes – religion is a virus which results in a dangerous delusion. Devil bird story. In addition to this: Problem of evil, critique of arguments for the existence of God and Logical Positivism (cf Ayer Article)

4. Psychological critiques - Analysis There are people who are deluded (eg Westboro baptist church) There are religious people who claim they are told to commit crimes or injure others and so must be deluded. Freud’s research is out of date. He makes huge generalisations based only on a small number of patients. Religion can have positive psychological aspects of belief in God which are often overlooked. Some highly intelligent and balanced people are religious so unless they are the anomaly Freud must be wrong. The concept of a blik would support this to a certain extent (RM Hare and the lunatic Don) From an anti realist perspective it is all merely ‘seeing as’ and so neither stance is more preferable.

5. Sociological Critiques - Analysis In theory this (marx’s view) sounds good but in practice it is fundamentally flawed. Religion can be accused of causing wars etc But there are many positive examples of the contribution Religion has made to society eg Liberation Theology. Much of the Sociological critiques ignore the positive contribution made by religion. It allows for the functionalist role that religion has to offer to be recognised.