Religious suffering is at once the expression of real suffering and a protest against real suffering. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the sentiment of the heartless world, as it is the soul of soulless condition. It is the opium of the people.

Summary

This quote by Karl Marx explains that religious suffering is both an expression of genuine suffering and a form of resistance against that suffering. Marx argues that religion serves as a coping mechanism for individuals who experience oppression and despair. He views religion as a sentiment emanating from a heartless world and as a reflection of the soulless conditions in which people exist. By calling religion the "opium of the people," Marx suggests that it has a numbing effect on individuals, diverting their attention from the real socioeconomic issues they face.

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