马克思主义宗教观研究述评

20世纪八九十年代，学术界遵循“学术需理性，信仰要宽容”的原则开展宗教研究。如何理解“宗教是人民的鸦片”这句话，是学术界争论最为激烈的核心问题。长期以来，“鸦片论”一直作为我国宗教工作和宗教研究的出发点和最终归宿，甚至把它概括为马克思主义宗教观的理论根本。其实，“鸦片”是马克思承袭前人的提法，是对宗教在阶级社会中一定条件下所起消极作用的形象化比喻，不能把它归结为马克思主义宗教观。马克思主义宗教观是制定宗教政策的理论依据，而宗教信仰自由政策是马克思主义宗教观在实践中运用的结果。“积极引导宗教与社会主义社会相适应”的思想，充分体现了实事求是的精神，堪称对马克思主义宗教观理论的创造性发展。

Comment on Marxist Religious Theory

In the 1980's and 1990's, the research of religions is made under the principle that the academic research needs rationalism and the religious faith needs understanding. How to explain the words that religions are the people's opium is the kernel question that the academic circle has disputed strongly. The theory that religions are the people's opium has been the basic position and final aim of religious work and research in our country for a long time. It has been summarized as the root of Marxist religious theory. In fact, Marx follows his former scholars' opinion of "opium". It is a visual metaphor to describe the negative influence of religious under certain conditions in class societies. And it cannot be regarded as the whole Marxist religious theory. Marxist religious theory is the basis to constitute religious policies, while the policy of religious freedom is a success of Marxist religious theory in practice. The thought of guiding religions to correspond with socialist society positively embodies the practical and realistic spirit sufficiently, and can be rated as a creative development in Marxist religious theory.