In the modern search for a deeper meaning in life, philosophy and psychoanalysis continue to collide at the intersection of human aspirations and hidden inner conflicts.

Religion as a Collective Illusion: Freud's Analysis of Inner Conflicts

In the modern search for a deeper meaning in life, philosophy and psychoanalysis continue to collide at the intersection of human aspirations and hidden inner conflicts. Freud argued that religion is not an objective truth, but rather a collective means of managing the tense and sometimes destructive aspects of our psyche. He believed that religious beliefs emerge as an attempt to fill the void created by the suppression of natural instincts, especially within the context of the complex interactions between inner conflicts and social norms.

From his perspective, religious practices become a kind of protective barrier that helps people mitigate the acute pain from contradictions emerging from the depths of the unconscious. This mechanism does not so much offer a true resolution to conflicts as it forms a collective illusion capable of temporarily soothing an anxious inner state. Thus, religion becomes a way to cope with feelings of guilt and fear of the destructive forces operating within each of us.

In conclusion, an analysis of Freud's teachings allows us to understand that religion can be seen as a means of harmonizing internal contradictions, even if it is based on an illusory protection. This view challenges traditional perceptions and invites a deeper consideration of how human consciousness strives to control and mitigate not only external but also internal challenges.

How did religion play a role in Freud’s theoretical framework, and why did he call it a mass illusion?

Freud considered religion not as an objective truth but as a collective mechanism through which individuals attempt to deal with profound unconscious conflicts and repressed instincts. In his view, religion is a projection by which individuals and communities try to express and ease the tension caused by internal, often sexual, conflicts, particularly in the context of the Oedipus complex. Religious beliefs arise as an illusory filling of the void generated by the suppression of natural instincts and, consequently, become a mass illusion that society exploits to manage feelings of guilt and fear of the destructive forces of the unconscious.

As stated in one source:
"And religion, which Freud calls 'an illusion,' is, according to his doctrine, a projection into the infinity of the notorious 'Oedipal complex.'" (source: link txt)

Another source also notes that Freud associated religion with the process of repressing instincts, viewing it as a result of the dynamics between inner neuroses and imposed social order:
"Freud notes that religion is connected with the repression of instincts. ... Freud sees a universal human obsessional neurosis and, at the same time, an illusion." (source: link txt)

Thus, for Freud, religion played the role of a kind of protective barrier through which collective consciousness sought to tame the frightening aspects of its inner world, although, in his opinion, this protection was illusory, as it denied a true understanding of the unconscious processes governing human behavior.