The Different Approaches of Freud and Jung - Coursework Example

Intersections of Religion and Psychology: The Divergent Approaches of Freud and Jung

Introduction

Religion is one of the universal practices in human society. For a very long time, human beings have believed in religion because it serves many purposes in life. Although religions differ in terms of doctrines, teachings, traditions, practices, and beliefs, they play a pivotal role in human life. Religion is an exciting field that has been attracting views from different scholars and philosophers. Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung are some of the greatest philosophers whose ideas have shaped the understanding of different religions. These are philosophers who lived at different times. However, they did not agree on what religious beliefs are all about it. This paper presents an in-depth analysis of the similarities and differences in the Freud's and Jung's philosophies of religion.

Sigmund Freud’s Theory of Religion

Sigmund Freud is a philosopher who lived between 1856 and 1939. During this time, Freud did a lot of work in different fields, particularly psychology. His psychodynamic ideologies transformed human understanding of the psychology of human behaviors. However, despite majoring in psychology, Freud took the time to study and disseminate his ideas on the concept of religion. His background influenced Freud's religious ideas. Initially, he was a Jew. However, as time progressed, Freud decided to be an atheist.

According to Freud, religion has become obsolete in modern society. Freud acknowledged that religion was necessary at some point in human life. In his opinion, religion was serving an essential role in human society during the past when people lived in primal hordes. Religion was useful during that time because human beings were still primitive, not advanced. However, since humans are no longer primitive, they do not need religion anymore. That is because religion has lost its meaning and cannot serve any vital purpose today. The philosopher justified this claim by saying that religion can only be useful in a society where people display irrational behaviors. Irrational behaviors no longer have a place in human society. Human beings have transformed from being irrational to rational. As rational creatures, humans do not have to engage in blind belief. Instead, they can question and seek answers as much as possible. However, since religion forces people to believe without asking, it should not be condoned in the modern world in which people have become critical, rational, and doubtful.

Freud believed that religion is an illusion. Meaning, it does not exist in real sense. The philosopher argued that religion was a means of expressing human desires. In his book The Future of an Illusion, Freud argued that religion was an illusionary reaction of human beings. Religion is an illusion because it allows people to engage in a belief that does not exist. An illusion is something that does not exist. To Freud, this qualifies as a form of neurosis. Freud links religion to a neurosis because it is how people display their distress in life. Life is a challenging endeavor. People have to go through lots of difficulties for them to fit in and survive. Therefore, to express their emotional distresses, individuals, resort to religious beliefs. That happens because, through religion, people can get the solace that they desire. All these, to Freud, are a sign of a mere illusion.

Freud argued that religion is a way through which human beings express their wishes and desires in life. In his psychoanalytic theory, Freud argued that people tend to rely on unconscious minds. The unconscious mind is a powerful experience because it exercises control over human life. The unconscious mind controls everything that people do. In the New Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis, Freud states that human beings resorted to religion to fulfill their wishes in life. Human beings have wishes that they would like to fulfill at any given time. The human wishes are comparable to the oedipal complex system in which the children try to fulfill their desire for association with the opposite sex. According to Freud, the wishes that people aspire to fulfill are those about the control of individual life, family, communities, and humanity. That shows that religion served no other role than allowing people to exercise control over everything, including the outside world beyond them.

Freud expressed his belief in the abstract form of monotheism. Although he was an atheist, Freud later affirmed his support for a belief in a supernatural being. The philosopher confirmed this in his Moses and Monotheism. Before the writing of this book, Freud had seen no value for religion. That is why he was expressing his ideas that did not favor religious beliefs. However, in this publication, the philosopher acknowledged the significant contributions of the JGodsh God in human life. However, while analyzing Judaism, Freud gave a critical view of Moses. Moses was one of the prophets who played a significant role in the liberation of the people of Israel from the yoke of oppression. According to Freud, Moses remains a prominent figure among the monotheists. He refutes the Biblical claims that Moses was an original Jew. To him, Moses was not biologically Jew because he was simply adopted and acculturated into the Jewish culture. However, his contributions as a prophet endeared him to many people who continued advancing the monotheistic pursuits he had a passion for long after his death. Monotheism is advanced because it is a sign of orderliness in a religion.

Carl Jung’s Theory of Religion

Carl Jung was a Swiss philosopher who lived between 1875 and 1961. Jung made tremendous contributions in the field of psychoanalysis and psychiatry. Apart from this, Jung propounded philosophies in the area of religion. His religious philosophies made great impacts because they improved human understanding of the essence of religion in society.

Jung believed that religion is an essential practice in society. According to Jung, human society should not exist without a religious belief. Religion is useful because it supports human life in many ways. For example, religion gives a sense of hope to the people. Hope is a good thing because it makes life fulfilling and satisfactory. Hope is useful both in the presence and after-life. Religion also helps in bringing people together. That happens because it serves as an agent of socialization in society. Jung did not only express his belief in religion but expressed his belief by belonging to Taoism. Taoism is one of the oriental religions that still exist up to date. The philosopher believes in the doctrines of Taoism because it had important contributions in his life. That is why he had to believe in religion and do everything possible to support it. Otherwise, if religion meant nothing to him, he would not have bothered belonging to one.

Jung believed in the existenGodof God. In his philosophy, Jung held theGodew God ss an influential figure that had control over the universe. All human beings should be religious because religion unites them to the supernatural being. To prove his belief in God, Jung said, 'I believe in God because I know that he exists.' That statement confirmed that Jung was a religious person who had a beliGodin God. He believed in his existence as well as his powers—Jung's beliGodin God made him argue in favor of the permanence of religion. The good thingsGodat God does to the people made Jung support religion. Although other philosophers argued that religion has no purpose in society, Jung held that religion should be intact. The presence of the omnipGodnt God made religion a useful practice that plays a vital role in society.

Jung argued that religion is a way of expressing and attaining individuation. According to Jung, individuation is an essential attribute of human beings. It is useful because it enables people to know who they are, their purpose in life, and why they have to live. It can be a good idea if all people attain individuation. In Jung's opinion, religion is the best way through which people can achieve all these. That happens because religion is not only a gathering. Instead, religion is an institution comprised of faiths, beliefs, practices, doctrines, and traditions. Each of these elements is significant because it details what human life is all about. Without individuation, life cannot be as fulfilling as it ought to. Therefore, for anyone who aspires to achieve that, religion is a must. Religion can be a source of knowledge through which people get to explore and understand themselves.

Jung came up with the philosophy of religious archetypes. According to Jung, human beings have an innate understanding of the concept of mental facilities that define their understanding of religion. The psychiatric facilities that people have created on religion are many. First, there is a belief in the existence of religious doctrines. All the religions have certain doctrinal practices which the members profess. Besides, there is the element of a supernatural being. All religions be it monotheism or polytheism, have supernatural beings that they believe in. Nearly all religions believe in a supernatural being which they worship and adore. Such a being is the one that exercises control over the universe and humanity as well. The other archetype in religion is the belief in the existence of religious leaders. The leaders who comprise prophets, seers, shamans, and ministers act as intermediaries between the believers and God.

Compare and Contrast Freud and Jung’s Religious Philosophies

Freud and Jung were contemporaries. These philosophers lived at the same time. However, despite focusing on different areas of research, these philosophers decided to study religion. That is how they came up with the philosophies which influenced religious belief and understanding in the past and present day. Although these philosophers approached religion differently, a thorough review of their philosophies shows some similarities and differences in their arguments and positions.

Similarities

Freud and Jung are philosophers who contributed towards the development of religious knowledge. The philosophies of these great men have enlightened so many people and shaped their understanding of religion and religious matters. Since these were contemporaries, there are certain similarities in their religious philosophies.

The first similarity in Jung and Freud's philosophy is that both of them believed in the significance of religion in society. The two philosophers held the view that religion is a belief that plays a fundamental role in human life. To these philosophers, there is a stage in human life in which religion matters. According to Freud, religion was of immense importance during the primal stages of social development. That is why the people had to be religious and have a belief in the supernatural powers. To Jung, religion was influential in the past and remained the same up to date. Meaning, human beings should not cease from professing their religious beliefs. Jung also supports that religious belief is perpetual and should continue to exist even in the future. That is because it serves crucial roles which human beings always require in their day-to-day lives.

The other similarity in Jung and Freud's religious philosophies is that both of them believed in the role of the unconscious mind in the shaping of religious faiths. Fraud advanced the concept of the psychodynamic growth of human development. According to this approach, human beings have specific wishes that they would always aspire to accomplish. Such wishes are pegged on the unconscious mind. In his psychodynamic approach, Jung also supported the idea of the unconscious mind. This means that the two philosophers held that human beings engage in religion because it allows them to express their feelings. That is why Freud came up with the idea of the oedipal complex when explaining religion's essence. According to Oedipal Complex, the kids always aspire for the company of the opposite sex. What happens as a result of the influences of the unconscious mind. It is exactly what Jung explains in his philosophy of religion.

The other similarity in Jung and Freud's religious philosophies is that both believe in the roles of the psyche in the shaping of religious understanding and faith. According to Freud, the human psyche comprises of the super-ego, ego, and the id. Each of these psyches is useful because it plays a significant role in influencing people's religious faith. Id is a primitive psyche which is at the primary level. It performs a fundamental function that the people require. Ego is more advanced than the Super-ego. Ego, in turn, is higher than the ego. Ego and id have direct control over human actions and thought. Therefore, all the decisions that people make regarding religious faith are under direct control and manipulation of these psyches. If it were not for these psyches, people would have a different perception towards religion.

The above similarities show that Jung and Freud had some commonalities in their thoughts. In the renaissance period, it was not easy for the philosophers to argue similarly. That happened because each of the philosophers was guided by a different kind of school of thought. However, since Freud and Jung were contemporaries, they could have had similar arguments. That also happened because they got influences from one another.

Differences

Jung and Freud explored the concept of religion. Although there are some similarities in these philosophers' positions, there were also many differences in their arguments. Research has proven that these philosophers never agreed on many issues in their philosophies of religion.

First and foremost, the two philosophers differed on the issue of the permanence of religion. Jung and Freud concurred that religion was a critical practice and belief that humans need in their lives. However, to Fraud, religion had become obsolete because it had lost value. Fraud held the view that religion was only significant in the past. That is because religion could only have a meaning to the primitive humans who lived many years ago. Since religion has lost its value, it should not be in existence any longer. Jung disagreed with this argument because he believed that religion should be timeless. Meaning, religion should not be eradicated in modern society. According to Jung, religion is still important today. Religion will continue to be important in the future. That is why people should continue engaging in religious matters. Without religion, life might not be fulfilling as it ought to.

Besides, Jung and Freud did not have a similar position regarding the expression of religion. According to Jung, religion was an expression of an unconscious mind. Meaning, humans use religion to express their inner feelings. Such feelings are unique because they originate from the unconscious state of mind. Although Freud supported the idea of the unconscious mind, he held that religion was a way through which human beings express their distresses. That is why he considered religion as a collective neurosis. Meaning, religion was not something useful. Instead, religion was a form of mental instability that distorted human thoughts in away. Such differences arose because the philosophers did not agree on the concept of psyche. On his part, Freud argued that the psyche comprises osuper-egoer-ego, ego, and id. However, Jung held that psyche is composed of the feminine (amina) and masculine components.

Last, but not least, Jung and Freud differed on the concept of archetype. Freud did not accept the concept of archetype because it did not make any sense to him. However, this differed from Jung who propounded and developed it. According to Jung, religious believes have become a part and parcel of human life because of the influences of the archetypes. According to Jung, archetypes are imaginary images that are created in the minds of human beings. The images are closely linked to religion and religious faiths. For example, there might be the images of a super natural being, religious leaders, religious buildings, symbols, and many others. The archetypes can be inborn or acquired in the course of life. Although Jung held these views, Freud did not do so. Freud believed that the concept of archetype has no place in the modern society since religion has already lost its value.

It is evident that Freud and Jung had lots of differences in their philosophies. These philosophers believed in the significant contributions in human life. However, despite acknowledging the existence of religion, the philosophers did not agree in entirety. The differences arose because of various reasons. First, the philosophers had divergent backgrounds. Freud was originally a Jew. Later, he changed his religious faith and became an atheist who does not believe in the existenGodof God. Jung had a strong religious background because he was a Taoist. The other reason is that these philosophers were operating in different circumstances and wrote for different audiences. Meaning, they had different purposes to deal with. That is why there were differences in the ideas that the philosophers expressed.

Conclusion

Religion is one of the most popular practices in the society today. There are many religions because people believe in the existence of a super natural being that exercises control over humanity and the universe. Religious ideals still exist because of the efforts of the philosophers like Freud and Jung. As the paper indicates, Freud and Jung made tremendous contributions towards the prosperity of religious knowledge. The ideas of these philosophers affirm that religion is an important practice in the society. Although Freud argues that religion has no place in the contemporary society, Jung argues that religion is a good thing. Thus, it should continue becoming a part and parcel of humanity. This is a right proposition because without religion, people can be hopeless. At the same time, the world can be disunited, troubled, chaotic, violent, and inhabitable.

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That is why he was expressing his ideas that did not favor religious beliefs. However, in this publication, the philosopher acknowledged the significant contributions of the JGodsh God in human life. However, while analyzing Judaism, Freud gave a critical view of Moses. Moses was one of the prophets who played a significant role in the liberation of the people of Israel from the yoke of oppression. According to Freud, Moses remains a prominent figure among the monotheists. He refutes the Biblical claims that Moses was an original Jew. To him, Moses was not biologically Jew because he was simply adopted and acculturated into the Jewish culture. However, his contributions as a prophet endeared him to many people who continued advancing the monotheistic pursuits he had a passion for long after his death. Monotheism is advanced because it is a sign of orderliness in a religion.

Carl Jung’s Theory of Religion

Carl Jung was a Swiss philosopher who lived between 1875 and 1961. Jung made tremendous contributions in the field of psychoanalysis and psychiatry. Apart from this, Jung propounded philosophies in the area of religion. His religious philosophies made great impacts because they improved human understanding of the essence of religion in society.

Jung believed that religion is an essential practice in society. According to Jung, human society should not exist without a religious belief. Religion is useful because it supports human life in many ways. For example, religion gives a sense of hope to the people. Hope is a good thing because it makes life fulfilling and satisfactory. Hope is useful both in the presence and after-life. Religion also helps in bringing people together. That happens because it serves as an agent of socialization in society. Jung did not only express his belief in religion but expressed his belief by belonging to Taoism. Taoism is one of the oriental religions that still exist up to date. The philosopher believes in the doctrines of Taoism because it had important contributions in his life. That is why he had to believe in religion and do everything possible to support it. Otherwise, if religion meant nothing to him, he would not have bothered belonging to one.

Jung believed in the existenGodof God. In his philosophy, Jung held theGodew God ss an influential figure that had control over the universe. All human beings should be religious because religion unites them to the supernatural being. To prove his belief in God, Jung said, 'I believe in God because I know that he exists.' That statement confirmed that Jung was a religious person who had a beliGodin God. He believed in his existence as well as his powers—Jung's beliGodin God made him argue in favor of the permanence of religion. The good thingsGodat God does to the people made Jung support religion. Although other philosophers argued that religion has no purpose in society, Jung held that religion should be intact. The presence of the omnipGodnt God made religion a useful practice that plays a vital role in society.

Jung argued that religion is a way of expressing and attaining individuation. According to Jung, individuation is an essential attribute of human beings. It is useful because it enables people to know who they are, their purpose in life, and why they have to live. It can be a good idea if all people attain individuation. In Jung's opinion, religion is the best way through which people can achieve all these. That happens because religion is not only a gathering. Instead, religion is an institution comprised of faiths, beliefs, practices, doctrines, and traditions. Each of these elements is significant because it details what human life is all about. Without individuation, life cannot be as fulfilling as it ought to. Therefore, for anyone who aspires to achieve that, religion is a must. Religion can be a source of knowledge through which people get to explore and understand themselves.

Jung came up with the philosophy of religious archetypes. Read More