Critique of Religion | God is Power & Critic of Religion

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 Critique of Religion & God is Power "1984" by George Orwell


This blog provided information about the great novel 1984 by George Orwell as a critique of religion and critical analysis. For further information, we can use my teacher blog, Pr. Dilip Barad.

Introduction: "God is power."



1. Meaning of "God is Power" in 1984

  • This phrase appears in Part 3 when O'Brien tortures and brainwashes Winston.
  • It means that power is the ultimate force, not religion or morality.
  • In Orwell’s world, the party replaces God, making people worship power itself.

2. Orwell’s Criticism of Religion and Power

  • Orwell did not trust organized religion because it often controlled people.
  • In 1984, the Party removes God and replaces Him with itself.
  • Instead of following religious beliefs, people are forced to worship Big Brother.

3. Brainwashing and Obedience

  • At first, Winston fights against the Party.
  • O’Brien tortures him until he accepts that:
    • 2 + 2 = 5 (truth is whatever the party says).
    • The past can be changed.
    • Power is the only truth.
  • Orwell warns that dictators don’t just want obedience; they want people to truly believe their lies.

4. Control Through Fear and Lies

  • Surveillance: The Party spies on people like an all-seeing god.
  • Thought Control: Even thinking against the party is illegal.
  • Propaganda: The party changes history and language to control reality.
  • Forced Love: People must not only obey Big Brother but also love him.

5. Power Becomes a Religion

  • Orwell shows that totalitarian rule works like religion:
    • Big Brother is like a god.
    • The Party demands faith and worship.
    • Rebels are treated as heretics.
    • History is rewritten like religious teachings.
  • The Party doesn’t allow personal beliefs—it wants total control over the mind.

6. Orwell’s Warning

  • Orwell’s message: When power becomes everything, freedom dies.
  • In 1984, the Party destroys:
    • Individual thought
    • Truth
    • Reality itself
  • Orwell warns us about governments that try to control what people think and believe.



George Orwell's 1984 as a Critique of Religion (Specifically Catholicism)



In this discussion, we examine the parallels between George Orwell's novel 1984 and religion, particularly Catholicism. While 1984 is traditionally viewed as a political satire, its critique can also be interpreted as a religious critique. Below are the key points that illustrate how Orwell might be critiquing religion through the novel:

1. Three Superstates and Abrahamic Religions

  • The world in 1984 is divided into three superstates: Oceania, Eurasia, and East Asia. This division is reminiscent of the three Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, which also share a similar threefold division.
  • This division hints at a critique of organized religions, especially in how they create divisive ideologies.

2. System of Confessions

  • 1984 features a system of "confessions," where individuals, like Winston, confess their supposed crimes. This bears a resemblance to the Catholic confession, where people confess sins to a priest.
  • These confessions in the novel seem to parallel a sacramental experience with penance, physical suffering, and restoration, similar to the ritual of penance in religious practices. Winston's physical suffering (Room 101) mirrors a religious purging or purification process.

3. Big Brother as a Divine Figure

  • The figure of Big Brother in 1984 can be equated with the concept of God. The idea that "Big Brother is always watching you" suggests a watchful, caring, and protective presence, similar to how people perceive God's constant vigilance in their lives.
  • The Inner Party members, who are often likened to "priests," draw direct comparisons between political authority and divine power, with Big Brother as an agodlike figure.

4. Pyramidal Structure and the Trinity

  • The society in 1984 is structured like a pyramid, with Big Brother at the top, followed by the Inner Party, Outer Party, and Proles. This pyramid structure mirrors the Holy Trinity of Christianity (Father, Son, and Holy Ghost).
  • This religious imagery in the political hierarchy emphasizes the authoritarian control of the party over the populace, much like how religious institutions can hold authoritarian power.

5. Celibacy and Dedication to the Party

  • In the Party's ideology, celibacy and dedication to the Party are valued, which mirrors the Catholic Church's ideals of celibacy and devotion to the religious life. Party members who remain unmarried and focus entirely on the Party are revered, just as celibacy is highly regarded in religious orders.
  • Marriage is allowed but only for reproductive purposes, much like religious systems that regulate personal relationships for purposes of community growth.

6. Room 101: Purgatory or Inferno

  • Room 101, a place where individuals face their worst fears, is likened to Dante’s Inferno or Purgatory, where souls are purified through suffering. The physical and mental torture faced by Winston in Room 101 can be compared to a religious purification process, akin to penance or redemption.
  • O'Brien, a central figure in the Party, is compared to Lucifer or Mephistopheles—a figure who leads Winston toward moral degradation and suffering before "redemption" is forced upon him.

7. The Church and Fascism

  • Orwell's critique of the Church, particularly during the Spanish Civil War, is important. He viewed the Catholic Church as collaborating with fascist governments in Italy and Spain, which opposed socialism and democracy. Orwell’s own political beliefs, which were in favor of democratic socialism, led him to view the Church as an authoritarian institution.
  • This view extends to 1984, where religion is seen as an institution that serves authoritarian regimes rather than individual spiritual growth.

8. Orwell's Personal Critique of Catholicism

  • Orwell’s personal disillusionment with organized Christianity and his atheism is well documented. Although raised Anglican, he became increasingly critical of Catholicism and religion in general, particularly its authoritarian structures.
  • His experiences in religious schools contributed to his negative views on the Church, which may have influenced his writing of 1984 as a critique of such institutions.

9. Animal Farm and Religious Critique

  • In Animal Farm, Orwell introduces Moses, a character who represents Moses from the Bible. Moses preaches about the Sugar Candy Mountain, which parallels the idea of heaven in religious doctrines. The promise of a better afterlife serves to keep the oppressed in their place, similar to how religious promises can be used to pacify the masses.

10. Orwell’s Belief in Power Worship

  • Orwell feared that people could easily fall into idolizing powerful figures, much as they idolize religious figures or gods. He warned against the dangers of worshiping power, whether in the form of religious leaders or political leaders like Big Brother.

Conclusion:

In 1984, George Orwell critiques both totalitarianism and organized religion, particularly Catholicism, by highlighting how power can become an object of worship. The Party, like religious institutions, demands absolute faith, enforces confessions, and structures itself hierarchically, mirroring religious traditions. Orwell draws parallels between Big Brother and God, the Party's ideology and religious doctrine, and the psychological control of the Party with religious indoctrination. Through Winston’s torture, forced confession, and ultimate submission, Orwell warns against blind obedience—whether to political or religious authority—emphasizing that when power replaces truth and morality, individual freedom is completely lost.


References:

DoE-MKBU. (2023, February 21). Critique of Religion | 1984 | George Orwell [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zh41QghkCUA


DoE-MKBU. (2023b, February 21). God is Power | 1984 | George Orwell [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cj29I_MU3cA

Lowne, & Cathy. (2025, January 13). Nineteen Eighty-four | Summary, characters, analysis, & facts. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Nineteen-Eighty-four















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