Religion In Brave New World

Religion is omnipresent and has always been an aspect of the human experience. Some find religion to be an absurd and destructive concept. They think that with religion follows discrimination, conformity and helplessness. In fact, there are many that find religion to be the force behind a majority of problems in the world. On the other hand, people find religion to provide them with a structured life, engrossed with a code of ethics. While there are differing opinions on religion there is no arguing the ability it has to unite people. Authors, George Orwell of 1984 and Aldous Huxley of Brave New World bring to light the potential the government has to use religion as power. Both novels government’s deprive their people of religion to reduce

Like today’s world the novel uses science for answers and comfort, something that many use religion for when they are feeling distraught and the answers they have are not enough. In any dystopian society, stability is a must and science is science is seen as stable. Brad Congdon writes in the article "'Community, Identity, Stability': The Scientific Society and the Future of Religion in Aldous Huxley's: Brave New World,"Whereas Russell, Haldane, Birkenhead, and Bernal all seem to neglect capitalism in their prognostications about a eugenic state, Aldous presents his reader with a planned society wherein the mythology and organization are easily recognized as Fordism and consumerism.” The structured society guarantees that there will be no individuality and everyone finds purpose through one’s role in society. Henry Ford is a parallel to religion found in the novel, he is worshipped by all. This goes as far as signing a “T” for the Model-T in a similar to the way Christians sign the cross. The World State used science as a replacement for religion. Huxley writes, “Stability,” insisted the controller. “Stability. The primal and the ultimate need. Stability”(42). The World State will do whatever it takes to maintain a stable society. Religion nearly prohibits this from happening because it allows expression and emotion, both of which the people are not supposed to comprehend for

Religion is only mentioned a few times throughout the novel, however the belief of Big Brother (BB) somewhat serves as the society’s religion. BB is the only religion known by the citizens, this is due to the fact that if there were more than one religion an opportunity would open for people to have beliefs other than those taught by the government leading to individuality. O’Brien says, “God is power. But at the present God is only a word so far as you are concerned. It is time for you to gather some ideas of what power means. The first thing you must realize is that power is collective” (Orwell, 273). O’Brien shares similar beliefs of the party of God because both seek control of the mind, soul, and body. BB is seen a benevolent leader and is thought to be someone or something for all to aspire to (even though this may not be the case in reality). BB is practically all that the society stands for and Winston yearns to go against this. He tries to form his own way of living and go against the norms. Religion is only referenced near the end of the novel to stress the way people are taught to believe solely what their religion teaches them similarly to the way 1984 uses fear as a way to convince people to see in a certain perspective. Although, BB is not referred to as a religion it is practiced in a similar manner because each are associated with immense emotions that are used as power to guide the