<P> Miguel de Unamuno, the famed Spanish author of the Generation of' 98, focused his Nivola San Manuel Bueno, mártir around the theme of religion's opiatic affect on the people of rural Spain . In the book, the protagonist Don Manuel, is a priest who does not believe in God, but continues preaching because he sees the positive impact he can make in the lives of his parishioners . Religion in this way also serves to cure his own deep depression, through the happiness he feels from helping the people of Valverde de Lucerna . Unamuno makes direct reference to Marx when Don Manuel explains: </P> <P> Yes, I know that one of the leaders of what they call the social revolution has said that religion is the opium of the people . Opium...opium, yes! Let's give them opium, and let them sleep and dream . And with this crazy activity of mine, I have also been using opium . </P> <P> Vladimir Lenin, speaking of religion in Novaya Zhizn in 1905, alluded to Marx's earlier comments (emphasis added): </P> <P> Those who toil and live in want all their lives are taught by religion to be submissive and patient while here on earth, and to take comfort in the hope of a heavenly reward . But those who live by the labour of others are taught by religion to practise charity while on earth, thus offering them a very cheap way of justifying their entire existence as exploiters and selling them at a moderate price tickets to well - being in heaven . Religion is opium for the people . Religion is a sort of spiritual booze, in which the slaves of capital drown their human image, their demand for a life more or less worthy of man . </P>

Television is the opiate of the masses quote