It gives those who have a bad life hope but this is not the case for all those Westerners say, who have everything and have achieved everything they wanted and who ask themselves after that "there must be more to this" you know what i mean. That's why we see so many rich Westerners going to Buddhism because our spirituality needs to be nurtured
He meant that it is a way to keep masses passive. By telling them they can expect their reward in the next life, they won't worry so much about how lousy they have it in this one.
Sigh. I really wish opium was the opiate of the masses. Oh, for the day when we could buy opium over the counter in baby teething syrups.
Someone who tried opium and realized it puts you in the same state of divine as any religious fervor. Opium brings you closer to God and once you feel the chemical God, there's no need for one that isn't real.