Religion In Brave New World

Religion in Brave New World Revisited

Brave New World by, Aldus Huxley tells the story of a Utopian society called the World State. The World State, keeps a tight rope around the people that live in it. The people in the World State all believe the same beliefs as they have been brainwashed as children to hold the same beliefs in their minds. These actions of the leaders of the World State along with other factors caused the people of the World State to not have any independent religious beliefs, but beliefs were still present even if they were handed to them. Even though no formal religion appears in Brave New World, resemblance of religion and a group of common beliefs acted as a form of religion in the World State.

No formal religion is established in Brave New World, but many religious like activities and actions did occur. A sort of modified version of a religion can be identified in the text. Many

This is because a technique called “hypnopaedia,” (36) is used to mind control the citizens at an early age. It is said by Mustapha Mond to be the, “greatest moralizing and socializing force of all time” (36). Different moral messages were repeated to children while they slept. The children would then know their morals but not know why they existed or have a choice in forming their own opinions. If a citizen did not quite catch on to the beliefs they could be sent off to an island to be more independent. Even though no choice is given in formulating the beliefs of the World State a core group of common beliefs still exists giving the people a sense of religion to latch onto. Mustapha Mond viewed religion as something that, “isn’t compatible with machinery and scientific medicine and universal happiness,” (210). It is something that can get in the way of the society. Mustapha claims there is no religion, but there still is in a sense, just not in the way seen today. There is religion, without god, but one still