Why did Marx say that religion united people under a "false consciousness?"

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Marx believed that religion served as a tool of the ruling class to maintain their power and control over the lower class by creating a false sense of unity and common interests between the classes. Marx saw religion as a way to distract the lower class from the economic and social realities of their exploitation by providing them with an illusion of hope and a false sense of happiness or fulfillment. Marx argued that this false consciousness prevented members of the lower class from realizing their true potential to overcome their oppression and fight for their liberation.

Why Did Marx Say That Religion United People Under a "False