The first theory of the origins of religion was the animist theory. He said that, in creating God in their guidance from the church and government. The simple but compelling thesis of his new book is that "the major barriers to belief in God are not rational but can be called, in a general sense, psychological" (5). What is Paul Tillich's definition for religion, and why do Hopfe and Woodward consider its development too broad? Taoism and Confucianism are nontheistic religions, that is, religions for which belief in God or gods is nonessential. economist, philosopher and revolutionist whose writings form the basis of the Paul Vitz is a professor of psychology at New York University and was himself an atheist until his late 30's. 2. What are a couple of other religions that can be called nontheistic religions? “Ultimately, this animistic view of the universe produced this religion that would worship the sky, earth, and water” (1). This page has been accessed 17,131 times. The superhuman deities of religion are in fact involuntary projections of the essential attributes of human nature, and this projection, in turn, is explained by a theory of human consciousness heavily indebted to Hegel. German philosopher Ludwig Feuerbach viewed this as an unconscious way to deal with uncertainty. Muller became convinced that he found the key to origin of all religions: “Primitive” people identify the forces in nature, personify them, created myths to describe their activities, and eventually developed pantheons and religions around...... ...Communist Manifesto, written in Many people The idea is further explained in the following sentences....... ...according to the text refers to the fear or awe a person feels in the presence of a spirit or a god. said caused humans to work only for themselves, not for the good of their believe that Marxism is not applicable to today's society, as Karl Marx put http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/04/05/000148.php, https://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Projection_theory&oldid=978127. During this time Edward Tylor, who was a leading figure in anthropology came up with a theory that said “primitive” people believed that souls were not only found in people but in all of nature” (1). As a control group, the book provides biographical sketches of a similar number of prominent theists from the same period, including Blaise Pascal, Edmund Burke, Moses Mendelssohn, Soren Kierkegaard, G. K. Chesterton, and Dietrich Bonhoffer. He therefore concludes that far from there being a need to make up God, there is actually a need to create atheism as a way to put distance from a missing father influence. which contributed ideas towards the movement against organized religion and the Vitz finds that characteristically, the atheists had weak, bad or absent fathers, while the theists had good fathers or father substitutes. “They also began to describe the activities of these forces with tales that eventually became mythology” (1). What is animism, and to what, "ultimately" and "finally," did Tylor think it evolved? Explain E. B. Tylor's theory concerning the origin and evolution of religion. their own ideals, and that in creating such a 'perfect' being, in contrast to In Freud's classic statement, religion is called "nothing but psychology projected into the external world": I believe that a large part of the mythological conception Wells. Interestingly, Paul Vitz, in his research into atheism, turns the tables when he finds that there is a correlation between atheism and absent or abusive fathers.
forward his ideas not anticipating the type of society we have today. The
The concept dates back to antiquity and could certainly play a role in the formation and development of religions.
Max Muller, who was also a leading figure in anthropology, had his mind set on another theory, which is the nature- worship theory. For the purposes of this brief review, Vitz' thesis has been greatly simplified. Hegel, and joined a rebel group called the Young Hegelians,
Feuerbach said religions were essentially projections of the wishes and needs of humanity, a dream or fantasy that expressed the situation of humankind. own image, humans had 'alienated themselves from themselves.' The conclusion that is reached is that it is psychological tendency to create a god force with human like qualities that match the cultural norms of the society.
Karl Marx used a derivative of it to chastise religion as the 'opiate of the masses' and Freud picked up the same theory, but added the idea of wish fulfillment as to the driving force.[1].
This page was last modified on 26 April 2012, at 21:38. philosophy of G.W.F. Historian of religion Ninian Smart says that “Feuerbach saw God as being a projection, by us, of essential human attributes, such as reason and love” (1). Vitz turns Freud's projection theory of religion (belief in God is an illusion that derives from our childish need for protection and security) on its head, and argues that "the atheist's disappointment in and resentment of his own earthly father unconsciously justifies his rejection of God" (16). Ludwig Feuerbach, who wrote that God was invented by humans as a projection of Projection theory is a theoretical concept put together by those who do not believe in a personal God to explain how such a belief came to be embedded in human cultures across the world. Projection theory is a theoretical concept put together by those who do not believe in a personal God to explain how such a belief came to be embedded in human cultures across the world. The book is a good deal more subtle and nuanced. Karl Marx, born on May 5, 1818, died on March 14, 1883, was a German
a) E.B. Paul C. Vitz, Faith of the Fatherless: the Psychology of Atheism. Stated in concrete social terms, Vitz's thesis is that absent or deficient fathers predispose their children to practical, if not philosophical atheism. Many failed countries' political and socio-economic structures have been Dallas: Spence Publishing Co., 1999,174 pp. In his 1841 work The Essence of Christianity, the German anthropologist and philosopher Ludwig Feuerbach (1804-1872) presented a “projection theory” of religion. Religion and Projection Psychological theories of religion, especially psychoana lytic approaches, have viewed religion primarily as projec tion. (Kamenka 1970, 18) Anselm gained fame as the first Protestant to be elected to a chair at the Roman Catholic dominated University … Projection theories of religion became increasingly popular during the modern era, especially among thinkers of a materialistic bent. Ludwig Feuerbach Theory of Religion as Projections of Human Needs provides some similarities and contrariety to mine own beliefs.
The people decided to personalize them thus giving names to things such as the sun, the moon, and so on. Later on in life, he was influenced by the writings of 3. Vitz turns Freud's projection theory of religion (belief in God is an illusion that derives from our childish need for protection and security) on its head, and argues that "the atheist's disappointment in and resentment of his own earthly father unconsciously justifies his rejection of God" (16). themselves, mankind lowered themselves to lowly, evil creatures who needed This group includes Friedrich Nietzche, David Hume, Bertrand Russell, John-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus, and H.G. species.
A genuine search for evidence supporting, or opposing, the existence of God should be based on the evidence and arguments found in philosophy, theology, science, history, and other relevant disciplines" (145). body of ideas known as Marxism. Guidelines for use of articles | Site Map | Contact Us | My Account, Faith of the Fatherless: The Psychology of Atheism, This book argues that "the atheist's disappointment in and resentment of his own earthly father unconsciously justifies his rejection of God. A good part of the book consists of 20 biographical sketches of prominent post-Enlightenment atheists, focusing on their relationships to their fathers or father figures. Ludwig A. Feuerbach was born in a Lutheran family on July 28, 1804, in Landshut, Bavaria; the fourth son of Anselm von Feuerbach and his wife Wilhelmine. The author concludes, "Sinceboth believers and nonbelievers in God have psychological reasons for their positions, one important conclusion is that in any debate as to the truth of the existence of God, psychology should be irrelevant. Things like plants, animals, mountains, rivers, even the entire world itself was seen as being alive with spirits of all kind. Prussian Autocracy.
Tylor’s theory regarding the origin and evolution of religion is that primitive people developed a sense of other or soul from their experiences with death and dreams.
Karl Marx applied this alienation theory to private property, which he All rights reserved. a) A few additional examples of some nontheistic religions are Agnosticism, Atheism, Buddhism, Secular Humanism and Scientology. irrelevant.
Hopfe and Woodward consider the development of Tillich’s definition of religion too broad for a world religions course because a philosophical exploration of Tillich’s definition of religion, yields many an individuals personal belief of what is of ultimate concern hardly lending to the general understanding of popular or mainstream religions they hope to accomplish in this text.
The conclusion that is reached is that it is psychological tendency to create a god force with human like qualities that match the cultural norms of the society. 4. 1848. based on Marx's theories, for example the USSR, East Germany etc. welfare state system has effectively nullified Marx's arguments, and made them According to this theory, “primitive” people became aware of things such as the changing of the seasons, the tides, and the phases of the moon. In other words, religion is nothing more than a human projection or abstraction into the cosmos of ideas that have purely human origins. People viewed these spirits in many different ways therefore, it became a part of life of “primitive” societies to pray to these spirits, offer sacrifices, and avoid offending them. In his youth he was deeply affected by the
a) Paul Tillich defines religion as, “that which is of ultimate concern”.
", Book Reviews on the Bible and Christianity, Turning Freud's Projection Theory of Religion on Its Head, Why Christianity Is True but Mormonism Is Not, Gospel Principles Study Guide - Main Page, ©2020 Institute for Religious Research. A whole array of philosophers and social scientists has advocat… While gods are not alien to either Taoism or Confucianism, belief in/of gods is not central to either tradition. ...cultures and some theories of the origin of religion were started.
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