The essence of religion

Author: (German) Feuerbach
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1999-08-01
Features: The Nature of Religion - Human Nature or God. I have already elucidated this in my book The Essence of Christianity. As for the essence that is different from human nature, the entity that does not rely on human nature, in other words, the entity that lacks human nature, human characteristics, and individuality, is truly nothing but nature. Human trust is the foundation of religion; and the object of this trust, that is, what people rely on and what people themselves feel they rely on, is nothing but nature. Nature is the original object of religion, which is fully proven by the history of all religions and all nations.
The Nature of Religion II. Ancient Greeks believed that all rivers, springs, lakes, seas, etc., originated from Okeanos (Okeanos is the great sea god in Greek mythology, personified as the sea). Ancient Persians believed that all mountains on earth were born from Mount Albordy. The idea that everything originates from a perfect entity - does this have a higher meaning, and is its approach different from the above two? No! This idea is completely based on the same line of thinking as the two mentioned above.
The Nature of Religion III. Humans have certain limitations, and these limitations are at least imagined and felt by humans from the perspective of religion. For example, humans cannot know the future, cannot live forever, cannot experience continuous, carefree happiness, cannot have a weightless body, cannot fly like gods, cannot emit thunder like Jehovah (Jehovah is the God of Judaism. - Translator), cannot arbitrarily make their forms grow larger or become invisible, and cannot live like angels without desires and impulses.
The Nature of Religion IV. Religious admiration for the wisdom of God in nature is merely a fleeting fervor; it is only a means-oriented enthusiasm. Once one reflects on the purpose of nature, it fades away. How marvelous the web of a spider is! How marvelous the funnel of a sand wasp on the beach is! But for what purpose were these structures created? To seek food - a purpose reduced by humans to a mere means. Socrates said, "Others" - these others being beasts or barbarians - "live to eat, but I eat to live."