Definition Essay: The Delusion Of God

Today, new technology and theories provide proof on how our world functions. Through these new developments, the sciences can advance. This advancement not only allowed us to increase knowledge but our rationality likewise. Traits that are only unique to us in the entire animal kingdom. Like science, Religion is seen to have as much of an influential role in our development as a species. Organized religion helps create a connection between people which results in community and culture. Ideas would be able to spread and grow far easier within a community. This was due to religion’s prevalence in the ancient world more so than the present day. A key example was the establishment of Christianity as the Roman Empire’s official religion. As

A Delusion of Satan was written in 1995 by Frances Hill, and published by Da Capo Press. Frances Hill, an accomplished writer and journalist from London, has been writing for a decent period of time. Aside from publishing two novels, Hill has written fiction reviews for The Time (London) and has worked as a reporter in in both New York and London. With such an accomplished journalist, reporter, and writer, we are due to receive a good read in A Delusion of Satan.

The novel A Delusion of Satan written by Frances Hill describes the history of the Salem Witch Trials (“Salem”) in 1692, the causes and effects of the witch hysteria, and the biographies of major characters associated with the trials. In the novel, Hill started out explaining the Puritans’ beliefs and customs, the gender roles of men and women in Salem and why women were easily accused of being witches and practicing witchcraft in the 17th century. During that time, women were easily accused of practicing witchcraft because they were viewed as physically, politically and spiritually weaker than men. Men were perceived as the power, status, and worthy in the society, and they dominated women’s behavior and social status. In the 17th century, “Hegemonic Masculinity” was the criterion, and women were seen as “physically weaker” and inferior compared to men in the society, which made them easily become the targets of witch hunt (Mammone). Women were politically weaker than men because all of the high positions in the society and the Puritan Church were held by men, such as the position of judge, prosecutor and minister. As the Puritan believed in the biblical story of Adam and Eve, women were viewed as spiritually weaker than men. The souls of women were perceived as vulnerable to the devil’s traps, while the souls of men were less susceptible to the devil’s temptations (“The Salem Hysteria”). Therefore, the gender roles of men and women in the 17th century Salem society showed

Caribbean Indian slaves, Tituba and John Indian. The Parris family also had two other children

As the world grows, diversity follows. With this diversity different faiths, or even lack of, are created; one being Atheism. Atheism is the unbelief of God or any other supreme being. Atheism is becoming more present within the community which sometimes leads to criticism. Since Christianity is the is the polar opposite of Atheism, their beliefs, practices, and symbols (or lack of) are bound to clash. Nonetheless, Atheism continues to grow.

What is atheism? Why would someone be an atheist? Why do people fear and dislike atheism? Simply stated, atheism is the lack of belief in a god or gods. Granted, atheists are each individuals and undoubtedly each of them prescribe [to] many different philosophies on life, politics and morality as do Christians. However, though atheists may choose to gather collectively for whatever purpose, unlike Christianity, atheism is not a belief system. An individual who identifies himself as an atheist is merely stating that he does not believe in [the existence of] god or gods. Atheism, as indicated by its name, is the opposite of theism which is belief in at least one god; to include polytheism (belief in many or more than one god) and monotheism

The Capgras Delusion is one of the rarest and colorful syndromes in neurology. The patient fails to recognise the faces of close acquaintances and calls them as an ‘imposter’. They claim that the person ‘looks like’ or is ‘identical to’ someone they know, while continuing to believe that they are two different individuals. The delusional belief is strongest when the putative imposter is present [2]. Capgras delusion is classified as a delusional misidentification syndrome, a class of beliefs where the patients have delusional beliefs that involves misidentification of people, places or objects.

As technology, science, and medicine changes lives, history, and economics, has it drawn our minds in awe and wonder forcing us to forget what religion means in this world? To forget the morals and standards that came with it? With more societal advances we seem to always be furthering ourselves away from the topic of religion; Even after the fact that America was founded on the basis of Christianity.

‘I’m a deeply religious non believer.’ God Delusion by Richard Dawkins opens with the views of scientists like Darwin and Einstein about God and goes on a voyage against the falsehood of religion and its detrimental effect on the society. This book invites the reader to put religion under a microscope and scrutinize it. Firstly, something about the book title.

Theism is the belief that a higher being exists and created the universe that we currently dwell in. This divine existence, believed to be God to some, encompasses the law and order of actions and moral code. Atheism exemplifies the opposite of theism. The belief states that there is no divine being. Alongside with theism, there are three different arguments that proposes an answer to God’s existence: Ontological argument, Cosmological argument, and Design argument.

There are lots of interesting stories regarding people who had Capgras delusion, but here are a few examples. A 74-year-old woman thought that her husband had been replaced by another unrelated man. She became agitated by this, and, "She refused to sleep with the impostor, locked her bedroom door at night, asked her son for a gun, and finally fought with the police when attempts were made to hospitalize her" ("Capgras Delusion"). This particular woman resorted to violence when she was unable to find out the truth about her husband, even though it was standing right in front of her. Sometimes the woman thought that her husband's replacement was her long, deceased father ("Capgras Delusion"). This is an interesting interpretation she experienced because it is

Freud in his writing suggests that religion is an “illusion.” Not your typical deception of something, rather misapprehension of religion. Additionally, Freud provides brand new eyes to look at religion and its construct of civilization. He further provides evidence of his own, as well as suggesting a psychoanalytical approach to religion.

In Uys’ (1980) film, The God’s Must Be Crazy, a tribal community of South African Bushmen who live independently away from any contact with the outside world. When a Coke bottle is dropped from a plane, this “beautiful” and “useful” thing becomes a tool that is adopted into a variety of uses by the family (Uys, 1980). When the family begins to fight over the bottle, Xi, decides that although the bottle has been given to them by the gods, this now “evil thing” must be thrown off the edge of the world (Uys, 1980). The film then captures Xi’s experiences and interactions with other people and modern society as he sought to accomplish his task.

It’s the twenty first century. Scientists have found evidence of water on Mars, they have successfully cloned human embryos, and everyday, they are getting closer to finding a cure for cancer. Still, in a world of groundbreaking facts and evidences, where the newest discovery leaves older ones out of commission, we fool ourselves into blindly putting faith on a series of chronicles conceived during the primitive age. Religion probably started out as a result of mankind trying to explain the physical world, but then became a tool to control and oppress, a reason for bloodshed and hate. While religion may have been of great help in

evil shouldn’t exist. But because evil does exist in this world, God is not all-good and