Behold the Antichrist
Subtitle: Bentham on Religion
Publisher: Prometheus Books
Published: May 2004
Language: eng
Format: Hardcover
Number of pages: 365
ISBN-13: 9781591021162
Subjects: Modern Western philosophy, c 1600 to the present; Philosophy Of Religion; Religion; God (Theology); Philosophy; Religious; General; 1748-1832; Bentham, Jeremy,
First sentence: In England, in 1822, there appeared a small book of 140 pages that bore the splendidly descriptive title Analysis of the Influence of Natural Religion on the Temporal Happiness of Mankind (hereafter referred to as AINR).
Description: "In this book, philosopher and freethinker Delos B. McKown presents us with Bentham's definition of religion, describing in the first part how Bentham's attacks on the Christianity of his time, which denigrated human life in the here-and-now for some imagined future postmortem state of glory, fully complemented his utilitarian philosophy of the greatest happiness of the greatest number of people. If people believe that some sort of self-sacrifice in this life will be rewarded in an afterlife promised to them by the doctrine of "natural religion," Bentham argued, they will purposely limit their happiness in the life they are currently experiencing - the only one they have for sure. The second part focuses largely on the role of Saint Paul in shaping Christian theology and attempts to explain the many contradictions within Paul's writings. One of the principal reasons Bentham offers for the saint's conversion is that Paul sensed an opportunity to head a movement that would bring him fame and prosperity. In addition to criticizing Anglican teachings, the final part discusses Bentham's theories on language and the role of language in shaping religious belief. How can any living Anglicans, now or in Bentham's time, remember Jesus while partaking in the Lord's Supper? This is just one of many cited examples of the misuse of language by the church." "Each part of this analysis consists of an introduction to one of Bentham's major works on religion (which have long been hard to find) as well as an extensive synopsis of each. McKown defends Bentham against the criticisms of his various opponents where necessary, but does not hesitate to criticize those points at which he feels Bentham has gone astray." "McKown's thorough analysis of three little-known works by one of philosophy's great minds makes an outstanding contribution to Bentham scholarship and will be of interest to humanists and philosophers of religion."--BOOK JACKET.