God poisoning
God poisoning is the title of a book by the psychoanalyst Tilmann Moser published in 1976 .
It is a critical personal examination of his experience of religion as an ecclesiogenic neurosis .
In 2003 Moser published the book From God poisoning to a tolerable God . Psychoanalytic reflections on religion , in which he reflected on his sharp criticism of poisoning from God .
God poisoning is used in religious education in schools as an example of psychoanalytic criticism of religion .
content
"Be happy if your God was kinder."
With these words, which Tilmann Moser's 1976 indictment "God poisoning" introduce, he shows that his work is a personal experience report, the content of which does not apply to every religious person. It is an indictment against God who is addressed and accused in "God poisoning" directly, in a single monologue . In the second part, "The Power of Your Songs", he quotes song texts from the Evangelical Hymnal .
Moser describes his experience of God as an incurable disease, poisoning, a fetter and oppressive superiority (see p. 10). He tells of a vicious circle of faith. Once started, you get caught up in a feeling of fear , which makes you even more devout and humble, but does not remove the fear. Man humiliate themselves in constant humility to self-hatred and despair in the face of divine superiority by constant feelings of guilt. The divine leverage is separation. Moser speaks of his fear of leprosy, of being a goat among the sheep (see p. 18f). This cycle of fear began a long time ago, he writes: "[You (God)] flourishes from the fear of life of my ancestors." (P. 23) He later comes to the conclusion that God, since he does not send a sign of life , must be dead (see p. 34 f.). His plan is to break away from God with the help of this autobiographical conflict, to break the fetters of faith.
Criticism of religion in poisoning of God
Religion as an illusionary wish fulfillment
In his work Moser follows the criticism of religion by Sigmund Freud , the father of psychoanalysis . Freud was convinced of the non-existence of God and looked for reasons for human religiosity. He found his answer in the satisfaction of the child's desires for security, security, authority, justice and a general meaning: "So we call faith an illusion, if the wish-fulfillment takes precedence in its motivation." (Sigmund Freud, The Future of an Illusion )
Moser follows this when he sees the child's misfortune as the basis of faith: “The conditions for your growth were really in me (…) the misfortune of failing humanity.” (P. 12) Or further: “I was pious because you were You had access to otherwise inaccessible. ” (P. 61) Moser reports of his childlike megalomania and a feeling of being chosen, both of which were satisfied by faith.
In summary, he accuses God in the following way: “Your offer is aimed at the deepest longings of people that have remained unfulfilled in life. What people cannot or do not want to give, you can give! ” (P. 43)
Longing for security
Moser finds the first valid proof of God in his mother's deep piety (see p. 24f). The religious experience that prayer conveyed with her satisfied his longing for security. He speaks of other religious experiences about during his confirmation or visiting the church day . But this experience soon becomes an accusation when he writes: “Every closeness and intimacy was contaminated by God.” (P. 30) “The experience was that a real belonging together was only possible through the detour through you, and there this feeling of belonging together was indispensable, you became indispensable. ” His belief no longer allows for affection without a transcendent reference, this becomes a burden, a fetter. Here he brings again the picture of the vicious circle. Any security is only given illusory: "Part of the election was that [ss] with you, beyond all self-doubts and identity struggles, one should have a safe place, secure identity [...] and was loved [...] long before people were needed." (P. 74)
Longing for protection
In Moser's childhood, God met the need for security through images of God such as mountains, protective walls or a last resort (see p. 37). But he describes how his longing was ultimately disappointed.
Longing for authority
Moser felt that God as a “no-saying figure”, as a constantly monitoring Big Brother, whose stern gaze he could never escape, was an overwhelming compulsion.
Summary
Moser's descriptions show the image of God as a tormenting God who takes advantage of weak people. This is how he sums up his concept of God when he writes: "You are a creature of the misuse of human feelings." (P. 46)
He renounces his dead God and decides to look at people in order to solve his problems: "And what wonderful qualities you have rented for yourself, I will find again in people." (P. 100)
literature
- All quotations come from: Tilmann Moser: God poisoning. Suhrkamp, Frankfurt am Main 1980, ISBN 3-518-37033-2 .
- Wolfgang Böhme (Ed.): Is God cruel? A statement on Tilmann Moser's “God poisoning”. Evangelisches Verlagswerk, Stuttgart 1977, ISBN 3-7715-0185-7 .