St Anselm's account of the ontological argument for the existence of God deals with the 'existence in the understanding' vs. 'existence in reality.' He defines God as the greatest conceivable or possible being. He adds that any person who hears this statement describing God understands what is meant. His argument is that if God did not exist, then a being greater than God would be possible. This being then would be greater than the greatest possible being, which is impossible. Therefore he proves that there is no being greater than God and hence God exists. His argument is also based on the premise that "the idea of an eternal being who either does n

What characteristics does God possess? Traditional theology has believed that God is omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all knowing), and omnibenevolent (all good), Omni-present (everywhere), eternal (with no beginning and no end), etc. In short, God is the greatest being and none greater is possible. These characteristics have left people to have faith in the existence of God. When people can not show cause and effect for certain happenings they attribute their cause to God. There must be God to keep order in the world or as some people say to keep the world going in utter disorder.

Another person to attack religion was Sigmund Freud, who reduced the grand aspirations of religion to, mere illusions, but, even worse, the illusions of an insecure child who has never properly grown up. According to him, religious ideas are given out as teachings, are not precipitates of experience or end results of thinking; they are illusions, fulfillment's of the oldest, strongest and most urgent wishes of mankind. An illusion is not the same thing as an error; nor is it necessarily an error. What is characteristic of illusion is that they are derived from human wishes. In this respect they come near to psychiatric delusions. He called a belief an illusion when a wish-fulfillment is a prominent factor in its motivation, and in doing so we disregard its relations to reality, just as the illusion itself sets no store by verification.

The first part of the argument is based on the concept of motion. It starts with the idea that it is evident to our senses and certain that in the world there are things that are in motion. Now, motion can be also defined as the action that reduces something from potentiality to actuality. That is motion leads a thing from being able to go someplace to actually getting there. Next, it is safe to assume that nothing can be reduced from potentiality of actuality, except by something already in a state of actuality. Now it is not possible that the same thing should be at once in actuality and potentiality in the same respect, but can only be in different respects. For example what is 'actually hot' cannot at the same time be also 'potentially hot;' but it can be simultaneously potentially cold. It is therefore impossible that a thing should be both mover and moved, i.e., that it should move itself. Therefore, another must move whatever is being moved. Therefore, it is necessary to arrive at a first mover, moved by no other; and this everyone understands to be God.

The basis of Marx's religious criticism is that man makes religion; and that religion does not make man. It is the man that is the human world, a state, society. This state, this society, produces religion, which is an inverted world consciousness, because they are an inverted world. Religion is the general theory of this upside-down world. It gives the world its logic, its spiritual guidance, its enthusiasm, its moral sanction, its solemn complement, its general basis of consolation and justification. The struggle against religion is, therefore, indirectly a struggle against the world whose spiritual aroma is religion. According to Marx, religious suffering is at the same time an expression of real suffering and protest against real suffering. (Pg.347). Marx advocated that the abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of men, is a demand for their real happiness. He was appalled at the masses flocking to religion. He said, "it is clear that the arm of criticism cannot replace the criticism of arms." Material force can only be overthrown by material force; but theory itself becomes a material force when it has seized the masses. Theory is capable of seizing the masses when it demonstrates ad hominem and it is demonstrate ad hominem as soon as it becomes radical. (Pg.348).

I believe that religion has taught humans to behave like a man. The self-determination and self-realization of man is not hindered by religio

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