Jocelyn Gunter

In the book, Essence of Christianity, Ludwig Feuerbach attempts to present the arguments or essence of Christianity and then refute them with his own beliefs.  This book is considered dangerous to Christians because if not taken carefully, one can fall into the trap of agreeing with some of his more eloquent points.  It is especially hazardous to those who are new Christians or weak in their faith because the arguments can be so compelling.  One of these arguments is prayer.  Feuerbach believes prayer is man talking to himself, revealing his deepest desires.  To Feuerbach, prayer can be likened to the saying in the Disney movie Cinderella, “A dream is a wish your heart makes.”

Feuerbach writes in chapter 12, the chapter dedicated to the “Mystery of Prayer,” “what is prayer but the wish of the heart expressed with confidence in its fulfilment?”  Prayer is the simplest act of religion according to Feuerbach.  Prayer isn’t outwardly to God far away but in the heart.  “God is the affirmation of human feeling; prayer is the unconditional confidence of human feeling in the absolute identity of the subjective and objective, the certainty that the power of the heart is greater than the power of Nature.”

Feuerbach, when talking about prayer, means man talks to a muscle, to express his greatest wishes, and know there is no limit to what he may ask of God.  It is very interesting Feuerbach believes prayer is with the heart.  Throughout the book, it seems to the reader he is analyzing Christianity without the spiritual aspect drawn into his judgements on Christianity.  Feuerbach is analyzing Christianity only physically, completely forgetting the spiritual.  The problem with this is Christianity cannot be taken just as physical.  Not only Christianity cannot be taken that way, but the whole world cannot be taken as completely physical.  Yet, many people, including Feuerbach, don’t seem to notice the whole world cannot be explained with science.  The beginning of the world cannot be duplicated through science, as much as they try, to explain the world began through a big bang or evolution.  Scientists cannot explain things like miracles with science.  As much as doctors would like to take credit for it, they cannot explain the miracle of someone having 100+ tumors in her body one day and the next day is cancer free.  Medicine is not that good.  So it’s very curious Feuerbach believes prayer is with the heart.  If Feuerbach does not believe in spiritual things, then he must think the heart is only a muscle.  Yet how can a muscle be talked to, how can it be told your innermost wishes and desires?  Feuerbach writes, “Prayer is the self-division of man into two beings — a dialogue of man with himself, with his heart.”  One cannot have a conversation with the heart if it is a muscle.  Feuerbach contradicts himself with this point, because throughout the book he takes things as physical only, trying to explain everything with logic and science.  Yet, everything cannot be taken like that; one must take things with some faith.

With his argument on prayer, he believes man is his own god.  Man takes all of the perfect virtues he strives for and makes them into a perfect god, a perfect being, a being that lives for man.  He states this again in his definition of prayer, through the fact he believes since man is his own god, or this god lives in man, man would talk inwardly.  Yet, if man is his own god, then why does he need to confess his deepest desires to his heart?  His heart would already know his deepest desires, if it were not only a muscle like Feuerbach believes.  That point seems contradictory, too.

Feuerbach’s argument on prayer is the opposite of what Christians believe.  Christians believe prayer is not something our heart can give to us.  Only God can.  God is not something we created for our own purposes.  We are created for God.  We are made in His image, and since God desires relationships with His people, we desire earthly relationships and a spiritual relationship with the Father.  Part of this relationship is prayer, or talking to God.  Yes, it is telling God the deepest desires, whether through pleading for a miracle in our lives, or confessing our sinful desires to Him.  Yes, prayer is in a way inward, because the Holy Spirit lives within Christians, and Jesus resides in the heart and soul.  The heart Christians believe God resides in, though, is spiritual.  They do not believe God lives in the muscle.  1 Corinthians 6:19 states, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own.”  This verse is an example of what Christianity really is, not what Feuerbach believes it is.  Prayer is a powerful tool in the Christian walk.  It is how we ask for forgiveness, for help, for strength, for patience, for wisdom, etc.  It may be “the simplest act of religion,” but sometimes the simplest things are the most important, the most powerful.  Prayer is what makes a Christian’s relationship with Christ more personal, and it is not only the human who prays, but also the Holy Spirit intercedes when Christians do not know what to say to God.  Feuerbach leaves out this special part, the spiritual part. Prayer is not prayer if it is missing the spiritual aspect.

Another point Feuerbach makes on prayer is “In prayer man turns to the Omnipotence of Goodness; which simply means, that in prayer man adores his own heart, regards his own feelings as absolute.”  First, goodness is a virtue, a characteristic.  Goodness is not omnipotent.  It does not have the power to grant miracles or save people.  It is offensive to a Christian, which is what Feuerbach is trying to do, to say good can save.  Only a perfect being could save this messed up world.  It is amazing to think Feuerbach can believe man is not sinful, which he seems to hint at earlier in the book.  If the world is not sinful, then why is there murder, death, evil, etc.?  Murder is not “good.”  The world needed a perfect Savior and still needs something like prayer to help with confession and forgiveness.  Second, prayer does not adore man’s heart or regard his feelings as absolute.  Yes, God hears his people cry out, just like He heard the Israelites cry out to Him in Egypt.  Yet, God can choose to ignore our prayer, so therefore man’s feelings are not made absolute, because God can ignore man’s feelings if he chooses.  Again, God is not for man; man is for God.  Third, prayer is through the heart, through soul.  The heart and soul are not adored, though, through prayer.  They are the Christian’s way of communication.  Jesus intercedes for Christians between them and God.  Christ is the middle man, the bridge between the two.  The heart and soul are from which prayer comes from, revealing our sins, desires, wishes, etc.  Prayer is an inward process, sometimes spoken out loud, to an outwardly God.  His Spirit resides within the heart, but He is in Heaven, and everywhere else because He is omnipresent.

Prayer is more than what Feuerbach makes it out to be.  It is powerful and a necessary part to Christianity.  Without prayer, Christians could not truly know God or His plan for their lives.  Prayer is special and important.  It is spiritual and not a dialogue between man and a muscle.  It is a conversation between the Maker and His creation.  It is a simple sentence or cry for help.  It is a silent prayer when one does not know what to say or a fervent prayer.  Prayer is during the good times and the bad times.  Prayer is constant, like text messages between teenagers.  Prayer should be a priority and not a last resort.  Prayer is not man depending on his own heart, his own feeling, like Feuerbach states.  The heart is evil, and in prayer man is dependent on God, not himself or others, because everyone will fail, but God will not.  Prayer is conversation between God and man, not man and himself.  It is not a conscience; it is words, reasoning, and thought, addressed to God.  Finally, Romans 12:12 states, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”