08 June 2010

BEIRUT: There is no God but religious ideologies keeping people frustrated and unhappy, French philosopher Michel Onfray told hundreds of Lebanese listeners on Friday at the French Cultural Center in Beirut (CCF).

The famous writer, notoriously known for his iconoclast atheist stance and philosophy of deconstruction, delivered a two hour-long speech giving his views on the making of monotheistic religions after a book signature event.

“Christianity, along with Judaism and Islam, are religions from the desert and they are based on this environment: they promise believers access to an oasis-like paradise in return for them making their lives a desert,” he told the largely French-speaking audience.

Onfray denounces religions as domination tools shaped to rule masses and constrain the individual’s liberty. “You are promised eternity after you die if you make your life on Earth as boring and painful as death. I believe there is no heaven, no hell, no purgatory, no God and nothing after this life, but nothingness,” he said.

A prominent atheist thinker in France, Michel Onfray has founded several universités populaires, higher-education organizations dedicated to the teaching of philosophy based on free tuition and open attendance. His critical stances target not only monotheist religions, but also psychologist Sigmund Freud’s theories, to whom he dedicated one of his latest books, earning him general hostility from the psychiatric community. He also denounces fascism in individuals’ actions and in society as a whole, which he calls “micro-fascisms.”

“Although fascism disappeared as a mainstream political movement, modern societies are governed with micro-fascisms,” he explains. “We must defend ourselves against them: We must set up micro revolutions.” A theory he thinks applies to Lebanon as well, referring to the overexploitation characterizing relations between immigrant domestic workers and their employers.

The theater, which could seat 300 people, was packed for the philosopher’s speech, with most viewers already converted to his teachings.

A lot of those in attendance headed to get their books signed by the author and to congratulate him.

“I’ll give it to my son for his philosophy classes,” an attendee told him as she handed a book for a dedication.

“We keep in touch with the debates around your works,” added a 40-year old mother of two. “You are the victim of a public lynching, we support you,” she added.

A daring fan mumbled a remark : “Aren’t you trying to kill the father?” He referred to Freud’s famous theory.

“I do not intend to kill anyone … plus my father died six months ago.” The tone of the sharp-edged answer put the polemist’s appreciation of the question beyond doubt.

Michel Onfray’s speech concluded CCF’s conference cycle entitled “Utopies,” a month-long series of artistic events revolving around the representation and application of the concept of utopia.

Copyright The Daily Star 2010.