Truth and Illusion
According to Feuerbach, truth and illusion operate on an ironic basis within religious thinking. He writes that "truth is considered profane, and only illusion is sacred." The idea that truth could be profane and illusion sacred seems ridiculous, making this an ironic statement.
The Christian Framework
In this text, Feuerbach puts forward his critical arguments about religion. However, in doing so he ironically takes key aspects of religious thinking, such as the concepts of God, Jesus, and the Trinity, and forms his humanistic argument on the basis of these ideas. This is ironic because he is using the Christian framework to create his own argument.
Subjective truth
Ironically, Feuerbach rejects the system of faith and subjective truth which underlies religious thinking. However, he ironically sets up atheism and humanism based on subjective truths, which is somewhat contradictory.
The Essence of Christianity
The title of this text is somewhat ironic. This is because it suggests this text might be an exploration of theology and religious arguments. However, it is instead a piercing criticism of religion.
Religious doubt
Feuerbach gives an ironic view of the idea of God, saying that it is "the ignorance which solves all doubt by repressing it." He means this in a humorous and mocking way, as he is suggesting religion does not properly deal with religious doubt.
