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Exploring the pervasive influence of religion on man’s behaviour

By Ngozi Osu Anene
08 March 2018   |   4:28 am
The Beast Religion and New World Order (48hr Books, U.S.; 2017) is an in-depth psychoanalysis of man as influenced and dominated by religion which is regarded as the beast, the politics and consciousness of man’s existence, divine totalitarianism and how all this affects his existence.

The Beast Religion and New World Order (48hr Books, U.S.; 2017) is an in-depth psychoanalysis of man as influenced and dominated by religion which is regarded as the beast, the politics and consciousness of man’s existence, divine totalitarianism and how all this affects his existence. It is an analysis of our perception of life and our thought processes, as it is believed that we are mentally manipulated by our religious philosophy. This is what controls our reasoning, decisions and subsequent actions.

In this didactic work, erudite psychoanalyst, Dr. Chike Amene, explores man’s behaviour as influenced by religion and his domination by the New World Order. Through methodical research and religious references from biblical, Islamic, Hindu and Judaic texts, we are taken into the world of man’s consciousness through psychoanalysis. How did man come into being? What are the forces behind man’s reasoning and behaviour? And to what benefit?

Detailed references and quotes are used to support the author’s hypotheses as he responds to several questions, suppositions, theories and realisms some of which are contentious. To a great extent, many religious people may find the content of this book controversial and debatable.

The Beast Religion and New World Order opens with a study on the origins of man with emphasis on his creation. We are informed that man is a “fit extension” of the celestial having been created in the image of God. The perception here is that man, who is part-celestial or a hybrid of the divine as he was created in God’s image, is mentally manipulated by religion and world dynamics which ultimately determine his behaviour, his way of reasoning and his life in general. As fundamental as this supposition is, religion is stated to have the greatest influence on man’s behaviour and his overall being. We are given references to support this.

The author writes that although religion is clearly seen to direct man’s conduct, this unfortunately, has been largely counterproductive. The argument postulated here is that man has become “contaminated” or programmed into believing that the doctrines of his religion – irrespective of which religion it is – are the ultimate guidelines for his life. Religion mentally controls man such that he no longer reasons for himself; man is inclined to think and act as dictated to by the doctrines, dogmas or belief systems of his religion. Using several references to buttress this point, we are made to understand that religion has corrupted humanity as it seeks to dominate and manipulate its followers in order to keep them under control. Religion itself is administered by persons who use it to obtain supremacy, and this happens in every world religion. This is the crux of the matter in The Beast Religion and New World Order.

As we delve further into the book, we read that this penchant for power became the downfall of Black Africa. Despite its dominance in culture, centuries of tradition and heritage, the continent became subdued and conditioned by world religion. The people became insecure and shrouded with an inferiority complex as it was believed that whatever originated from the Western world was better. Africa became corrupted by modern civilization, which has affected its dominance. Notwithstanding this setback, the continent has the potential to be rise again.

According to Amene, there are propositions that the West began a quest for world power and supremacy using religion as a weapon. The logic here is that religion requires politics, control and the pursuit for superiority in order to establish itself, and this has made different religions struggle to outdo the other to obtain world dominance. Religion is power, and only the powerful hold the aces. Religion has had a totalitarian impact on man and has been the cause of global conflict for centuries. And for this reason, religion is regarded as the Beast.

The author bases his notions behind man’s behaviour and reasoning as not only being influenced by religion but also by the ideology that has become known as the New World Order. While there are several hypotheses on this subject matter, Amene presents the New World Order from a different perspective. We are presented with the history of its origins and how it developed to become the force it is today. We are made to understand what constitutes the New World Order and how man is controlled by its myths and mysticism without even realising it. We read that the New World Order is a combination of several world policies which man is made to live by, some of them unconsciously.

The myth of Atlantis, the concept of the Freemasons, archons and demi-gods, Greek mythology and its symbolism, technological advancement, global politics and religion have all influenced the establishment and development of government policies around the world. Other considerations that have influenced world policies are the various extensions of the Illuminati as well as other secret societies in Europe and America ,which are now extended to Africa. There are also the consequences of the World Wars, terrorism and scientific breakthrough. It is these policies that have become the New World Order as they aim to deceive man and create chaos wherever administered by those who aim to achieve world supremacy. In other words, the objective of the New World Order is world domination and it is using religion to accomplish it. It is power in itself. There are several detailed references to support this throughout the book.

The historical content in The Beast Religion and New World Order is enlightening. Amene gives us aspects of religious history focusing on Christian and Islamic belief systems, their doctrines and how these are administered to their followers thus providing insights into why these religions have become world powers in their own right. Through in depth analysis, he points out that irrespective of the belief, the underlying fact remains that most religions are based on fear, distortion of information and obedience. Man is made to accept whatever the religion dictates and he is kept in check by the authorities that administer it; disobedience is rewarded with eternal damnation.

He goes further to state that although man is dominated by religion, there is so much misunderstanding of the divine texts in both Christianity and Islam that both religions have become polarised instead of working together to achieve world peace. This is a sad fact and the fine points surrounding this are thought-provoking.
Interestingly, we are informed that several schemes from our present socio-economic order such as capitalism, propaganda and democracy, have religious undertones. As a matter of fact, everything about us has religions undertones. Even the Gnostics are not left out.

What makes the book The Beast Religion and New World Order distinct is the number of references used to buttress and accentuate relevant facts. Amene did very thorough research. Each chapter begins with several quotes from renowned scholars, academicians and authors as well as the Bible and the Qu’ran. The bibliography is comprehensive; there are quotes from notable intellectuals such as Noam Chomsky, Ted Cruz, Friedrich Nietzsche, Emmanuel Kofi Mensah, Nicholas Hagger and erudite Indian scholar Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak. There is an entire chapter dedicated to giving the reader a better understanding of the Islamic faith. There are also several excerpts of the Jewish Talmud.

Whilst the author gives us his perception of how religion and the New World Order have influenced and manipulated man’s consciousness and despite the several quotes and references to support this, it is expected that many religious people will find the content of this book controversial. In almost every chapter there are religious-based submissions, which may be considered questionable and could be cause for contention.

There are some references taken from non-recognised “biblical” text, which are not part of the Bible, as we know it. We do not know if the “Book of Enoch” really exists and if it is a credible resource. The premise that man is mentally controlled by religion administered by people or persons whose goal is to dominate and control the world is arguable. We get the impression that religion is a “weapon of mass destruction” aimed at dominating mankind by a chosen few who seek to achieve supremacy. Arguments will certainly arise from the connotation that religion is responsible for the chaos and crisis in the world today.

Despite the debatable content of this book, the intent is not to cause dissent but to give room for healthy discourse in a bid to understand man’s mental state and how this is reflected in present-day socio-politics. In The Beast Religion and New World Order we gain fresh perspectives into the psyche of man. The author acknowledges that there is the need to debate certain issues affecting man’s conduct.

Amene’s writing is expressive. He demonstrates a deep understanding and knowledge of psychoanalysis and his passion for the discipline is evident throughout the book. He clearly provides a well-articulated work that promotes creative and analytical thinking as well as giving readers more insight into man’s consciousness.

There are however too many references throughout the book and some chapters have overly long quotes, which can be somewhat confusing. Whilst these quotes and references help give the book meaning and direction, some appear repetitive. Nevertheless, the references make the book more comprehensive thus giving a well-balanced discourse into the subject matter.In The Beast Religion and New World Order Amene offers readers a thought- provoking yet deep analysis into man’s mental behaviour and societal conduct. As he says: “Barbarity is the final stage of civilization”.
* Anene is a book editor & literary consultant

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