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The Murder of Christ: The Emotional Plague of Mankind

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Wilhelm Reich (Author)
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4.0 out of 5 stars 15 customer reviews
ISBN-13: 978-0374504762
ISBN-10: 0374504768
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

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Product Details

  • Paperback: 228 pages
  • Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (1953)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0374504768
  • ISBN-13: 978-0374504762
  • Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 8.5 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #280,153 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsThe "Passion" of Reich and Christ-Coexist!
By M. Adamkiewicz on April 2, 2008
Format: Paperback
I continue to be amazed and appreciative of the way, Reich, an Atheistic German Jewish scientist-could write about the Christ-in such an unbiased and powerfully profound way. Bravo Reich!
One of my favorite parts of the book is how Reich compares Christ in the temple cursing out the Pharisees and knocking over tables-to the Christ who tells us to "love our enemies"
He said the correct translation is to "Understand our enemies"
Which is in keeping with his actions in the temple, the way he reacted to Judas when he betrayed him, and then at the end declaring "Father forgive them, they know not what they do..."
Reich portrays Christ more of a victim of a mob in the book and goes deeply into the differences and similarities of Communism and Fascism-and the book ends with a fascinating appendix called the "Weapon of Truth" (LOVE IT)
So, if you are looking for a book on the deification of Christ (which-is not an arguement because we are all filled with "God" and children of God)-this is not a good book for that...
But if you are looking to understand what Christ's mission was about, why he came, and why he had to suffer and die-then this book will do more for you then reading the biblical account of the passion-The movie "The Passion" I haven't seen it, but after reading the book, I think I am ready now to see it. Basically, Reich shows us-the emotional plague of the masses contracting because they reject love and freedom (because of their parents and society)- are the same people who murdered Christ, and the same people in Christianity and the other world religions of today. This book is to Christians what the film "Fitna" is to Muslims-every Christian and non-Christian should read this!-in Freedom of Speech, Aurore

Only that day dawns to which we are awake- Thoreau

Aurore Adamkiewicz, N.D.
[...]
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5.0 out of 5 starsAmazing book on Life!
By Felix Gerenabarrena on June 25, 2004
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
When Reich wrote this book in the early 50's He was supposed to have gone mad. After a first read of the book, you will find He was unusually lucid, much more than Nietzsche himself in the account of a Life ruling principle.
Do not be afraid of any comment. Just enjoy reading it!
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4.0 out of 5 starsProfound Insight Into the Emotional Problems of Man
By Eric Zimerman on March 11, 2009
Format: Paperback
This work is best read in the context of Reich's work as a whole. In particular, this work is quite different from the rest and reminds us how prolific the author is. In this book, Reich draws parallels between the crucifixion and modern day emotional pathologies. It may be painful for some to read this book. It equates the 'murder of Christ' with a common modern day phenomenon of which we are all active participants.
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3.0 out of 5 starsChrist is Life - repeat this thirty times
By JamesM on March 8, 2011
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
I have not read very much about Reich, having come to him through Robert Anton Wilson. But if this book is any indication, he was a passionate and deep thinker, one I can learn a great deal from.

That said, this particular book is quite sloppy and repetitive. Each chapter is very similar in content, with only the particular Gospel trope Reich looks at changing. They all end up the same - Christ is Life, and humanity kills him because they cannot bear to really live.

At the beginning of the book it is mentioned that this work is "immature" and was released by the Reich foundation for archival and educational purposes. Having read this warning, I was prepared for the book to be imperfect - had I not read it, I would have been a bit more disappointed.

I bought this book looking for any similarity to the thought of Rene Girard, and did find some. Both Reich and Girard share the basic insight that the death of Christ occurs because of humanity - it is the culmination of a sort of disease of the spirit, not an action independent of that disease, directed at it. They also share some ideas about how this "emotional plague" (Reich) or "mimetic desire" (Girard) works, which may be due to their common influence, Freud.
Other than these broad strokes, however, the two go their separate ways - Girard to Catholicism and Jesus as God, and Reich to Jesus as sexually liberated innocent.

I think this book, despite its flaws, could be a good introduction to new ways of thinking about Christianity, to typical atheists and Christians alike.
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5.0 out of 5 starsOne of the most profound books I have read in the last 15 years
By Christian Zagarskas on December 28, 2016
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
This has got to be one of the most profound books I have read in the last 15 years, whats's more is that it was written in the 1950's! It is my opinion that this book should be taught in every Church and perhaps every School that offers Philosophy. Stands tall with giants such as The Nicomachean Ethics and Metaphysics by Aristotle, Man and His Symbols by Carl Jung...
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5.0 out of 5 starsREICH ARGUES THAT JESUS "KNEW LOVE IN THE BODY"
By Steven H Propp TOP 100 REVIEWER on February 12, 2014
Format: Paperback
Wilhelm Reich (1897-1957) was an Austrian psychoanalyst, who tried to reconcile psychoanalysis with Marxism, and contended that neurosis is rooted in a lack of what he called "orgastic potency." He claimed to have discovered a cosmic sexual energy he call "Orgone," self-publishing books about his increasingly controversial theories, and selling "Orgone Accumulator" boxes commercially, for which he was ultimately imprisoned for violation of FDA regulations, had his books burned, and died in prison. He continues to be a popular (if polarizing) figure, and his books are all still in print, such as Early Writings, Character Analysis, The Mass Psychology of Fascism, Selected Writings: An Introduction to Orgonomy, Bion Experiments, Listen, Little Man!, The Function of the Orgasm), etc. [NOTE: page numbers below refer to the 302-page Pocket Books edition.]

He wrote in the Introduction to this 1952 book, "The Organur Experiment...Read more ›
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsawesome.....

awesome to say the least.... read it at least 5-6 times! highly recommend it and have done so to several people already; I even underline in red! Read more

Published 2 months ago by Marlyse Moruzzi
5.0 out of 5 starsAn important and singular man and superb writer.

Why haven't I discovered Reich much earlier. I don't understand. If you want to understand the human condition this is a good place to start. Reich most likely was a genius. Read more

Published 4 months ago by ge_nyc
4.0 out of 5 starsNeeds exposure

Important understanding about the distortions of the teaching of Jesus

Published 18 months ago by Robert Wahl
2.0 out of 5 starsWrong? Mis-guided? Overtly deceptive? I can't tell. It's just a book.

A simpletons way of looking at the subject of the crucifixion of Christ. Immature and overtly sexual. Read more

Published on December 3, 2013 by Randall-James: Skates
4.0 out of 5 starsa must read book!!!

heavy to read!! still worth it to get to understand how institutions and the masses function over individual persons willing to change our paradigms!!

Published on December 7, 2010 by Bernardo Savinon Padilla
5.0 out of 5 starsJesus Demystified

Reich exposes Jesus as all-in-one with nature, and not as a supernatural power, nor dying for men was his OWN choice. Read more

Published on August 31, 2006 by Nick Randall, Wanted Dead or Alive
5.0 out of 5 starsDon't think twice. Buy it at once!

This book is a masterpiece.

Instead of describing it, i will mention only 1 point:

When you read it, you will either read it again and again and again, or you... Read more

Published on April 17, 2006 by CORE
1.0 out of 5 starsA totally depressing book, a great man broken by culture

This is a profoundly depressing book, along with its companion Listen Little Man. In fact when I first read this book seriously in the mid-1970s when I devoured everything Reich... Read more

Published on June 22, 2005 by Tony Thomas

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