RUSK, Texas, March 19, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Who is Saint William of the Orphic Cross Salem Monastery? Saint William is Bill McMinn's supposed creator of the mysterious manuscript that he presents in his new book. With a doctorate in philosophy, veteran philosophy professor McMinn approaches readers from an unusual direction. Mythtaken: Le Mot De L'Enigme (now available from 1stBooks Library) is a critique of religion as an institution. Quoting an old socialist cliche, he reveals his radical standpoint: "Religion is the opiate of the masses."
Why Saint William of the Orphic Cross Salem Monastery?
In practice of wit and in pursuit of his argument, McMinn creates his fictional writer and declares himself as merely the one who proofed the work. In parody of religion, he insists that his fictional saint 'lends the same mysterious air' as the cultural function, or dysfunction, he aims to offer critical analysis on through this work.
Mythtaken, though written in casual style and saturated with wit, is an intelligent and serious work about religion as a social establishment. It is not for the blindly religious, but is aimed at sedate believers in reason. Consequently, it may appear blunt and caustic. However, Bill McMinn has no plans of holding back --- from its title to its 'creator,' "Mythtaken is the embodiment of its own critique."
Bill McMinn is a lifetime academic. Since 1948, he has been a professor of English, world literature, classical languages, comparative religions, theology, and philosophy at several colleges, universities, and at a seminary; his longest teaching tenure was at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa campus, where he taught philosophy from 1960 until his retirement in 1987. His poetry has been included in eight anthologies by the National Library of Poetry, and was published independently in 1997 titled, Une Petite Menagerie. He also composes music, much of which is performed by various musical groups associated with the University of Alabama.
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