"God is Dead"

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Sentinel

Diamond Member
Jun 23, 2000
3,714
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This is an interesting thought:

"The madman jumped into their midst and pierced them with his eyes. "Whither is God?" he cried; "I will tell you. We have killed him- you and I. All of us are his murderers. But how did we do this? How could we drink up the sea?

...

God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him."
-Aphorism 125 GS

(Die fröhliche Wissenschaft)

Anyone have any input or comments?

Edit:

Wanted to add this:

Was Nietzsche referring to society of the day, that they should stop believing in God so to speak? Or was he talking about the people who were reverting to nihilism after the fact? By saying God is dead is one thing, who he was talking to is another. Obviously it was atheists, but did he mean it to a wider audience?
 
judasmachine

judasmachine

Diamond Member
Sep 15, 2002
8,515
3
81
I tend to think we will out grow our need for a heavenly babysitter, and I believe this is why many religions seem to be lashing out these days. They are concerned because every generation seems to have less and less need for the stories of the day before yesterday. God is dead and we have killed him with our own maturation.
 
1

1EZduzit

Lifer
Feb 4, 2002
11,833
1
0
Maybe he's just ignoring us?

I believe God is alive and well. I have to or I'd go crazy.
 
thraashman

thraashman

Lifer
Apr 10, 2000
11,112
1,587
126
Even if God does exist (which I don't believe). God would be an ethereal being and not a living being. And therefore that which isn't alive cannot die or become dead.
 
M

Mursilis

Diamond Member
Mar 11, 2001
7,756
11
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Originally posted by: Sentinel
This is an interesting thought:

"The madman jumped into their midst and pierced them with his eyes. "Whither is God?" he cried; "I will tell you. We have killed him- you and I. All of us are his murdereres. But how did we do this? How could we drink up the sea?

...

God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him."
-Aphorism 125 GS

(Die fröhliche Wissenschaft)

Anyone have any input or comments?
Click to expand...

Nietzche? Oh yeah, that's some great stuff.
From The Anti-Christ:

What is good?--Whatever augments the feeling of power, the will to power, power itself, in man.
What is evil?--Whatever springs from weakness.
What is happiness?--The feeling that power increases--that resistance is overcome.
Not contentment, but more power; not peace at any price, but war; not virtue, but efficiency (virtue in the Renaissance sense, virtu, virtue free of moral acid).
The weak and the botched shall perish: first principle of our charity. And one should help them to it.
What is more harmful than any vice?--Practical sympathy for the botched and the weak--Christianity...


 
M

Mursilis

Diamond Member
Mar 11, 2001
7,756
11
81
Originally posted by: judasmachine
I tend to think we will out grow our need for a heavenly babysitter, and I believe this is why many religions seem to be lashing out these days. They are concerned because every generation seems to have less and less need for the stories of the day before yesterday. God is dead and we have killed him with our own maturation.
Click to expand...

So when do you think you'll grow beyond pity and sympathy for the weak? Just curious.
 
S

Sentinel

Diamond Member
Jun 23, 2000
3,714
1
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The phrase "God is dead" isn't saying that God died, or we killed him. It is saying that the God that has always been in existence has ceased to be a viable part of peoples lives. In his writing he said that the madman was shouting this in the streets, shouting it to the atheists. So shouting God is dead is not saying that he is dead that would be obvious. He was trying to say that people should believe in the world, this present world, instead of worrying about trying to get into an afterlife. Live for cause and effect, instead of for God. Don't fall to the temptation of nihilism.
 
judasmachine

judasmachine

Diamond Member
Sep 15, 2002
8,515
3
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Originally posted by: Sentinel
The phrase "God is dead" isn't saying that God died, or we killed him. It is saying that the God that has always been in existence has ceased to be a viable part of peoples lives. In his writing he said that the madman was shouting this in the streets, shouting it to the atheists. So shouting God is dead is not saying that he is dead that would be obvious. He was trying to say that people should believe in the world, this present world, instead of worrying about trying to get into an afterlife. Live for cause and effect, instead of for God. Don't fall to the temptation of nihilism.
Click to expand...

Bolded: exactly!

Originally posted by: Mursilis


So when do you think you'll grow beyond pity and sympathy for the weak? Just curious.
Click to expand...

I don't even know what you mean by this?!?!? Why do we need an invisible babysitter to have compassion?



 
Vic

Vic

Elite Member
Jun 12, 2001
50,422
14,337
136
Originally posted by: Sentinel
The phrase "God is dead" isn't saying that God died, or we killed him. It is saying that the God that has always been in existence has ceased to be a viable part of peoples lives. In his writing he said that the madman was shouting this in the streets, shouting it to the atheists. So shouting God is dead is not saying that he is dead that would be obvious. He was trying to say that people should believe in the world, this present world, instead of worrying about trying to get into an afterlife. Live for cause and effect, instead of for God. Don't fall to the temptation of nihilism.
Click to expand...
At least you understand it. Otherwise, his "God is dead" statement is possibly the least understood and most often confused in history.

The funny thing though is where he was wrong. While I understand that the Catholic church has often allowed this thinking for the propagation of its own earthly power, any religious person who spends too much time worrying about getting a good seat in the afterlife is not going to get a good seat according to the Bible. That would be a lack of faith and a wasting of God's gifts. Religious people are supposed to live for this world. That's the purpose of life. That's what their faith demands. Be a good person! Help your fellow man! Improve the lot of this world, and so forth. Yes, life is hard, but shoulder your burdens bravely!

Nietzsche was wrong. And the manner in which he was wrong has led to generations of immature and uneducated interpretations about the nature and understanding of religion and faith, and an overall weakening of philosophy. He, Kant, and Hegel pretty much killed philosophy, which IMO is one reason why people feel so empty inside today.
 
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DotheDamnTHing

Platinum Member
Feb 2, 2004
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Originally posted by: Vic
Originally posted by: Sentinel
The phrase "God is dead" isn't saying that God died, or we killed him. It is saying that the God that has always been in existence has ceased to be a viable part of peoples lives. In his writing he said that the madman was shouting this in the streets, shouting it to the atheists. So shouting God is dead is not saying that he is dead that would be obvious. He was trying to say that people should believe in the world, this present world, instead of worrying about trying to get into an afterlife. Live for cause and effect, instead of for God. Don't fall to the temptation of nihilism.
Click to expand...
At least you understand it. Otherwise, his "God is dead" statement is possibly the least understood and most often confused in history.

The funny thing though is where he was wrong. While I understand that the Catholic church has often allowed this thinking for the propagation of its own earthly power, any religious person who spends too much time worrying about getting a good seat in the afterlife is not going to get a good seat according to the Bible. That would be a lack of faith and a wasting of God's gifts. Religious people are supposed to live for this world. That's the purpose of life. That's what their faith demands. Be a good person! Help your fellow man! Improve the lot of this world, and so forth.

Nietzsche was wrong. And the manner in which he was wrong has led to generations of immature and uneducated interpretations about the nature and understanding of religion and faith, and overall weakening of philosophy. He, Kant, and Hegel pretty much killed philosophy, which IMO is one reason why people feel so empty inside today.
Click to expand...



But what about his concept of the 'overman' who creates his own morals/virtues etc and thus can live a 'happy' life?
 
Vic

Vic

Elite Member
Jun 12, 2001
50,422
14,337
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Originally posted by: DotheDamnTHing
But what about his concept of the 'overman' who creates his own morals/virtues etc and thus can live a 'happy' life?
Click to expand...
A replacement god for the one he proclaimed dead.
 
S

Sentinel

Diamond Member
Jun 23, 2000
3,714
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I think they pushed philosophy further than they could. What it could lead to, I don't know, but I suppose it would be better than leading the people to nihilism. The devaluation of morals is a reflection of some of the things they have said.

edit:

i thought the overman was in essence a person which could live a happy life, knowing that even though your arm was chopped off he could see it as beautiful. An aspect that nearly all people couldn't comprehend.
 
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DotheDamnTHing

Platinum Member
Feb 2, 2004
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Originally posted by: Vic
Originally posted by: DotheDamnTHing
But what about his concept of the 'overman' who creates his own morals/virtues etc and thus can live a 'happy' life?
Click to expand...
A replacement god for the one he proclaimed dead.
Click to expand...

One that those who are able create
 
Vic

Vic

Elite Member
Jun 12, 2001
50,422
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Originally posted by: DotheDamnTHing
Originally posted by: Vic
Originally posted by: DotheDamnTHing
But what about his concept of the 'overman' who creates his own morals/virtues etc and thus can live a 'happy' life?
Click to expand...
A replacement god for the one he proclaimed dead.
Click to expand...
One that those who are able create
Click to expand...
Those who were/are able always did/do create. They didn't/don't need Nietzsche.
 
D

DotheDamnTHing

Platinum Member
Feb 2, 2004
2,795
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Originally posted by: Sentinel
I think they pushed philosophy further than they could. What it could lead to, I don't know, but I suppose it would be better than leading the people to nihilism. The devaluation of morals is a reflection of some of the things they have said.
Click to expand...

He believed European culture inherently would lead to some form of nihilism after the Reneissance
 
S

stinkz

Member
Jan 10, 2006
49
0
0
Originally posted by: judasmachine ...every generation seems to have less and less need for the stories of the day before yesterday.
Click to expand...

I hardly see how we have less of a need for old, moralistic stories today than in previous generations.


Originally posted by: DotheDamnTHingBut what about his concept of the 'overman' who creates his own morals/virtues etc and thus can live a 'happy' life?
Click to expand...

"The human mind has no more power of inventing a new value than of planting a new sun in the sky or a new primary colour in the spectrum..."
 
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