On Nietzsche

Few had as much influence on the twentieth century as did Friedrich Nietzsche; therefore it does not behoove our generation to be ignorant of his teachings. Ignorance will not help us learn from his missteps, or gain insight from his reflection. Nietzsche’s regarded Christianity, as a parasitic religion, denying of life and delighting in the submission of its (stronger) enemies. In his own words, “parasitism [is] the only practice of the church; with its ideal… of ‘holiness,’ draining… all hope for life.” He saw the Christian cross of Jesus Christ as “the mark… for the most subterranean conspiracy that ever existed… against life itself.” Closing out his work The Anti-Christ, he declares, “I condemn Christianity. It is to me the highest of all conceivable corruptions.”

What would give one impetus toward such hostility for Christianity, a creed that unites over 2 billion people worldwide? We can trace Nietzsche’s logic to his exaltation of instinct and natural strength – to Nietzsche, instinct was mankind’s way toward progress, and suppression of instinct was equivalent to suppression of progress, of survival, of all that is truly good. Christianity is the ultimate suppressor of instinct. But Christianity is also a system driven at its very core by contempt for those blessed with strength. Morality and “free will” were concepts created by theologians to make mankind responsible for his actions, and therefore in need of a priest’s guidance. Christianity is a scheme of the weak that subdues the strong. The natural end of saintly devotion, in Nietzsche’s mind, was a eunuch – one who had thrown off all natural passions of this world, all strength and instinct, for the virtue of his God above. “The saint in whom God delights is the ideal eunuch. Life has come to an end where the ‘kingdom of God’ begins.”

Because Nietzsche saw Christian morality as anti-instinct, anti-strength, his conclusion was that Christianity was the death of the human race. But to the Christian in the crowd, I say that we should not simply dismiss such beliefs, thinking, “we must protect our children,” or, “we must protect our minds from such attacks.” I believe that few influential writers have had such insight into true human nature as Nietzsche. Without God, there is nothing else but us. Let us stop imagining that others should respect our morality, our judgment, our way of life. Our system is not one of our own strength, and it is not one of our own logic or merit – therefore it is against the system of logic and strength that we are given naturally.

However, to those who are not Christians, I say that Nietzsche was right – instinct and strength should be the way of the human – and yet he was wrong. For though the human’s way should be to pursue strength and instinct, I would suggest that that way does not go up or forward. Look around yourself and see the news of sorrow everywhere, the endless wars, deaths without reason. Look inside and search for a reason in all these things. Then, tell me, if you can, that man’s true instinct, once unfurled, will lead him toward unfettered progress, and eventually, perfection.