God forbade...must reading!

Ludwig Feuerbach




     An outspoken German atheist, wrote The Essence of Christianity in which he argued God is the projection of human characteristics onto something external, outside the self. In particular, human beings dissociate themselves from their own powers to think, to take action and to love, attributing these powers to God instead of to themselves. Fear is the motivation for this projection. By projecting and exaggerating human abilities onto a supernatural personage, believers can imagine themselves as protected by a power that far exceeds that of any threatening person or natural force.



    Attributing human traits to God, human beings have discovered their own powers and accordingly lost awareness of how to use them. Human beings have become estranged from themselves. Feuerbach urges we rediscover our own capacities and reinternalize our projected powers. Until we do, we will continue to be victims of our own conviction that we, ourselves, are powerless and utterly dependent.



   For Frederich Nietzche, this outlook is damaging to one's ability to function and flourish in one's life. It obstructs the view of the real world, addles the ability to see the real forces at work and destroys the ability to recognize how best to address them. Instead of providing techniques for developing self-control in the expressions, of, say, the “deadly sins”, Christian morality urges their obliteration.



   Nietzche also admits religions, of all sorts, including Christianity offer a vision that, at least, superficialy improves life for the believer. Religious interpretations transfigure life, making it appear as a manisfestation of the highest values and, so, are tremendously meaningful.





What Nietzche Really Said- Solomon and Higgins