You Think You Believe—You Don’t!

I presented a paper on Nietzsche and Iqbal earlier this weekend and on my return journey, I encountered an older man with whom I engaged in conversation. At one point he asked me, “are there more atheists in Florida?” The question made little sense to me, “more than what?” I responded. “More than religious people, I mean.” That didn’t help clarify much – maybe I framed the question wrong – instead, “compared to where I mean?” I clarified. “The general American population? The world? India maybe?”, he offered.

And yet I was no closer to answering the question than when he first asked, it didn’t make sense to me. But why!? It was a simple enough question and yet I could not answer it no longer how long or how hard I considered. It struck me then that this wasn’t a failing of mine, I couldn’t understand the question because it didn’t make sense. The question would have had an answer in an older time, no longer. Then the answer became clear. It didn’t make sense because everyone is an atheist now, except the rare few – who perhaps are myths.

Later when I had parted ways with him and was by myself Zarathustra’s voice spoke to me. He said to my heart, ““Could it be possible! This old saint in the forest hath not yet heard of it, that GOD IS DEAD!””

I thought I understood Nietzsche, but for the first time I realized what that meant.

God is dead. Value has always been dependent on God. We need value, to live. To live then, we must bring God back. This is the paper I presented, but let us discuss that some other time.

I write this for another purpose. I have been at an impasse for a while, wondering whether it is appropriate to teach Nietzsche. I thought this should be reserved for the people who have encountered nihilism, why should I tell the believer that his object of belief has been killed? Nietzsche, and Iqbal after him, present a solution to nihilism, but to those who have never yet encountered nihilism – there is no problem needing to be solved?

FALSE! God has died for everyone! Nihilism is not an isolated phenomenon, you are all atheists! Unless you have confronted the death of God and overcome it – YOU ARE GODLESS. You must surpass this!

Conclusion? Everyone must face reality, the reality that we have killed God. We must all find God. Nietzsche was far from Godless. Nietzsche has allowed us to overcome the death of God!