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A review by kevin_shepherd
The Antichrist (Barnes & Noble Library of Essential Reading): A Criticism of Christianity by Friedrich Nietzsche
5.0
Nietzsche comes down so hard on christianity that he makes Christopher Hitchens look positively Presbyterian.
"This book belongs to the very few." ~FN
In his preface, Nietzsche anticipates a probable backlash to what he is about to publish. He states that only a person of sound intellect, one who is above "the wretched gabble of politics and national egotism" will comprehend all that he has to say. Or, plainly stated: This publication will not be well received by everyone. (Thank you Captain Obvious.)
"Christianity has sided with everything weak, low, and botched; it has made an ideal out of antagonism towards all the self-preservative instincts of strong life: it has corrupted even the reason of the strongest intellects, by teaching that the highest values of intellectuality are sinful, misleading and full of temptations." (pg 5)
For as my long as priests are held in high regard, Nietzsche asserts, truth and lies will always be transposed. He defines the term 'faith' as the blind ignorance of truthful thought and reason.
"...that is to say, to shut one's eyes once and for all, in order not to suffer at the sight of incurable falsity. People convert this faulty view of all things into a moral, a virtue, a thing of holiness. They endow their distorted vision with good conscience, they claim that no other point of view is any longer of value, once theirs has been made sacrosanct with the names "God," "Salvation," "Eternity." "(pg 8)
Christianity, in Nietzsche's eyes, is completely detached from reality. Its validity is bouyed up by the imaginary effects of imaginary causes, supported by imaginary beings, using imaginary psychology, based on an imaginary natural history. Sin, salvation, grace, punishment, forgiveness, and immortality are all tools of the nefarious trade.
"[Christianity] knows that it is a matter of indifference whether a thing be true or not; but that it is of the highest importance that it should be believed to be true. Truth and the belief that something is true: two totally separate worlds of interest, almost opposite worlds, the road to the one and the road to the other lie absolutely apart." (pg 21)
The keys to the control of the Christian congregations, Nietzsche believes, are the concepts of 'guilt' and 'sin.' Without one, the other is useless. Without both, Christianity is rendered impotent. It matters not that a person is indeed sinful, only that they should FEEL sinful. It is the very real guilt of the very imaginary sin that keeps the priest employed and the flock in line.
"..."sins" are indispensable: they are the actual weapons of power, the priest lives upon sins, it is necessary for him that people should "sin." ...Supreme axiom: "God forgiveth him that repenteth" - in plain English: him that submitteth himself to the priest." (pg 27)
Surprisingly or unsurprisingly, depending on your point if view, Nietzsche has a soft spot for Christ himself, repeatingly referring to him as the 'only true Christian' who ever lived and comparing him favorably to Buddha.
"This saintly anarchist who called the lowest of the low, the outcasts and "sinners," the Chandala of Judaism, to revolt against the established order of things - this man was a political criminal in so far as political criminals were possible in a community so absurdly non-political. This brought him to the cross: the proof of this is the inscription found thereon. He died for 'his' sins - and no matter how often the contrary has been asserted there is absolutely nothing to show that he died for the sins of others." (pg 28)
So, if Christ's ideals were praise worthy and of good intent, who bastardized the Christian identity? Nietzsche lays the blame squarely on St Paul:
"Paul is the incarnation of a type which is the reverse of that of the Savior; he is the genius in hatred, in the standpoint of hatred, and in the relentless logic of hatred." (pg 43)
But wait, there's more...
"Even what he himself did not believe, was believed in by the idiots among whom he spread HIS doctrine. What he wanted was power; with St Paul the priest again aspired to power" (pg 44)
Overall, Nietzsche's take on Christianity is a collection of many valid points interspersed with a few questionable conjectures. It is cynical, eristic and inflammatory. Five stars!
"This book belongs to the very few." ~FN
In his preface, Nietzsche anticipates a probable backlash to what he is about to publish. He states that only a person of sound intellect, one who is above "the wretched gabble of politics and national egotism" will comprehend all that he has to say. Or, plainly stated: This publication will not be well received by everyone. (Thank you Captain Obvious.)
"Christianity has sided with everything weak, low, and botched; it has made an ideal out of antagonism towards all the self-preservative instincts of strong life: it has corrupted even the reason of the strongest intellects, by teaching that the highest values of intellectuality are sinful, misleading and full of temptations." (pg 5)
For as my long as priests are held in high regard, Nietzsche asserts, truth and lies will always be transposed. He defines the term 'faith' as the blind ignorance of truthful thought and reason.
"...that is to say, to shut one's eyes once and for all, in order not to suffer at the sight of incurable falsity. People convert this faulty view of all things into a moral, a virtue, a thing of holiness. They endow their distorted vision with good conscience, they claim that no other point of view is any longer of value, once theirs has been made sacrosanct with the names "God," "Salvation," "Eternity." "(pg 8)
Christianity, in Nietzsche's eyes, is completely detached from reality. Its validity is bouyed up by the imaginary effects of imaginary causes, supported by imaginary beings, using imaginary psychology, based on an imaginary natural history. Sin, salvation, grace, punishment, forgiveness, and immortality are all tools of the nefarious trade.
"[Christianity] knows that it is a matter of indifference whether a thing be true or not; but that it is of the highest importance that it should be believed to be true. Truth and the belief that something is true: two totally separate worlds of interest, almost opposite worlds, the road to the one and the road to the other lie absolutely apart." (pg 21)
The keys to the control of the Christian congregations, Nietzsche believes, are the concepts of 'guilt' and 'sin.' Without one, the other is useless. Without both, Christianity is rendered impotent. It matters not that a person is indeed sinful, only that they should FEEL sinful. It is the very real guilt of the very imaginary sin that keeps the priest employed and the flock in line.
"..."sins" are indispensable: they are the actual weapons of power, the priest lives upon sins, it is necessary for him that people should "sin." ...Supreme axiom: "God forgiveth him that repenteth" - in plain English: him that submitteth himself to the priest." (pg 27)
Surprisingly or unsurprisingly, depending on your point if view, Nietzsche has a soft spot for Christ himself, repeatingly referring to him as the 'only true Christian' who ever lived and comparing him favorably to Buddha.
"This saintly anarchist who called the lowest of the low, the outcasts and "sinners," the Chandala of Judaism, to revolt against the established order of things - this man was a political criminal in so far as political criminals were possible in a community so absurdly non-political. This brought him to the cross: the proof of this is the inscription found thereon. He died for 'his' sins - and no matter how often the contrary has been asserted there is absolutely nothing to show that he died for the sins of others." (pg 28)
So, if Christ's ideals were praise worthy and of good intent, who bastardized the Christian identity? Nietzsche lays the blame squarely on St Paul:
"Paul is the incarnation of a type which is the reverse of that of the Savior; he is the genius in hatred, in the standpoint of hatred, and in the relentless logic of hatred." (pg 43)
But wait, there's more...
"Even what he himself did not believe, was believed in by the idiots among whom he spread HIS doctrine. What he wanted was power; with St Paul the priest again aspired to power" (pg 44)
Overall, Nietzsche's take on Christianity is a collection of many valid points interspersed with a few questionable conjectures. It is cynical, eristic and inflammatory. Five stars!