Nietzsches Critique of Religion Essay -- Nietzsches Critique of Chri

Nietzsches critique of righteousness is largely based on his critique of Christianity. Nietzsche says that in modern Europe, citizenry are atheistic, even though they dont realise it. People who say they are religious arent really and those who say they have locomote on havent actually moved on. Certain people in society retain features of Christianity. For example, socialists still believe in equality in all people. Others still have pity for the hapless and needy etc. Nietzsche dislikes religion especially Christianity because it encourages and promotes slave morality. Nietzsche says that we should be striving towards master morality, but Christianity has the completely opposite values to those of the master morality. For example, religion wants us to be like slaves and give things up instead of trying to be great. He talks about a slave revolt in morality, which leads to the empowerment of slave values over master values. Christianity is th at slave revolt. The problem for Nietzsche is the New Testament - the introduction of Jesus. He thinks that linking the Old Testament with the New Testament is very cheeky. They are two different books with complete different ideas and so should not be linked together. The Old Testament is full of power - Nietzsche likes that. But he objects to the values of the New Testament that shouldnt be linked to the Old Testament. They demote power. He sees religion as intensely nihilistic - its all about denying sprightliness and being negative. Nietzsche feels that the New Testament is also like that. We have to go beyond this. If Christianity and Schopenhaur are based on denying life ... ...itique is that he views religion from the extraneous, so doesnt this make it a one-sided story? But obviously Nietzsche will think that his critique is one-sided. He is a perspectivist. Why is a view from outside any less valid than a view from inside? Is the ladde r of religious cruelty a complete account of religious development. What about a sacrificing himself for humanity? This doesnt get mentioned. However we could say that Nietzsche rejects that because he obviously doesnt believe in God and insofar as God is one of the suffering. This confirms Nietzsches negative view of religion / Christianism. Nietzsche said that religion shouldnt How can religion not be an end-in-itself for religious believers? A counter-argument to this would be to say that religion as an instrument is not a religion.