On Nietzsche’s Atheism

On Nietzsche’s Atheism
A Reaction Paper


Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche and Karl Marx, as atheists see religion as the central evil of every society (world in general). Thus, according to them religion should be eliminated to achieve a freer and better society, even utopian.
Many atheists have varying explanations on why is religion evil. But we will focus on Nietzsche here. Nietzsche believes that religion impedes man from surpassing oneself. Man cannot be a ubermensch, a superman (now called overman) with the presence of religion. Religion is the framework of his society and all units therein. Man is bound to follow the social customs and norms with religious underpinnings. All religion does is set limits to man’s world. In Nietzsche’s standpoint, man is trapped and held powerless by religion.
Such school of thought is possibly popular in this secular age. And if one is to examine it with an atheistic proclivity, Nietzsche is very appealing to believe and agree at. But in my case, it is not quite.
I am certain the Nietzsche would agree that religion is a powerful force. It is so powerful that he fears it to be the great barrier, the hindrance. Since, we agree on that matter, I want to raise a contention. I would like to ask him this: If religion as a powerful force that controls and limits man, is taken away somewhere, sometime, what will replace it?
In my point of view, religion puts the world and societies in order. It guides all the events to a certain harmony. Religion places things in their proper places. Consequently, without it, man with his tendencies will have full control. If so, did Nietzsche ever think that if man is given all the control, the world becomes chaotic? Look at Hitler who with his tendencies as a man to become domineering, superior and beastly even, took the lives of thousands of Jews. Man cannot and must not have the complete control of his life because having so is to self-destruct. If Man can be saintly and superman, he can as well be so super evil.
How about the rapists and murderers, they who have lost their sense of religion and fear of the Hell? The world turns into such a disorganized place, a place Nietzsche himself did not see. He would not surely live in a neighborhood of murderers and rapists and Hitlers, people who have become superman (Atheist context). These are the people who have surpassed themselves, a man who knows and follows no rules and laws. They are themselves the law and rules. They are supermen. Nietzsche would not live in such place.
In a personal level, if I have no sense of destiny and future because of the teachings of my religion, I want to shoot bullets into stupid people’s heads. Also, I love to rape all the hot guys I come across. But all these I suppress for my religion tells me so. These things should remain only in my imagination. My religion influences my actions. It determines and predetermines a society/world of justice and order. Religion is the very reason why all of us still exist.
Now, without it, who tells man what to and what not to do? Who will tell me? In the final analysis, Nietzsche proves to be an atheist–to-the-worst-kind. He wants to obliterate not only religion but Man as well. His atheism lies on his lack of sense of destiny and future, a character that the religious man has.
With all that he says, if Nietzsche is still alive I want to shoot him in the head three times. But my religion tells me not to. And I say lucky him, “religion” saves him.