One of my students stopped by at lunch today to share his reflections on Nietzsche. He saw an aspect of this philosopher that many miss. The overly quoted statement that God is dead does not deprive deity of existence or power beyond the point of our free will. It is God who controls the universe, but in that omnibenevolent power, He has given us the ability to believe or disbelieve, to obey or disobey. Nietzsche’s death of the divine is not the demise of God, but of our humility in accepting Him. We in our Nietzsche inspired “superman” state, have deluded ourselves into thinking that “we are in control.” What rubbish is that? Can’t we see that all the evidence in this world is to the contrary?
In our “killing of God,” we have disposed of the building blocks or what my student called “the backbone” of society. We are reaping the consequences we wise fools (Romans 1:22).
In contrast to Nietzsche, and those who follow pseudo-Nietzschian philosophies, we find Viktor Frankl. In his “Mans Search for Meaning,” he showed faith and hope are part of meaning. Faith is far more powerful than self deception and nihilism. To him “The salvation of Man is through love and in love.” While not a Christian, he nonetheless struck on a truth – “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love (I John 4:7-8).”
God is love, God is power, God IS! We are not Übermensch. God is the true superman.
Padre
Padre's Ramblings 