Nietzsche On Christianity

Ultimately it seems that Christianity, at its core, seems to advocate for such ideals. Through the fostering of a truly Christian community, the cultivation of brotherhood for all of mankind seems to be something which is possible. The ethic of Christianity, while not perfect, can serve to better the individual and the world by the self-sacrificing of ones own selfish desires. Nietzsche would contend that it is the sacrificing of self which exactly leads to the entrapment of the mind. I however do not believe this to be true. Two prime example of how sacrificing ones own desires and self can cultivate a greater world and individual are exemplified in the teachings and life of both Ghandi and Martin Luther King Jr. Both of these men adopted
the Christian ethic of nonviolence in order to spark social and civil changes for not just their nations, but for the whole world. Both of these men held true to Christianity’s teachings of suffering, poverty, and sacrifice for a greater majority, and ultimately through their adherence to the Christian ethic they were able to spark social, intellectual, and political change. In conclusion, the reversal of morality as described by Nietzsche has in fact been something which is undeniably true.
However Nietzsche’s attack on Christianity does seem to me to be a bit unwarranted and not fully conceptualized. For Nietzsche, the devaluation and reversal of emphasis upon the noble conception of the “good”, has in his view weakened mankind to a state of mediocrity. It is also important to re-emphasize the contrasting values between the master and slave morality and how the development of these statements have shifted over the course of human history. Before the institution of religion, Nietzsche claimed that morality was simply a discussion of saying that things such as health, strength, and liberty were things which constituted the good, However this understanding of morality shifted with the advent of Christianity and the reversal of power from the minority to the majority (morally speaking) . Ultimately it seems that Nietzsche characterizes the majority of humanity as being “ weak” because they lack the ability to channel their will and express themselves fully and openly. Thus those who are politically and socially oppressed, turn inward to the moral dimension and are able to shift the oppression on the oppressor by power of majority. Christianity it seems caters to this individual according to Nietzsche and that is why it rewards people who engage in acts of poverty, humility, and chastity. According to Nietzsche, he maintains that those who are oppressed in this life, believe that if they follow the Christian ethic and doctrine, then power and glory will ultimately be theirs in the next
life.