What Friedrich Nietzsche thinks about religion
German philosopher (1844 to 1900); professor of classical philology at Basel from 1869 to 1879; author of Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Beyond Good and Evil and Twilight of the Idols.
Friedrich Nietzsche did not write this page.
We collected these quotes from things they published elsewhere, and every quote links to where it was said. They have no account here and have not endorsed this site. Quotes are word for word; the short line under each one is our own restatement, not their wording. Their own site. Is this you? Claim it or ask us to remove it. Or tell us what is wrong here.
Filter religion · Newest first
Only Friedrich Nietzsche on religion. See everyone on religion
8 dated positions, c. 1878 to c. 1886, in their own words. Our reading of what Friedrich Nietzsche has said — not written or endorsed by them.
-
Their wordsHowever highly we may esteem this indulgent and preservative care (inasmuch as in applying to others, it has applied, and applies also to the highest and usually the most suffering type of man), the hitherto PARAMOUNT religions—to give a general appreciation of them—are among the principal causes which have kept the type of "man" upon a lower level—they have preserved too much THAT WHICH SHOULD HAVE PERISHED.
↗Beyond Good and Evil (1886; Helen Zimmern translation)gutenberg.org All 20 from this book
-
Their wordsIndeed, with the help of a religion which has humoured and flattered the sublimest desires of the herding-animal, things have reached such a point that we always find a more visible expression of this morality even in political and social arrangements: the DEMOCRATIC movement is the inheritance of the Christian movement.
↗Beyond Good and Evil (1886; Helen Zimmern translation)gutenberg.org All 20 from this book
-
Their wordsAt the same time, it should be further explained that the needs which religion satisfies and which science must now satisfy, are not immutable. Even they can be diminished and uprooted.
↗Human, All Too Human (1878; Alexander Harvey translation, 1908)gutenberg.org All 18 from this book
-
Their wordsFor all religions grew out of dread or necessity, and came into existence through an error of the reason.
↗Human, All Too Human (1878; Alexander Harvey translation, 1908)gutenberg.org All 18 from this book
-
Their wordsThe aim of religious worship is to influence nature to human advantage, and hence to instil a subjection to law into her that originally she has not, whereas at present man desires to find out the subjection to law of nature in order to guide himself thereby.
↗Human, All Too Human (1878; Alexander Harvey translation, 1908)gutenberg.org All 18 from this book
-
Their wordsChristianity arose to lighten the heart, but now it must first make the heart heavy in order to be able to lighten it afterwards. Christianity will consequently go down.
↗Human, All Too Human (1878; Alexander Harvey translation, 1908)gutenberg.org All 18 from this book
-
Their wordsThe agreeable opinion is accepted as true. This is the testimony of pleasure (or as the church says, the evidence of strength) of which all religions are so proud, although they should all be ashamed of it.
↗Human, All Too Human (1878; Alexander Harvey translation, 1908)gutenberg.org All 18 from this book
-
Our readingThe saint's total self-surrender makes life easier and is wrongly admired as moral heroism
Their wordsThe holy person also makes his lot easier through the complete surrender of his life personality and it is all delusion to admire such a phenomenon as the loftiest heroism of morality.
↗Human, All Too Human (1878; Alexander Harvey translation, 1908)gutenberg.org All 18 from this book