Do you know any religious people who have read (and appreciated) Nietzsche and still stayed religious?

Question

If so, why hasn't it changed their faith?

Answer 1

Hi,

Yes, me for one but as Nietzsche says he is there to teach the art of reading slowly; "...to read slowly, deeply, looking cautiously before and aft, with reservations, with doors left open, with delicate eyes and fingers.” (Daybreak) and Heidegger told his students not to read Nietzsche until they'd spent ten years on reading Aristotle first.

Those who dismiss Nietzsche as a fool or an idiot or say his ideas are empty or seek to discredit them because of the insanity in his latter life have not fully appreciated his thought, they have not approached it with delicate fingers nor read slowly and demonstrate only their own lack of intellect. Certainly, they have not left the doors open in their reading but jumped quickly to conclusions false.

Nietzsche is often seen as anti-religious and anti-moral but in fact he is against religious and moral hypocrisy hence for Nietzsche; "there has only been one Christian, and he died on the cross."

If you really want to understand Nietzsche consider that he is talking about what is beyond good and evil. When you understand what that is you will see why Nietzsche enriches faith and can even aid religious understanding.

I cannot hope to give a full explanation here but I would say Nietzsche has made my faith stronger and richer.

Answer 2

this works the other way round too. i read and appreciated the bible, well, not all of it was appreciated. i still tend towards atheism though.
i believe peoples faith is emotional, not logical. i doubt many would change their faith by reason alone. Nietzsche's work i found thought provoking. the bible, a guide to living right. i don't think either of them have changed me a great deal.
maybe neither of them have struck the right cords. maybe that's why we can read all the answers on this site and still walk away with very little gained, or maybe we've just all made up our minds already.

Answer 3

Hi,
At first, what do you mean by religious people?
Following any religion, doesn't make some one religious.
one can be religious, without believing in any god( god fabricated).
faith? having faith in something and believe in some thing,
are two different things.
one believes in god because, one has borned in environment, where people believed in god.
One has faith in god, because one has discovered it by his,
own inquiry.(it depends what is god for you)
I think to understand nietzsche, one need to go deep at his level,
by entering into living expierence.
one can't understand merely reading him.
I think yes, one changes, but from believing to faith.
Its interesting question, but its difficult to explain in short,
first one need to understand good, what it means to be religious.
Second what means god.without understanding of god and religion, perhaps the answer will not give you clarity.(and I don't feel to write so much)
But still you have got my point of view.
I think he was a real religious person.(now it depends, what is being religious for you).

thanks

Answer 4

Nietzche had an important influence on the world, he made people think twice and question themselves. Every criticism I've read above is pretty fair in my opinion, but there is One Thing we can give ourselves over to blindly, but mostly not. Question yourself, question the authorities, question the media. It's important to look deeper and understand what choices you are making.

One thing Nietzsche said that I agree with is about growing strong from suffering. What doesn't kill me makes me stronger, not a golden rule, but a pretty good rule of thumb.

Answer 5

I have read many atheists and agnostics and it has not changed my faith. I believe it is important to challenge your faith and if something does change it then perhaps you never believed it at all. Any theologian worth his weight has studied the philosophers. It is quite possible to appreciate a good philosophical thought process without having to fully agree with the result.

Answer 6

You can appreciate something without totally believing in it. For instance, you can appreciate the Greek gods without believing they exist.
Besides, didn't Nietzsche go insane? That's a bad mark against him.

Answer 7

I felt dissapointed reading Nietzche and ...well I he didnt make me change my beliefs coz...God already had a plan for me...I embraced islam after 10 years of reading Nietzche...I mean...I dont want to end up like that man!...

Answer 8

overtly religious people don't routinely read Nietzsche...

Answer 9

me...was impressed...then realised that most of his ideas were empty, and that he was a deranged idiot....but i will always admire him.(i think he may have gotten closer to the truth than most other philosophers)

Nietzsche: "God is dead".
God: "Nietzsche is DEAD".

Answer 10

he was a racists, elitist snob and fool
but atleast he doesnt ethnic cleanse in the name of God
ought to be more afraid of the religous right
cause you can't kill God