What do you make of Nietzsche's idea of Christianity being a "slave morality"?

Question

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master-slave_morality

Answer 1

Sadly, many of the people who answered this, especially Christians who apparently decided to come to the defense of their religion, obviously had no idea what Nietzsche meant. It had nothing to do with "serving" God.

He meant that Christianity's origins lie in a group of slaves' will to power. When Christianity originated, Christians were weak physically, militarly, and in nearly every other worldly way. So what did they do? They made worldly goods and strengths "evil" and turned the real strengths of their opponents against them. Worldly success was devalued because the early Christians lacked it, according to Nietzsche. Even today Christianity retains (at least in theory) the values of humility, servitude, chastity, meekness, etc, meaning even today Christianity retains the values which arose from the slaves' need to gain power over their masters. What lies at the root of Christian virutes is not "real" morality (although Nietzsche would not use that phrase), but actually a sickly kind of will to power. He had such disdain for them because they were not actually strong, but rather warped people's perceptions of strength so that strength became weakness and weakness strength. This version of morality also holds back the strong today, Nietzsche would say.

I think his "genealogy" as he called it was brilliant. I especially find modern applications of genealogy to be very interesting. Michel Foucault has constructed genealogies on a number of modern institutions showing how they, much like Christianity, emerged from a kind of power drive, not out of concerns for morality or reason.

Lucid Freedom: Just because a person doesn't feel like a slave doesn't mean they aren't a slave. In fact, the person who can sense the slavery may in fact be less of a slave than the person who cannot. The person who is aware of their slavery still retains some freedom of mind and thought. He or she has not internalized their slavery and come to see it as "natural." The slave who does not feel enslaved, no longer has this mental freedom. The slavery has spread to their mind, and they do not even feel a need for freedom. This makes them more of a slave, not less. And why would a person have to be a Christian to know whether or not Christians are slaves? I have never been black slave in the Confederacy, but I still know that such people were slaves. Of course this doesn't really have anything to do with this question, but neither did your answer.

Answer 2

I have to be honest and say I'm still working on Nietzsche and digging through his ideas. I find his point of view fascinating so far, even when I don't necessarily agree with it entirely. That being said, I certainly think that Christianity falls under the "slave morality" heading with no difficulty.

Answer 3

He meant that Christianity devalues life by making everyone believe that this world is "bad" and that in the next life everything will be better. Don't make the most out of this life because you've got another one coming.

Slave morality declares that those in power are oppressors and the weak willed are "good."

Answer 4

an casual walk for the duration of the lunatic asylum exhibits that faith does not prepare something. Friedrich Nietzsche guy is the main harsh animal. Friedrich Nietzsche woman became gods 2d blunder. - Freidrich Nietsche

Answer 5

I prefer being God's slave, although he says I am his child, than being a slave to the demons and other entities. And many are even if they refuse to admit it. Example: just decide to get out of certain cults or fraternities that I will not mention here and you will see what will happen. You are the captives.

Answer 6

Nietzsche is generally grossly misunderstood by Religionites and Politicians.

Answer 7

In the sense that when a person becomes a Christian, he is freed from being slave to sin to becoming a slave of Christ. F.N. makes sense.

Answer 8

I think Nietzsche was wrong about Christians, women and his "natural" caste system.

Answer 9

Christianity is complete freedom, obviously Nietzche never experienced it.

Speak to any Christian and ask them if they feel like a slave to some establishment or set of rules. If one has never been a Christian, one can never know. Thats the truth.

Answer 10

I can see how someone outside God would think that. But I don't think people that willingly serve should be considered slaves. I am a servant but I don't know if I would be a slave......good question though.