Nietzsche was one deep dude, as they say. You cannot take him at face value as some of his
statements are way beyond the pale. As I see it, these “over the top” statements are intended to
spur the reader to deeper thought.

Let’s start with his famous declaration that GOD IS DEAD, WE HAVE KILLED HIM. The first question
that comes to mind is if God can be killed then he is not God. God is eternal and immortal – by
definition. So, no question that he is pointing the reader to a deeper level of understanding. God in
his essence cannot be killed. The very energy that you use to try to kill him, is God. So, Nietzsche
is really saying that the “ideas” about God, the mental concepts that humans have, is dead. There
is much truth here.

Mount Everest exists. But everyone has different concepts about this peak. Some are fearful, some
are benign, some are based on photographs, books or hearsay. These concepts, are for the most
part, incomplete and in many cases outright false. So, while Mount Everest exists, the concepts
about it are pretty much false. To be charitable, they are at best incomplete. Even those few who
have scaled its heights only have a partial understanding of the Mountain. Hope you see what I’m
driving at here.

Neitsche called himself the Anti Christ. He was virulently opposed to any organized religion.
Christianity was his pet peeve, but he was no fan of Judaism, Hinduism or Buddhism either. (So far
I have not read any attack on Islam – but from his other remarks, I presume he is not a fan.) Yet, he
embraces many of the teachings of organized religion. He writes of the importance of “Gratitude”
(Ecce Homo and other places). Is this not right out of the religious play book? Is this not central to
all forms of religious worship?

He writes of the value – even the importance of suffering. Without suffering one cannot grow to be
what one should be. He writes that suffering should be embraced. Is this not right out of the
Catholic teaching? If we read the writings of some of the saints – I’m thinking o St. Theresa in
particular – we see this same theme. Suffering is redemptive. Suffering is necessary. In fact she
used to pray to be “crucified” so that she could get closer to her Lord, Jesus.

Let’s also look at his teaching on the “Superman”. Is this not just another way of talking about the
“bodhisattva” of the Buddhists and the “Christ Consciousness” of the Christians, the Avatar of the
Hindus, the “anointed one” of the Hebrews? This concept is fundamental in all esoteric teachings –
which are certainly not atheist. These are all states of the “more than man”. Nietzsche would find
no arguments on this point in the esoteric community.