Nietzsche - Why Did God Have to Die?

I remember reading On the Genealogy of Morals several years back. It was, in essence the first real attentive eye that I gave to Nietzsche. Why I conveniently avoided him became clear to me sometime after, and again, in a future piece, I may delve deeper into this. Anyhow, unfortunately, I did not follow his advice. I read things out of order...out of context. I was not impressed, or shall I say, more correctly...I did not LIKE On the Genealogy of Morals. Still, something in me prompted me forward several years after that (and still some years ago). Thus Spoke Zarasusthra came next. And, in the midst of all this, I was in some sort of a crisis - perhaps the selfish kind that comes from too much time to think, even when one does not have the time, so to speak, but in any event, I was experiencing a crisis - in my own little corner of the world.

I will go into what I got out of Thus Spoke Zarasusthra another time in more detail. But what struck me so strongly when I read this was what I felt to be a deeply, almost ineffeable experience of what dear Mr. N. was attempting to do. He was doing the unspeakable...the unthinkable. And, he was a genius. And, although I am aware of the implications this bent may have...I conclusively decided (at least at that time, and still now, for now) that he is not, by any means, an aetheist.

Why did I decide this. Well, I did not decide. Rather, I experienced it. I experienced him. I experienced what, I believe, was the first intent of this piece of artistic genius. Fredrich took me to a place that I thought I would never go. Or, let me rephrase this - I was not aware of this place in the first place.

God is dead. That is where I went. However, it was for a PURPOSE. This was not the end of the story. No, in fact, this was the original creative act for which I had to thank, (or curse), our friend, Nietzsche.

Can we go to this place? Can I contemplate the nonexistence of my self...my Self? Can I rest there? And if I can't, what does it mean? Where do I go when I do that? And for that matter - Who Am I? And...oh my goodness, is this not the prime statement of the Divine - the I Am-ness...the essential question that drives and penetrates our consciousness and leads to our eventual so-called enlightenment? Yes, it seems that it where I was going. But - from the back door. From the garage...From the sewer.

Ok, maybe I cannot go to this place. But I must. I must go to this place. I must be willing to give up the things, the formulas, the beliefs that keep me sane - that keep me human....that keep Me. He is forcing me! He is taking away my security blankets...my mind as well. Can I keep up with this?

I had to use my power of imagination. I had to go there. And I went. And it was very dark. However, Nietzshe is compassionate in his work. He spells it right out - and you'll forgive me if I do not go back just now for a reference, perhaps later - in essence, he DOES write out...right there in his masterpiece, that the people must follow him to that place and then...and only then, should they - or would they - (as a necessity) - remove him. It is ONLY then, that we can know. Not believe, know. AFTER we go...THERE.

One could say this message is not so original, however, the originality in Nietzsche is his ability to have put us there. There - the most terrifying place of all. Why hast thou forsaken me? - is the question that comes to mind. And, what happens next....

This is where God is alive.