I was reading Thus spoke Zarathustra, and I am trying to understand what
Nietzsche is trying to say in the entry called, On Reading and Writing, where
Zarathustra says, “I would believe only in a god who could dance.”
Anybody have any thoughts
The comments so far are at: http://unfspb.wordpress.com/2008/06/16/problem-with-zarathustra/
When we think of the traditional qualities of God there are obvious paradoxes. How can a God who is omnibenevolent be omnipotent, because if you have the power to do anything then surely you would be able to do bad as well as good? And how can omnipotence even be possible when it begs the question of whether God could create a rock so heavy he couldn't lift it, or a fruit so bitter he couldn't eat it? With all these supposed qualities, our traditional idea of God can't help but seem limited, restricted, as do people who live their lives in such a way in order to adhere to the ten commandments and other religion-based moral guidelines. If God created man in his own image, and even God is restricted, then man must be incredibly so.
ReplyDeleteA God who can dance, however, suggests a God with vitality, who has the freedom to move in any way, and that therefore mankind can be free to live their lives in the way they see fit, to express themselves and not be confined by the limitations of what any one religion deems to be 'good'.