| |
| |
|
Just Between Us - FREE Spiritual Information for anyone interested. |
|
|
|
The Death of God, the Mission of Modern Psychology, and Me
The question, "Is God Dead?", first entered my consciousness when I was ten or eleven years old. I saw it on the cover of a Life magazine, and it's lingered in my mind ever since. At the time, though, I wasn't too concerned with His possible demise. I had pretty much determined that God lived inside each of us. No matter how hard I tried, I hadn't been able to find God in the lukewarm rituals of the Protestant faith. Instinctively, I knew God wasn't dead, He was just hiding within each of us, waiting to be discovered. I became interested in Freud in high school and entered college as a psychology major. After several years studying psychology, I underwent an existential crisis: I couldn't bear the thought of my future career as a psychologist consisting of continuously instructing strangers about how to live their lives. It would be too boring to endure. So, I transferred to art school (a Nietzchian choice, I now see). For years, the question languished in the back of my brain: "Is God dead?" Or was the idea only yellow journalism or intellectual coffeehouse chatter? But all this background is bringing me ahead of myself. It wasn't until last month that I finally learned God's death was first announced by and perhaps directly attributable to the philosopher Frederic Nietzsche. Only now am I beginning to understand the enormous impact of those three little words. As a newly-renewed psychology major, I am fascinated by Nietzsche's bold declarative question, "Who among philosophers before me has been called a psychologist at all?" (Nietzsche, 16), and how his thoughts anticipate, influence, and in fact, define modern psychology. Therefore, in this essay, I am attempting to interweave the death of God with the mission of contemporary psychology, and to offer some of my own thoughts and experiences. If I have added a distinctly personal spin to the proceedings, forgive me; I believe Nietzsche would have accepted the voice of personal experience. "Whither is God" he cried. "I shall tell you. We have killed him-you and I. All of us are his murderers" (Nietzsche, 95). Thus, in 1882, Nietzsche created a madman who announced the end of Christian tradition and in so doing, the beginning of modern life. In conclusion, the madman proclaims to the listening crowd: "This deed is still more distant from them than the most distant stars-and yet they have done it themselves" (Nietzsche, 96). Nietzsche could be mistaken for an atheist, but no man can kill something he doesn't believe in. Even if man could kill God, God is a Supreme Being who possesses the power to resurrect Himself. Nietzsche's point, then, seems to be that mankind cannot destroy God for all eternity, but that men can banish God from their lives. The death of God, serious though it may be, is a metaphor. The metaphors flooding my mind are these: Man has murdered God, been tried and found guilty, and is currently serving a life sentence without Him. God first threw us out of the Garden, now we're throwing him out of the asphalt jungle. We have replaced original sin for man-made guilt, anxiety, and despair. The reality of God's death may be too much for man, a mere mortal (and now, more mortal than ever), to bear, as also is the lack of meaning in life. But every metaphor and consequence arising from the original theme begs the question, "God is dead, long live . . . ?" * * * * * Nietzsche qualifies his metaphor and hints at some answers. First, he states that " . . . the belief in the Christian God has ceased to be believable" (Nietzsche, 447). Second, he describes man's life after God's death: "Indeed, philosophers and 'free spirits' feel as if a new dawn were shining on us when we receive the tidings that 'the old god is dead'; our heart overflows with gratitude, amazement, anticipation, expectation. At last the horizon appears free again to us, even granted that it is not bright, at last our ships may venture out again, venture out to face any danger; all the daring of the lover of knowledge is permitted again; the sea, our sea, lies open again; perhaps there has never yet been such an 'open sea' (448). The open sea is our psyche. But before I become too blithe in my interpretation, I must remind myself that the death of God tormented and tortured the philosopher. He sailed on through dark and into mostly uncharted waters to explore the human mind and human behavior-in a word, psychology. With prescient references to various Freudian concepts, Nietzsche discusses sublimation, instinct, repression, guilt, and ego. Still, we may worry that he's left us behind and half-jokingly wonder, "Is there nothing sacred anymore?" Nietzsche would answer, "No. God is dead, long live psychology." Dr. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi neatly summarizes the connection between Nietzsche, 'the first psychologist,' and modern psychology: "After all, at least since Nietzsche concluded that God was dead, philosophers and social scientists have been busy demonstrating that existence has no purpose, that chance and impersonal forces rule our fate, and that all values are relative and hence arbitrary. It is true that life has no meaning, if by that we mean a supreme goal built into the fabric of nature and human experience, a goal that is valid for every individual. But it does not follow that life cannot be given meaning" (215). Just as there was "no psychology before him," it is highly doubtful there could have been any without Nietzsche. Csikszentmihalyi not only accepts Nietzsche's premise that life is meaningless, he also offers this insight on the link between the "first psychologist" and the role of modern psychology: "If values and institutions no longer provide as supportive a framework as they once did, each person must use whatever tools are available to carve out a meaningful, enjoyable life. One of the most important tools in this quest is psychology" (16). The highest calling of modern psychology, then, is to recognize our instincts, repressions, guilt, and the like, and to ask, "How can mankind be improved?" Modern psychology accepts God's death, doesn't mourn His passing, and goes on to acknowledge Nietzsche's logical implication of personal responsibility ("All of us are his murderers") and the "superman" who seeks perfect personal transcendence. Modern man can depend on himself and only himself for rewards and satisfaction, and his inner quest requires great discipline. Suffering may still impart meaning to life, as Nietzsche postulated (453), but we are secular victims, not religious martyrs or Greek tragic heroes. Besides, we don't have the time; instant gratification is our goal, if it can be said to be a goal or if we have any goals at all. * * * * * The purpose for modern man is to find purpose in his life. He must re-create himself in his (small "h" intended) own image. Attractive and repellent, unprecedented and overwhelming, our task may be more than we can bear. We have our doubts about ourselves and are also suspicious of science; the science of psychology may be more an art than a science. Nietzsche might have predicted our misgivings. He might also have pointed out that, in the end, we are human, all too human, and perhaps we cannot transcend ourselves or science without God. By looking at the death of God, the mission of modern psychology, and my thoughts about both, I had hoped to reach some definitive conclusions. I have not. I have, however, suggested a number of questions that will continue to interest me as a fledging environmental psychologist. In summary, I have only this to say: If God is truly dead, may He rest in peace. Sources Nietzsche, Friedrich. The Portable Nietzsche. Ed. and trans. Walter Kaufmann. 1954. New York: Penguin, 1982. Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly. Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. New York: Harper & Row, 1990. ABOUT THE AUTHOR For more than two decades, P J Smith has been motivated to write and writing to motivate. Today, she's the motivational word spinner in residence at http://www.wordbrains.com. Her work has also been published in newspapers and magazines, and seen on public television. She's a student of psychology, Reconnective Therapy, Flower of Life -- and life. Let P J inspire and inform your audience. Find out more at http://www.wordbrains.com.
MORE RESOURCES:
Spirituality - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Real Spirituality My fiancee' and I frequent a restaurant in L.A. Understanding the Gospel of Matthew and Why it Matters - Part 1 An Introduction to MatthewSETTINGHave you ever been promised something wonderful, and then been made to wait for it? Have you felt the eager anticipation of a child on Christmas Eve, or the desperate longing of a wife awaiting a letter from a husband at war? Many Christians look forward to the return of Jesus in this way, occasionally glancing up at the sky and wondering if maybe - just maybe - today might be the day.If you can relate to that feeling, then you can begin to understand what the Jewish people were experiencing in the first century AD. Two Types Of Spirituality ... Faith And Knowledge The term spirituality is a confusing term. Usually, when one mentions spirituality, the first thought in many people's minds is that of religion. Living Your Noble Purpose "A common jar of clay can never become a noble masterpiece, unless it is broken by its master, refined in fire, and renewed." - Sharif KhanThere is a passage in scriptures that I have always found troubling. Unfinished Business (Part 1) Most of life can be said to be bad, or problematic, or painful, or sorrowful. Every great religion acknowledges this fact regarding life. Homeless, Rejected, and Poor Fanny J. Crosby's famous hymn, "Tell Me the Story of Jesus," describes the Savior in terms of Isaiah 53: "He was despised and afflicted," and then adds, "homeless, rejected, and poor. Bringing Heaven to Earth: Applying Spiritual Principles Consistently Over Time I am often asked to explain what I mean by becoming a spiritual scientist - in other words, what's the science part? Because these terms are being bantered about quite liberally these days, I welcome the opportunity to clarify what for me is a simple and profound process.Becoming a spiritual scientist is a means to an end. Catch A New Lover With DIY Magic! One night, whilst watching TV, I understood a very useful magical principle which is highly practical and immensely efficient. Anyone can do it - if they really want to, that is! - and although it involves interior decoration, it is easy to do, once you get your head around the basic principles. Animal Spirits: Power Animals and Guides We shamans are a strange breed.. The Divine Holographic Energy Field What is the true nature of any illness? Research in Energy Medicine is showing more and more that it is the result of a disruption in the Human Bio-field. This is the energy and information field that informs and orchestrates the functioning of one's Being at every level i. Understanding the Gospel of Matthew and Why it Matters - Part 6 Matthew 2:16-18Herod Kills the Children16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men.17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:18 "A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more. Slow Leak In God's world, everything can be used as an anology to His Word. I'm using this small unassuming small leak in my tire as an example of how if it is let go, can cause a spiritual wreck. Games to Play With Tarot Cards The lighter side of Tarot deals with games played using this deck of uniquely peculiar cards. These range from the highly complex to those a four-year-old can play. Be Still Psalm 46:10"Be still, and know that I am God;I will be exalted among the nations,I will be exalted in the earth." (NIV)Before my wife, Melinda, gave birth to a baby girl eight months ago, I thought I had God all figured out. Heaven Bound: Win The Race! Billy Graham once said, "Being a Christian is more than just an instantaneous conversion; it is like a daily process whereby you grow to be more and more like Christ."Nothing is out of reach when you put your heart into it. Humanity Needs Islam The human nature means the soul and the body. A man without a spiritual life is no longer a man. Spiritual Intelligence: How It Benefits A Person In one forum, one participant posted this query:I think quite a few of us believe in the inadequacy of traditional science being unable to explain our universe, being unable to explain how to have a positive attitude, and how to live. We believe that possibly, there are no accidents, and the life we are living in is our choice. Searchable by Jesus Some people go to physics and spiritual readers for advice for one thing or another. Who can search all things and give us the truth. You Are Spirit Powered (Moving to Transformation) A spiritual event is what happens in every moment of every day of our lives. It is not only about the extraordinary things that happen in our lives that we cannot explain, but everyday things, like working watching TV, making love or going to the bathroom. The Woodstock Effect: And Weve Got to Get Ourselves Back to the Garden Woodstock, the watershed event for a generation, had a far greater impact on us than anyone could have guessed back in the late 1960s, when it was first conceived as a commercial venture by four entrepreneurs looking to promote a music studio they proposed to build. While the actual festival on a dairy farm in New York's Hudson Valley was not without controversy and many less-than-harmonious components, the storied Woodstock spirit of Oneness that shines through it all is emblematic of our age-old desire for a higher way of relating with one another; of a more loving existence-the existence of our origins-and our destiny.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
