The perspectives of NietzscheAtheism
"God", "immortality of the soul", "redemption",
"beyond" -- Without exception, concepts to which I have never
devoted any attention, or time; not even as a child. Perhaps I have
never been childlike enough for them?
I do not by any means know atheism as a result; even less as an
event: It is a matter of course with me, from instinct. I am too
inquisitive, too questionable, too exuberant to stand for
any gross answer. God is a gross answer, an indelicacy against us
thinkers - at bottom merely a gross prohibition for us: you shall
not think!
from Nietzsche's Ecce Homo, Walter Kaufmann transl.
What distinguishes us [scientists] from the pious and the believers is not the quality but the quantity of belief and piety; we are contented with less. But if the former should challenge us: then be contented and appear to be contented! - then we might easily reply: 'We are, indeed, not among the least contented. You, however, if your belief makes you blessed then appear to be blessed! Your faces have always been more injurious to your belief than our objections have! If these glad tidings of your Bible were written on your faces, you would not need to insist so obstinately on the authority of that book... As things are, however, all your apologies for Christianity have their roots in your lack of Christianity; with your defence plea you inscribe your own bill of indictment.
from Nietzsche's Assorted Opinions and Maxims,s. 98, R.J. Hollingdale transl.
Historical refutation as the definitive refutation.-- In former times, one sought to prove that there is no God - today one indicates how the belief that there is a God arose and how this belief acquired its weight and importance: a counter-proof that there is no God thereby becomes superfluous.- When in former times one had refuted the 'proofs of the existence of God' put forward, there always remained the doubt whether better proofs might not be adduced than those just refuted: in those days atheists did not know how to make a clean sweep.
from Nietzsche's Daybreak,s. 95, R.J. Hollingdale transl.