Comparison Between Christianity and Nihilism
Religion is essential in enabling people to understand themselves better, the position they occupy in the society, and the stand which they need to have of the moral issues which they need to consider. Further, religion enables people to develop connections with one another concerning the ideologies which connect them. Having a proper understanding of religion is essential in showcasing people’s perceptions (Wakankar, 2018). It is based on the idea of people having the ability to be guided by the specific doctrines which they subscribe to. It is, therefore, possible for them to attain outstanding outcomes in light of their lives. However, some people hold the ideology that religion and moral principles are nonexistent and that life is meaningless. The concept is, otherwise, referred to as Nihilism (Losurdo, 2019). It is necessary to compare Christianity and Nihilism to establish the similarities and differences which they have.
Ultimate Reality
Ultimate reality pertains to the study of materialism, dualism, and cosmopolitan. The study also touches on the idea that people determine the perception of God in their lives. The concept relates to the view that people need to consider the position they have in the society and the reverence towards a deity (McDonald, 2019). In terms of the ultimate reality, it is established that Christianity agrees to the same. Mainly, Christianity focuses on the concept of spiritual nourishment as opposed to the material gratification. Therefore, people who subscribe to the Christian religion are prompted to be keen on leading lives agreeable with the moral doctrines enshrined within (Wakankar, 2018). In terms of ontology, human beings practicing Christianity hold onto the idea that they are important beings (Wakankar, 2018). Therefore, they must engage in various actions that are important to them and, therefore, be bound to improve upon their outcomes in terms of the specific engagements they take part in. As a result, they can lead lives that are desirable for them. They also believe in God’s existence and, therefore, need to engage in practices that are appealing to Him.
Concerning people who subscribe to Nihilism, they hold onto the idea that a deity does not exist. Therefore, people should not focus on adhering to certain moral standings in society. They also feel that human beings are not important. Consequently, they should not adopt the necessary approaches, which would, otherwise, enable them to be outstanding members of society. Nihilists feel that people should not put in a great effort to attain the necessary levels of respect, which they would otherwise wish for in the society. Instead, they need only to enjoy the material aspects contained in it (Kobyliński, 2016). They also need to be aware that they will one day die and cease to exist. Therefore, they need to do what is desirable for them without necessarily having to feel that they are held back by the various religious and moral doctrines that guide them.
Eternality Nature of the World
Christianity holds on the belief that the world is not eternal and will one day come to an end. It had a definite beginning when God created it. Therefore, human beings need to ensure that they lead their lives in a way that will be highly desirable. The process is essential in improving the actions which people engage in (Clark, 2019). Christians believe that their future after their death is dependent on the kind of life that they lead here on earth. Therefore, they need to be candid in their activities. As a result, it will be possible for them to be outstanding in terms of the outcomes which stand to be attained. As a result, it is likely for them to focus on the right approaches, which are essential in light with helping to improve upon the position which they occupy in the society.
In terms of Nihilism, people who subscribe to the doctrine hold onto the belief that the world is eternal. There is no notable end which would be desirable for them. Therefore, they hold onto the idea that they must focus on the precise mechanisms, which will enable them to enjoy life (Losurdo, 2019). They are aware that, although the world is eternal, it is marred by death. Therefore, they need to focus on attaining the best out of it before their demise. Further, they do not fear any adverse outcomes which could be achieved from the activities which they engage in. As a result, they aim to engage in activities that generally serve in their interest without necessarily focusing on the adverse outcomes which could be attained from the entire process.
What a Human Being Is
In relation to what a human being is, several aspects could be discussed. As for Christianity, the view held is that human beings are born with the propensity to sin. However, they have the moral duty to adopt the appropriate behavior and avoid the specific actions aligned with the idea of evil (Wakankar, 2018). As a result, they can focus on the right strategies, which will enable them to focus on God and ensure that they adopt the correct approaches which are deemed to be morally right. Human beings need to focus more on God in a bid to attain goodness and shy away from evil. The process will be appropriate in helping to improve on their situation and, thereby, boost their outcomes in terms of the specific activities which are deemed to be highly suitable.
Nihilism, however, adopts a whole different perspective. Since it projects human beings are being unimportant, it does not provide any insights on whether they are good or evil. The aspect of morality is not of any importance to the society. Human beings are only born to live and then die (Losurdo, 2019). Therefore, they should not focus on having any specific measure which would, otherwise, detail the perception which others would have on them. Generally, people need to consider seeking for their survival as opposed to the need to consider the various moral and ethical practices which they need to abide by. Those who believe in Nihilism, hold onto the idea that people need to focus more on the best outcomes they obtain out of life as opposed to focusing on the aspects of morals, ethics, and religion.
What Happens to a Person at Death
In Christianity, it is believed that, once a person dies, the body ceases to exist, but the soul goes back to God. Once Jesus comes, he will judge both the living and the dead. Those who will have been found to have lived a righteous life after the judgment will be made to lead eternal lives. However, Nihilists hold a different idea regarding the same. For a start, they do not believe in the concept of existence (Wakankar, 2018). Therefore, they fail to put a thorough consideration of what happens to people at death. Consequently, they fail to identify with what happens to people who happen when they die. They do not provide thorough information on what happens at death because they do not have an objective associated with life. Nihilists fail to put significant considerations on life. Therefore, they do not put in much thought on what it means to live or die.
Nihilists’ views show that there is no difference between when someone is alive and when they close their eyes in death. Since human beings are not important, they should not consider who they will be once they die. They only need to live as they are without thinking much about their lives. Generally, Nihilists do not think much about the essence of life and whom they need to be, especially in light of the various experiences which they are exposed to (Losurdo, 2019). They only need to think about what is happening at a given moment in life. It is through the process that they will manage to go about their lives in a way that will be appropriate to them at the given moment in time. Therefore, it is established that they do not need to have high levels of expectations in terms of the lives that they lead much of their focus needs to be on themselves at the specific moment in time. As a result, there is the chance that they might not find the reason to think much of any form of existence right after death. The thinking applied by Nihilists, therefore, pushes most of them to fail to be inclined to leading virtuous lives when on earth. They do not believe that there is any judgment once they die. Therefore, there is no need for them to put up actions which could benefit both them and others.
Why it is Possible to Know Anything
As shown in Christianity, it is possible to know something because much of the information is contained within the Biblical scriptures. It is, therefore, possible for people to establish the specific approaches which are essential in helping to boost their outcomes (Wakankar, 2018). They must establish the necessary strategies which they need to apply in line with the different experiences which they face. Through the process, they can determine the right ways through which they could interact with one another. They can determine the precise approaches they need to apply concerning improving the interactions they need to have with one another.
The thinking Nihilists is different from that of Christians as they hold the idea that it is impossible to know anything at all, simply because there is no need to know everything. Generally, people should not spend a lot of time on their own instead of sourcing for information with the specific actions which might, otherwise, enable them to be outstanding (Losurdo, 2019). Instead, Nihilists believe that people need to focus on only their own lives and fail to pay more attention to specific actions that could, otherwise, be to their benefit (Wakankar, 2018). Therefore, it is established that people should not spend significant amounts of time looking for specific ways through which they could adopt in a bid to attain morally upright lives.
Nature of Morality
In Christianity, morality holds an essential place in the lives of people. Therefore, they need to adopt the right strategies, which will enable them to be virtuous in a bid to ensure that they attain impeccable levels of relationship which they have with others. The process will allow them to be outstanding in terms of the engagements which they take part in. The process will also be appropriate in enabling them to avoid certain activities that could, otherwise, negatively impact the interactions which they have with others. Generally, in Christianity, there is the view that people need to focus more on the impact which they have on others, especially in terms of the interactions which they usually have with them. Therefore, the process will enable them to be outstanding in their undertakings (Wakankar, 2018). The process will also allow them to establish the specific practices which they need to shy away from in a bid to be outstanding people in the society. The process will enable them to show that they hold other people in high esteem. It will also be an indication that they are keen on avoiding the specific actions which might harm others’ lives. The situation will be of significant value to society.
In Christianity, people know right from wrong based on the information which they obtain from Biblical scriptures. Therefore, the scripture acts as a strong guide to them. It provides them the pertinent ideas they must abide by in a bid to ensure that they lead lives, which could be considered to be otherwise virtuous (Wakankar, 2018). Therefore, the process will enable them to be outstanding in the specific engagements they are charged with. They will also manage to showcase the particular actions which are bound to create the best outcomes desirable for them.
With Nihilists, they are different in that they do not believe in morality at all. Therefore, there is no need for them to differentiate between right and wrong. Their focus is only on living without necessarily thinking much of how their actions might impact others (Losurdo, 2019). They put a lot of attention on whom they are at a particular moment without concentrating on how they could affect others.
Meaning of Human History
Christians hold the belief that the meaning of human history lies in them, restoring the relationship which God had established with them. Therefore, they need to focus more on the right measures, which will, otherwise, enable them to attain the best lives after that. Much of their actions need to be based on the idea of being morally upright. They also need to think much about what God would think regarding the actions which they engage in. Therefore, the need to act in a virtuous manner is not an option for them (Wakankar, 2018). Instead, they need to concentrate more on the specific actions which they undertake. The strategy will, therefore, enable them to be highly outstanding in terms of improving the interactions which they usually have with one another. Therefore, they can be more encouraging to others in a bid to enhance their ability to change their lives and be outstanding in the various activities they usually engage in. However, as for Nihilists, they do not feel that there is no meaning to human history, and no objectivity could be associated with their existence (Losurdo, 2019).
Conclusion
As shown in the comparison between Christians and Nihilists, there are varying views regarding the perceptions they hold regarding morality and life. For instance, Christians have a firm belief in God and believe that morality is an integral part of life. However, as for Nihilists, they do not believe in human existence and do not believe that morality exists. They also do not believe that human beings are important. Therefore, they hold that much consideration should not be put on them.
References
Clark, M. (2019). Nietzsche’s Nihilism. The Monist, 102(3), 369-385.
Kobyliński, A. (2016). Ethics And Nihilism In The Philosophy Of Weak Thought Of Gianni Vattimo. Seminare. Poszukiwania Naukowe, 37(4), 55-67.
Losurdo, D. (2019). The Long Cycle of Revolution and the Curse of Nihilism. In Nietzsche, the Aristocratic Rebel (pp. 491-519). Brill.
McDonald, R. (2019). Nietzsche’s Crossings: Nihilism, Tragedy, Christianity. In The Transformations of Tragedy (pp. 159-175). Brill.
Wakankar, M. (2018). The Crisis in Religion: Christianity and Conversion in the Marathi Nineteenth Century. South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies, 41(2), 468-482.