2
Over the last couple of years, I have often been asked whether I am religious or spiritual. As a Christian I have always been proud to answer spiritual instead of religious. Since I have had
the opportunity to contemplate the meaning behind Friedrich Nietzsche’s statement, “God is dead. God remains dead and we have killed him”, I find myself reevaluating my definition of spirituality and how it connects to existential therapeutic frameworks. When Nietzsche made the statement, “God is dead. God remains dead and we have killed
him” he did not mean them to be taken literally. What he meant was that “the belief in the Christian God has become unbelievable” (Maden, 2022). Humanity was “created in the image of God...to be in relationship with God” and as we have abandoned that relationship in favor of science and popular opinions (Holland & Diffy, 2022). I admit that when I first read the quote, I was offended. God could never be dead in my life. I was wrong. I am who he was speaking of.
When asked why I consider myself spiritual and not religious I always say it is because I am more focused on my relationship with God and not all the rituals, rules and traditions associated with religion. For me spirituality was all about establishing and maintaining an intimate relationship with God. I did not need a pastor or a church to tell me how to do that either. This week I have learned just how far away from that I have been. I do not have an intimate relationship with God and that is why I am able to relate so much to the hypothetical client in discussion post two for this week. I have been searching and trying to find purpose and meaning in my life by going to therapy, journaling, returning to school to obtain my degree and nothing has provided me with the answers. I have not even considered going to GOD with my concerns and struggles.
