Heine – One of Nietzsche’s Favorite Writers – on the Death of God

” A peculiar chill of horror, a mysterious sense of awe forbids us to write
any further today. Our breast is full of a dreadful pity—old Jehovah
himself is preparing for death. We have known him so well, from his cradle
onwards, back in Egypt where he was brought up amongst divine calves,
crocodiles, sacred onions, ibises, and cats.–We have seen him, as he bade farewell
to these playthings of his childhood and the obelisks and sphinxes of his native
Nile valley, became a little god-king in Palestine, with a poor nation of shepherds,
and settled down in his own temple-palace. We saw him later on, when he came into
contact with Assyrian-Babylonian civilization, and laid aside his all-too-human
passions, no longer just spewing out rage and revenge, or at least no longer
instantly hurling thunderbolts down at every bit of despicable behavior. –We saw
him emigrate to Rome, the imperial city, where he renounced all national prejudices
and proclaimed the heavenly equality of all peoples, and with the use of such smooth
phrases formed the opposition party against old Jupiter, and intrigued for so long
until he took complete control, and from atop the Capitol ruled the city and the
world, urbem et orbem. –We saw how he became more and more spiritualized,
how softly and blissfully he whimpered, how be became an amiable Father, a
generic Friend to Man, a Contributor to World Happiness, a Philanthropist—but
none of it could save him.–
Can’t you hear those little bells tinkling? Down on your knees.–They’re bringing
the sacraments to a dying God.”

–Heinrich Heine, On the History of Religion and Philosophy in Germany (1834-5)