The Presence of Christianity in American Law

The Presence of Christianity in American Law

In his Genealogy of Morals, Friedrich Nietzsche presented his theory on the ascetic priest and how Christianity used the concept of original sin to give man meaning for his suffering. Christianity also gave people a way of channeling their resentment and breaking down socioeconomic barriers under the protection of God. With Christianity came altruism and compelled charity, but moreover, the formation of the congregation where the masses participated in an overwhelming act of self-deception (according to Nietzsche). In the American democracy, socioeconomic barriers are surpassed under the court of law, but this court is supposedly unattached from religion. Nonetheless, the influence of Christianity on American law and morality is such that one can call the U.S. democracy a secularized church (i.e. has the same behavior and structure as a church but without the imposed religiousness). An analysis of the comparison between the Christianity Nietzsche so adamantly criticized and the modern American society reveals that a secularized church as such can thrive and prosper despite its “weaknesses” due to the Christian origin.

In Human, All-Too-Human, Nietzsche wrote, “Christianity came into existence in order to lighten the heart; but now it has first to burden the heart so as afterwards to be able to lighten it”. He criticized Christianity because it promoted suffering and belittled the value of earthly life. Not only were Christians expected to accept suffering as the means to salvation (“Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin” (1 Peter 4:1)), but the Christian God accepted pain and allowed it to occur. Nietzsche saw this approach to “life” as a means of self-deception, since one is upholding a divine being who is responsible for this pain (and who may well not even exist) and one is disguising pain as happiness: “Rejoice that you participate in the suffering of Christ” (1 Peter 4:13). To him, Christianity was a “dangerous narcotic” (Genealogy of Morals, 3rd Essay, Section 17).

With the formation of the Christian congregation, a community formed (which was, according to Nietzsche, implemented by the ascetic priest) that taught social equality.