Mourning day remembering the crucifixion of Jesus. In the second year of pandemic. COVID-19 is far from over. We are at a crossroads, some argue. Their path will take us to a better world, they argue.  The so-called free world is facing a critical decision: Are civil rights and freedom negotiable or not? High time to reread Karl Popper and to consult the Bible. Christianity is characterized by the fact that it recognizes every person as a individual with an inalienable dignity. This results in basic rights that are the right to defend against external interference in one’s own way of life. The state is a constitutional state that protects these rights; he does not steer society, but gives people free rein to shape their social relationships and civil freedom. 

According to Popper, the intellectual enemies of the free society are those who claim to have knowledge of a common good; on the basis of this knowledge they claim to be able to steer society with regard to the good. Knowledge entitles them to disregard fundamental rights; because it is about the greater goal of human existence, collective good, solidarity and equality – the paradise on earth. They say.

Enemies of democracy and religion have been exposed by their mass murders which in the twentieth century proved inevitable on the way to the realization of the supposedly good. Are such political consequences forgotten?

Friedrich Nietzsche is notable for having declared that God is dead.  “Where has God gone?” he cried. “I shall tell you. We have killed him – you and I. We are his murderers. … God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. How shall we, murderers of all murderers, console ourselves? … Must we not ourselves become gods simply to be worthy of it? There has never been a greater deed; and whosoever shall be born after us – for the sake of this deed he shall be part of a higher history than all history hitherto.“

Today’s wannabe gods argue exactly like those Popper criticizes: Certain values are absolute, such as health protection or climate protection. An alliance of so-called experts and politicians claims to have the knowledge of how to control cultural, religious, social, and individual life in order to safeguard these collective values. Again it is about a higher social good – protection, the planet, future generations – behind which individual human dignity and basic rights lose their validity.

God remains not dead, Friedrich Nietzsche .

Friedrich Nietzsche continued: Here the madman fell silent and again regarded his listeners; and they too were silent and stared at him in astonishment. It has been further related that on that same day the madman entered divers churches and there sang a requiem. Led out and quietened, he is said to have retorted each time: “what are these churches now if they are not the tombs and sepulchres of God?”

The word “church” derived from the Greek word “ekklesia” which simply means: people assembled. furthermore “the Lord’s Assembly” or, all those who have been called out by God and joined together (assembled) in His family; the body of Christ.

So. What do we say? What does the deep church say?