Summary:
Frederick Nietzsche's famous "God is dead" remark in "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" is based on his idea that the existence of God depends upon the people's belief in Him.
The concept of religion is continually discussed by Zarathustra, but not with the regular ardor that religious speeches are given. Instead Zarathustra presents the listener with a logical connection to God, he says that God comes from the people. Nietzsche presents the concept of "god is dead" earlier in Thus Spoke Zarathustra, which deals with the same concept as the quote cited. Zarathustra warranted that God was dead by saying the existence of God depended on the people's belief in him. In the quote from "on the famous wise men", Zarathustra proclaims that the "wise men" who preach the word of God should be discredited and not respected. He explains this by utilizing his earlier conclusion that God exist because the people make him so and stating therefore that all these wise men do is look at the desires of the people and create those desires to be the will of God. The people, being naïve and desirous, praise these "wise men" because they preach what they want to hear.
This point is also the focal point of Zarathustra's chapter "on the famous wise men." He compares the famous wise men to the camels who are burdened down by society and also speaks of the desert that could be said to be society. In stead of being like the lion and breaking the bounds of society, the wise men and their followers bask in the pleasures of the oasis instead of venturing beyond the desert. A greater thirst for knowledge does not drive them, instead they are content with "truths" that are pleasing to them. In order to maintain this contentment and serve the "needs" of the people, these wise men do not preach the truth at all, but rather the things the people want to hear.
In contemporary society there is a part of society that accepts Nietzsche's perspective and others that actively fight to resist it. There are even commercials on the local radio station that try to refute Nietzsche in order to promote the "teachings of God." The provide no warrants as to why Nietzsche is incorrect, but instead only tell of the good the Lord can do for someone who belongs to the church. They argue that the Lord is not dead because of the good actions taking place all around the world. In this example, just as Zarathustra had spoke of, the "wise men" are appealing to the desires of the people while undermining certain truths.
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