In Twilight of the Idols Friedrich Nietzsche argues that "The same means in the fight against a craving--castration, extirpation--is instinctively chosen by those who are too weak-willed, too degenerate, to be able to impose moderation on themselves." Essentially, Nietzsche says that those people who have strong passions and who cannot control them ultimately try to "castrate," or remove, that craving from themselves altogether. These people are what Nietzsche would call decadent degenerates; for Nietzsche, decadence and degeneracy means fighting useless, pointless, fruitless fights; basically, if you have enough time to fight against your instinctual cravings rather than doing something beneficial in society, then you are a degenerate. Moreover, the fact that you even try to fight against your instincts even though they will win in the end is another sign of your decadence.
Exhibit A: John Smid
John Smid is the former executive director of Love in Action (LIA). For those of you who do not know, the LIA was formed in 1973, the same year the American Psychological Association removed homosexuality from their list of mental diseases, and their goal is to show that homosexuality is a sin/disease and to eradicate (castrate) homosexuality from the world. Taking Nietzsche's words into consideration, it will be no surprise that exactly a month ago today (October 11) their former executive director, John Smid, came out as a homosexual man who now rejects the belief that homosexuality is a disease/sin and who also rejects the idea that homosexuality and religion are mutually exclusive. Nietzsche would call Smid a decadent degenerate not because of his gay lifestyle but because he fought a fight against the person he naturally is for many years when he could have just accepted himself and spent his time being a constructive member of society. Nietzsche would probably be happy that he finally accepted himself rather than living his entire life as a degenerate, like Socrates did. The Hammer Still Speaks!!!
Read the full story: Former Ex-Gay Ministry Leader Comes Out, Recants Previous Teachings
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