will,” and “a moral order of the universe” are _lies._ Seriousness, the profound self-conquest of the spirit no longer allows anyone to be _ignorant_ about this.... All the concepts of the Church have been revealed in their true colours—that is to say, as the most vicious frauds on earth, calculated to _depreciate_ nature and all natural values. The priest himself has been recognised as what he is—that is to say, as the most dangerous kind of parasite, as the actual venomous spider of existence.... At present we know, our _conscience_ knows, the real value of the gruesome inventions which the priests and the Church have made, _and what end they served._ By means of them that state of self-profanation on the part of man has been attained, the sight of which makes one heave. The concepts “Beyond,” “Last Judgment,” “Immortality of the Soul,” the “soul” itself, are merely so many instruments of torture, so many systems of cruelty, on the strength of which the priest became and remained master.... Everybody knows this, _and nevertheless everything remains as it was._ Whither has the last shred of decency, of self-respect gone, if nowadays even our statesmen—a body of men who are otherwise so unembarrassed, and such thorough anti-Christians in deed—still declare themselves Christians and still flock to communion?[5].... Fancy a prince at the head of his legions, magnificent as the expression of the egoism and self-exaltation of his people,—but _shameless_ enough to acknowledge himself a Christian!... What then does Christianity deny? What does it call “world”? “The world” to Christianity means that a man is a soldier, a judge, a patriot, that he defends himself, that he values his honour, that he desires his own advantage, that he is _proud._ ... The conduct of every moment, every instinct, every valuation that leads to a deed, is at present anti-Christian: what an _abortion of falsehood_ modern man must be, in order to be able _without a blush_ still to call himself a Christian!—— 39