Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) was a German atheist philosopher whose work set a foundation the existentialist movement of the 1900's.[1] Nietzsche was critical of religion in general, though especially Christianity, which he described as the "religion of pity."[2] Nietzsche is famous for his statement that “God is dead.” Nietzsche criticized Western democracy, preferring instead rule by elitist groups who could become almost superhuman through effort and courage. Nietzsche suffered a mental collapse (probably brought on by syphilis) in 1889, and spent the last ten years of his life unable to care for himself.
Nietzsche's father Carl Ludwig Nietzsche, was a Lutheran pastor.
In his first Papal Encyclical, "Deus Caritas Est" (God is Charity/Love) Pope Benedict XVI quotes from Nietzche's Beyond Good and Evil, taking very seriously Nietzsche's claim that the Church has poisoned eros (love) with dogma, and responding to it.