“The first thing to be clear about here is what should be an obvious fact: Nietzsche did not say “God is dead” – just like Shakespeare did not say “To be, or not to be,” but instead merely put them in the mouth of Hamlet, a character he created. Yes, Nietzsche certainly wrote the words “God is dead,” but he also just as certainly put them in the mouth of a character – a madman, no less.” Austin Cline

I find it very interesting that lazy men, void of any resemblance of truth, should quote a madman as if his words carried any weight of authority. The thinking behind the use of that line “God is dead.”; is true if you rephrase it like this.

Exodus 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

Psalm 97:7 Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods.

Man makes gods, little g, of many things, dead things. In them there is no life and they can do nothing for you. Their promises are constructed in the imaginations of lustful desires, created by man. In this sense gods are dead.

That is not what Nietzsche meant nor is it the intent of those who misquote his designed intent.

1 Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

Apostacy, a falling away from faith, by the church, in creating images rather than serving God, is the warning Nietzsche was making thru the madman. This is what the unbelievers see in churches who have demonstrated apostacy, a dead church, void of life.