"god is dead" does not mean that nietzsche believed in an actual "god" who had died literally. nietzsche is also not saying that atheists are right. instead, the phrase means that everything built on christianity will fall apart because "the belief in the christian god has become unbelievable". this becomes a deep sadness because it includes all european morality as well. for nietzsche, the destruction of christian morality is something to celebrate. it is also something to confidently replace with a non-christian morality. "god is dead" is an attack on anyone who thinks that a non-christian morality can support the morals that people take for granted. many philosophers still think this way and nietzsche says they are wrong. he says it is impossible to have a christian or pseudo-christian morality without the belief in god. this was a problem he had with many modern sceptics.