- Published: September 25, 2022
- Updated: September 25, 2022
- Level: Undergraduate
- Language: English
- Downloads: 11
The Sickness Unto Death” Kierkegaard refers the “ Sickness Unto Death” to be “ Despair” that can be overcome by improving your spiritual self. According to the Bible, Lazarus was raised from the dead by Christ, clearly stating that there is no death to the soul though the physical being may end. Christians differ with others in one aspect of believing that sickness, sorrow, torments, mental sufferings etc. are temporary obstacles on the way to eternity. They consider fear of spiritual death as the real “ Sickness Unto Death”.
Despair is the Sickness Unto Death
Human beings possess a physical and spiritual form relating themselves (body) to their own self (spirit) or constituted by another. There is a complex relation between the both. We live in a materialistic world but still possess a spiritual self. Despair in human beings are of two forms, willing to be one it is not or doesn’t wish to be one it is. Kierkegaard states that human beings who are immensely involved with the spiritual beliefs are the most affected with despair, hence they themselves are held responsible for pain and sufferings attained due to despair, as it is something faced internally by individuals. Despair brings about frustration and pain making it tough to be overcome. Providing a simple example of a girl who lost her lover Kierkegaard states that she has to overcome with the loss and lead her life on her own similarly Christians need to understand that physical death is un-avoidable and rather overcome their despair with
mere belief in Christ who can lead their path to eternity.
Universality of Sickness (Despair)
Kierkegaard relates the Christianity and despair to state, that despair is universal in nature. People say that they are not in despair but they are unaware of being in despair except for a true Christian. Any personal illness can be cured by prescribing certain medication but despair can only be overcome by mere belief in “ God”, the only way to reduce the psychological problems and gain eternity.
The Forms of this Sickness (Despair)
Human self is composed of various components like finite and infiniteness, possibility/necessity, consciousness/lack of consciousness relating itself to itself. The willingness to become itself and overcome despair can only be possible by becoming concrete that is by establishing a relation between these elements. Kierkegaard explains the forms that strike the imbalance of self components:
(A) Despair Regardless of Consciousness:
Despair based on the elements of Finitude/ Infinitude and Possibility/ Necessity: Despair due to infinitude, which is when an individual focuses on fantasies and forgetting his own self. Despair due to finitude, which is to just exist as any other person in the society. Life may seem to be comfortable lacking fantasies but he loses his own self involving himself in the earthly matters. Possibility makes people to become something which might never reach a point where he has become something rather than being oneself. Problems or concerns of people might make everything seem necessary and leave the mere thought of possibility.
(B) Despair Viewed Under Consciousness:
(a) Despair which is unconscious: The most common form of despair is ignorant despair which means unknown of being in despair. People who possess this despair tend to defend themselves when we let them understand their despair. Non-Christians and those unaware or unconcerned of spiritual matters are mostly affected with this despair. (b) Despair which is conscious: It is the despair that a person is aware of and is in two forms: (I) weakness (II) Defiance. It differs by the aspect of awareness by people that they are in despair and understanding the real meaning of despair. Despair in weakness is influenced mainly by the events or situations occurred in their lives which make them feel they are not their own self, while some people though have the knowledge about the spiritual matters but resist to pursue making them unwilling to be their own self. Defiance is the despair of individual wishing to be destined on their own. This form of despair is demoniac which despairingly wills to be itself.
References:
http://www. religion-online. org/showbook. asp? title= 2067
http://sorenkierkegaard. org/kw19. htm