Men are not on such intimate terms with the sublime that they really can believe in it Soren Kierkegaard More Quotes by Soren Kierkegaard More Quotes From Soren Kierkegaard Love is the expression of the one who loves, not of the one who is loved. Those who think they can love only the people they prefer do not love at all. Love discovers truths about individuals that others cannot see Soren Kierkegaard truthlovethinking Which is more difficult, to awaken one who sleeps or to awaken one who, awake, dreams that he is awake? Soren Kierkegaard difficultdreamsleep We live as if we were unaware of our impending destruction Soren Kierkegaard destructionifs Never cease loving a person, and never give up hope for him, for even the prodigal son who had fallen most low, could still be saved; the bitterest enemy and also he who was your friend could again be your friend; love that has grown cold can kindle. Soren Kierkegaard falling-in-lovegiving-uphope However much one generation learns from another, it can never learn from its predecessor the genuinely human factor. In this respect every generation begins afresh. Thus no generation has learned from another how to love, no generation can begin other than at the beginning. Soren Kierkegaard how-to-lovegenerationshumans Let others mock at you, oppose you, when you are under the influence of any passion; do not be in the least offended with those who mock at or oppose you, for they do you good; crucify your self-love and acknowledge the wrong, the error of your heart. But have the deepest pity for those who mock at words and works of faith and piety, of righteousness; for those who oppose the good which you are doing... God preserve you - getting exasperated at them. Soren Kierkegaard passionchristianheart Take a book, the poorest one written, but read it with the passion that it is the only book you will read. Ultimately, you will read everything out of it, that is, as much as there was in yourself, and you could never get more out of reading, even if you read the best of books. Soren Kierkegaard passionreadingbook Philosophy is perfectly right in saying that life must be understood backward. But then one forgets the other clause - that it must be lived forward. The more one thinks through this clause, the more one concludes that life in temporality never becomes properly understandable, simply because never at any time does one get perfect repose to take the stance - backward. Soren Kierkegaard philosophylifethinking ...a human being not only can choose but... he must choose... for in this way God retains His honor while at the same time has a fatherly concern for humankind. Though God has lowered Himself to being that which can be chosen, yet each person must on his part choose. God is not mocked. Therefore the matter stands thus: If a person avoids choosing, this is the same as the presumption of choosing the world. Soren Kierkegaard honorchristianworld People commonly travel the world over to see rivers and mountains, new stars, garish birds, freak fish, grotesque breeds of human; they fall into an animal stupor that gapes at existence and they think they have seen something. Soren Kierkegaard starstravelfall As my prayer became more attentive and inward, I had less and less to say. I finally became completely silent... This is how it is. To pray does not mean to listen to oneself speaking. Prayer involves becoming silent, and being silent, and waiting until God is heard. Soren Kierkegaard prayerwaitingmean To defend something is always to discredit it. Let a man have a warehouse full of gold, let him be willing to give away a ducat to every one of the poor - but let him also be stupid enough to begin this charitable undertaking of his with a defense in which he offers three good reasons in justification; and it will almost come to the point of people finding it doubtful whether indeed he is doing something good. But now for Christianity. Yes, the person who defends that has never believed in it. Soren Kierkegaard stupidgivingmen Future is everything that past has forgotten. Soren Kierkegaard forgottenpast The truth must essentially be regarded as in conflict with this world; the world has never been so good, and will never become so good that the majority will desire the truth. Soren Kierkegaard majoritytruthdesire Knowledge of the truth I may perhaps have attained to; happiness certainly not. What shall I do? Accomplish something in the world, men tell me. Shall I then publish my grief to the world, contribute one more proof for the wretchedness and misery of existence, perhaps discover a new flaw in human life, hitherto unnoticed? I might then reap the rare reward of becoming famous, like the man who discovered the spots on Jupiter. I prefer, however, to keep silent. Soren Kierkegaard griefmenknowledge For love is exultant when it unites equals, but it is triumphant when it makes that which was unequal equal in love. Soren Kierkegaard triumphantequallove-is When you say 'Yes' or promise something, you can very easily deceive yourself and others also, as if you had already done what you promised. It is easy to think that by making a promise you have at least done part of what you promised to do, as if the promise itself were something of value. Not at all! In fact, when you do not do what you promise, it is a long way back to the truth. Soren Kierkegaard christianlongthinking Life has its own hidden forces which you can only discover by living. Soren Kierkegaard life-lessonforcelife Since my earliest childhood a barb of sorrow has lodged in my heart. As long as it stays I am ironic - if it is pulled out I shall die. Soren Kierkegaard childhoodheartlong Above all, do not lose your desire to walk. Soren Kierkegaard entrepreneurhikingdesire
