--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To despair over one's sins indicates that…" description: "\"To despair over one's sins indicates that sin has become or wants to be internally consistent. It wants nothing to do with the good, does not want to b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/753/soren-kierkegaard-578_consistent_to-despair-over-one-s-sins-indicates-tha_1083528.jpg" --- # To despair over one's sins indicates that sin has become… ![“To despair over one's sins indicates that sin has become or wants to be internally consistent. It wants nothing to do with the good, does not want to be so weak as to listen occasionally to other talk. No, it insists on listening only to itself, on having dealings only with itself; it closes…” quote by Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/753/soren-kierkegaard-578_consistent_to-despair-over-one-s-sins-indicates-tha_1083528.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/753/soren-kierkegaard-578_consistent_to-despair-over-one-s-sins-indicates-tha_1083528.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/753/soren-kierkegaard-578_consistent_to-despair-over-one-s-sins-indicates-tha_1083528.jpg) > “To despair over one's sins indicates that sin has become or wants to be internally consistent. It wants nothing to do with the good, does not want to be so weak as to listen occasionally to other talk. No, it insists on listening only to itself, on having dealings only with itself; it closes itself up within itself, indeed, locks itself inside one more inclosure, and protects itself against every attack or pursuit by the good by despairing over sin.” [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Despair over sin shows it isolates itself, rejecting goodness and only hearing its own voice, creating a self‑imposed prison. **In simple terms:** Sin leads to self‑isolation and denial of good. Key Takeaway Recognize and break the cycle of self‑destructive isolation. Themes despair self‑isolation morality spirituality Mood reflective somber Type philosophical existential When to use this quote - personal reflection - spiritual counseling - ethical decision‑making Key Concepts Existentialism self‑deception inner conflict Questions to Reflect On - How does self‑isolation affect your moral choices? - Can confronting despair lead to growth? A Different Perspective Despair may also be a catalyst for confronting deeper truths. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Consistent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consistent/) [Dealings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dealings/) [Despair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) [Despair Sins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair-sins-2764584/) [Despairing Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despairing-sin-2764583/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Indicates Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indicates-sin-2764585/) [Listening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/listening/) [Locks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/locks/) [Protect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protect/) [Pursuit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) [Sins Indicates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sins-indicates-2764586/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Weak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weak/) ## Related quotes > [Be kindly and just in your dealings with your men. 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My movements become different, my mood is different. It involves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-lanting/my-wife-says-that-i-become-different-once-i-start-to-work-with/) [Frans Lanting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-lanting/) ## More by Soren Kierkegaard > [Christianity does not oppose debauchery and uncontrollable passions and the like as much as it opposes... flat mediocrity, this nauseating atmosphere, this homey, civil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/christianity-does-not-oppose-debauchery-and-uncontrollable-passions/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [Christians remind me of schoolboys who want to look up the answers to their math problems in the back of the book rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/christians-remind-me-of-schoolboys-who-want-to-look-up-the-answers-to/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [People commonly travel the world over to see rivers and mountains, new stars, garish birds, freak fish, grotesque breeds of human; they fall into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/people-commonly-travel-the-world-over-to-see-rivers-and-mountains-new/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [“A strange thing happened to me in my dream. 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But suffering directs a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/a-man-may-perform-astonishing-feats-and-comprehend-a-vast-amount-of/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [Be that self which one truly is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/be-that-self-which-one-truly-is/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [I go fishing for a thousand monsters in the depths of my own self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/i-go-fishing-for-a-thousand-monsters-in-the-depths-of-my-own-self/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [In addition to my other numerous acquaintances, I have one more intimate confidant… My depression is the most faithful mistress I have known —…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/in-addition-to-my-other-numerous-acquaintances-i-have-one-more/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [The greatest danger to Christianity is, I contend, not heresies, not heterodoxies, not atheists, not profane secularism - no, but the kind of orthodoxy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/the-greatest-danger-to-christianity-is-i-contend-not-heresies-not/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [Future is everything that past has forgotten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/future-is-everything-that-past-has-forgotten/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [Without risk, faith is an impossibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/without-risk-faith-is-an-impossibility/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [I have only one confidant, and that is the silence of night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/i-have-only-one-confidant-and-that-is-the-silence-of-night/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [A road well begun is the battle half won. The important thing is to make a beginning and get under way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/a-road-well-begun-is-the-battle-half-won-the-important-thing-is-to/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [I have, I believe, the courage to doubt everything; I have, I believe, the courage to fight against everything; but I do not have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/i-have-i-believe-the-courage-to-doubt-everything-i-have-i-believe-the/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) [Explore all 462 Soren Kierkegaard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) ## More Consistent quotes > [The most important thing is consistent football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/callum-hudson-odoi/the-most-important-thing-is-consistent-football/) [Callum Hudson-Odoi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/callum-hudson-odoi/) > [I believe that simple, consistent shifts in our thinking and actions can lead to the miraculous in all aspects of our daily lives, including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-bernstein/i-believe-that-simple-consistent-shifts-in-our-thinking-and-actions/) [Gabrielle Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-bernstein/) > [Humor is consistent with pathos, whilst wit is not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/humor-is-consistent-with-pathos-whilst-wit-is-not/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [If I do the same thing consistently, no matter how I feel, I'm probably going to produce a consistent result.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-seager/if-i-do-the-same-thing-consistently-no-matter-how-i-feel-i-m-probably/) [Corey Seager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-seager/) > [Staying consistent is even more important in three-out-of-five-set matches, to be able to wear on guys over that long of a match, if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shelton/staying-consistent-is-even-more-important-in-three-out-of-five-set/) [Ben Shelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shelton/) > [If all areas of my game are pretty consistent, that's all I hope for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-larson/if-all-areas-of-my-game-are-pretty-consistent-that-s-all-i-hope-for/) [Jordan Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-larson/) > [Every genuine expression of love grows out of a consistent and total surrender to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/every-genuine-expression-of-love-grows-out-of-a-consistent-and-total/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I want to be the best, it's not about the ranking, it's about being consistent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saina-nehwal/i-want-to-be-the-best-it-s-not-about-the-ranking-it-s-about-being/) [Saina Nehwal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saina-nehwal/) > [The one thing that seems to be consistent through all my work that I like, and I experimented a lot, is the viewer is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-misrach/the-one-thing-that-seems-to-be-consistent-through-all-my-work-that-i/) [Richard Misrach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-misrach/) > [Consistent style prevents presentation from getting in the way of content.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/consistent-style-prevents-presentation-from-getting-in-the-way-of/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [I reject the idea there are just two sides. 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