Bonhoeffer's Essay: The Pursuit Of Happiness
I assumed that the pursuit of happiness was goal everyone aimed at. It wasn’t till I read Bonhoeffer’s theology that I realized that some people are in the pursuit of unhappiness. In an excerpt from an unpublished novel that he wrote in prison, Bonhoeffer states the complexity of happiness and unhappiness. "Take care not to speak lightly of happiness and not to flirt with unhappiness!…It is not so easy to be unhappy, and may he who truly is not despise and revile him who is happy. Why would you take unhappiness upon yourselves if not to make others happy! Unhappiness comes of its own accord, or rather it comes from God…”(Bonhoeffer, 166) In Bonhoeffer’s theology the only reason anyone should be in the pursuit of unhappiness is to to bring
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Resisters such as “Count Helmuth James von Moltke held the view ‘that belief in God is not essential.’” (Unknown, 170) Once Moltke saw the evils of the Hitler regime he realized the importance of a belief in God. He later wrote ‘today I know I was wrong, completely and utterly wrong. . . The degree of risk and sacrifice demanded of us today presupposes more than just sound ethical principles . . .” (Unknown, 170) He realized that the Nazi regime wanted “control of the human being to the depths of his very soul” and demanded “the whole human being.” (Unknown, 170) It was with the same sense of religious belief that Count Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg came to the realization of the evil of the Hitler regime. Stauffenberg tells his advisors "We have examined ourselves before God and our conscience. It must be done because this man is evil personified." (Stauffenberg, 195) Stauffenberg, much like Moltke and Bonhoeffer did not realize the evil of the Hitler and the Nazi regime until it was too late. Stauffenberg did not only had a spiritual conflict but he also had a moral conflict. He had to decide what was best for his country. The death of Hitler in the end was necessary. In the end all of these men made decisions to resist the evils of Hitler and the Nazi
Resisters such as “Count Helmuth James von Moltke held the view ‘that belief in God is not essential.’” (Unknown, 170) Once Moltke saw the evils of the Hitler regime he realized the importance of a belief in God. He later wrote ‘today I know I was wrong, completely and utterly wrong. . . The degree of risk and sacrifice demanded of us today presupposes more than just sound ethical principles . . .” (Unknown, 170) He realized that the Nazi regime wanted “control of the human being to the depths of his very soul” and demanded “the whole human being.” (Unknown, 170) It was with the same sense of religious belief that Count Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg came to the realization of the evil of the Hitler regime. Stauffenberg tells his advisors "We have examined ourselves before God and our conscience. It must be done because this man is evil personified." (Stauffenberg, 195) Stauffenberg, much like Moltke and Bonhoeffer did not realize the evil of the Hitler and the Nazi regime until it was too late. Stauffenberg did not only had a spiritual conflict but he also had a moral conflict. He had to decide what was best for his country. The death of Hitler in the end was necessary. In the end all of these men made decisions to resist the evils of Hitler and the Nazi