Dr. Viktor E. Frankl

 Dr. Viktor E. Frankl

 

“He who has a why to live for, can bear almost any how.” – Viktor E. Frankl

One of the mentally strongest men of history. This individual was wronged multiple times by a society that felt the need to embrace national socialism and fascism and yet continued to survive and thrive. Amidst all the odds of life, Dr. Frankl was able to muster the strength to resist any or all of the insults, injuries, hatred, and group think that was set against him. His story should be a great example of the perils of following the group for the sake of following the group and the importance of individual will to liberty, self-determination, and a firm belief in GOD.

 

“Decisions, not conditions, determine what a man is.” – Viktor E. Frankl

 

Viktor E. Frankl was taken by the German Nazi soldiers who embraced nationalist socialism. They worked together to ascribe all their ills on a common enemy. This illogical hatred was used as fuel to continue the assault on individuals that did not share the Nazi beliefs or their appearance or bloodline. Yet, no one rose up and spoke out against the onslaught of precious human life. There was rarely any dissidents because they would feel the fury of the evil empire. So great was the fear of people of Germany that even prominent English politicians feared from afar. They would have rather capitulated to the growing strength of the hateful yoke than speak against it. Only a sane English individual by the name of Winston Spencer Churchill believed on the need to defend life from death and to show strength where weakness abounded.

 

“Life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by the lack of meaning and purpose.” Viktor E. Frankl

 

Through the organization of oratory and lies, did the empire gain strength. Attacking and destroying human life that they deemed different from themselves. Jewish individuals were taken into captivity and destroyed in a show of force that can only be described as unrestricted hatred and a dedication to the eradication of human life. While these changes occurred, few individuals dared to challenge the authority that was demonstrating unrestrained destruction. Qeue Viktor E. Frankl. The individual who demonstrated in his recollections, “Man’s Search For Meaning,” just how vicious and cruel ideologies can be. While suffering from the unfair captivity of Nazis, Viktor E. Frankl was able to take all the abuse, all the suffering that he was witnessing, and demonstrate a stoic nature so few could muster under those circumstances. Rather than lose his will to live as many did in the concentration camps, Frankl must have thought, “He that has a why can bear any how.” He continued regardless of the circumstances and regardless of everything that he had endured.

 

“Life is not primarily a quest for pleasure, as Freud believed, or a quest for power, as Alfred Adler taught, but a quest for meaning. The greatest task for any person is to find meaning in his or her own life.” Viktor E. Frankl

 

Although he was publically ridiculed and beaten, he continued showing that he was in control of his own destiny. Even in the worst circumstances he demonstrated that no one was to take the sovereignty that he was endowed with. He alone defied the order that he was living in from within. Even after being accused and whose life was changed drastically, he continued on as if nothing changed. He placed himself in a mentality where he was able to withstand any insult, any hurt, any problem, because he was more than the circumstances. He was more than his enemies. He was much more than all of these combined. His book gives so much hope to humanity as a whole. Yet, his living example of strength and high courage shows us what it means to have peace of mind and character even in the midst of a world that wants to embrace cruelty and hatred.

Viktor E. Frankl's Book, Man's Search For Meaning, Describes the Importance of Positivity, Gratitude, Meaning, and Purpose

After Viktor E. Frankl had gone through the difficulties of racism due to nazi socialism, his book, Man's Search For Meaning, describes the importance of finding meaning and persevering having a purpose. Frankl's book describes the importance of having meaning and purpose in this life so that there is no meaninglessness and purposelessness. Even after going through hate and envy, Viktor E. Frankl was able to practice psychiatry and instruct on the importance of keeping a positive outlook in life. Viktor E. Frankl kept learning and did not let the envy and hate of socialist nazism lead him to hate. Viktor E. Frankl kept learning throughout his life being able to keep practicing Psychiatry and was able to receive a Doctorate in Philosophy. We learn that he wrote many books on Logotherapy and that Positive Psychology is derived from Viktor E. Frankl's writings. In 1983, he was able to go to West Germany to give a symposium about Positive Psychology and the need to have meaning and purpose in one's own life. 

Viktor E. Frankl describes in his book the manner that nihilism attempts to lead individuals to a state of emptiness were there is no meaning and purpose. This abscence of meaning and purpose leads to negative emotions, neuroticism, and difficulties. We learn that the Sacred Scriptures remind us of the importance of having meaning and purpose in the worship of GOD Almighty. This prevents us from having negative emotions describing frustrations, fear, bitterness, resentment, anger, and envy. Positive Psychology describes the need to keep being positive and having gratitude that acknowledges the importance of meaning and purpose. Viktor E. Frankl described that individuals can have meaning and purpose by being creative in their own work, having filial love, and acknowledging that even obstacles and circumstances can be used to find meaning and purpose. This describes the manner that we can not allow negative emotions, false philosophies, and the practice of sin lead to meaninglessness and faithlessness. We are able to find happiness and goodness when we decide to persevere with righteousness in the worship of GOD Almighty. Viktor E. Frankl is able to help us understand the manner that we can keep faith and courage because there is meaning and purpose.

Criticism of Freud's Psychotherapy That Concerns the Pleasure Principle

“Logotherapy, indeed, is a meaning-centered psychotherapy. At the same time, logotherapy defocuses all the vicious-circle formations and feedback mechanisms which play such a great role in the development of neuroses. Thus, the typical self-centeredness of the neurotic is broken up instead of being continually fostered and reinforced.”- (page 120)

Viktor E. Frankl described that logotherapy and finding meaning and purpose in one's life is able to remove neuroticism, egoism, and even psychiatric difficulties and obsessive compulsions (i.e. excessive frequent hand washing due to germ phobia, getting rid of negative thoughts.) Instead of reinforcing the feedback mechanisms and neuroticism, logotherapy frees the individual from negative obsessions. Logotherapy helps individuals by focusing less on introspection and retrospection and more about discovering meaning and purpose in our day to day lives so that we persevere with responsibility, motivation, meaning and purpose in our future. We learn that Sigmund Freud attempted to get his patients to speak about their past and focus the psychotherapy on subjectivity and introspection rather than finding objectivity, meaning, and purpose. This leads to a subjective point of view instead of an objective perspective. This can lead to egoism, self-centeredness, and also neuroticism because instead of going to the heart of the matter describing the need to remove neuroticism and arrogance by having humility and objectivity, the patient reinforces neurotic feedback mechanisms. We learn that Viktor E. Frankl describes that logotherapy is more about looking forward to the future and choosing to have responsibility, discipline, meaning, and purpose in our lives.

“Man's search for meaning is the primary motivation in his life and not a “secondary realization” of instinctual drives.”- (page 121)

This understanding allows us to persevere despite times, obstacles, or persecution because having meaning and purpose allows us to acknowledge that we have significance and importance. This is describing the manner that we have eternal significance and importance in the worship of GOD Almighty that prevents us from believing the discouragements of evil. Even amidst difficult times, we can have gratitude and persevere with positivity so that we do not believe the temporary lies of evil. We learn that there are lies that evil says to try to lead individuals to the road of destruction. Instead we persevere worshiping GOD Almighty, obeying the commandments of Moses, and preaching King Jesus Christ Eternal LORD and Savior. Sigmund Freud described that pleasure is what gives purpose, yet we know that is not true because pleasure in the form of lust can lead to significant difficulties describing vices. We learn that instead of vices, we can persevere with virtues. There are stories that describe how having meaning and purpose allows individuals to persevere despite persecution or difficult times. We can choose to see the positive of everything instead of being negative and discouraged and persevere without vices.

“Logotherapy deviates from psychoanalysis insofar as it considers man a being whose main concern consists in fulfilling a meaning, rather than the mere gratification and satisfaction of drives and instincts, or in merely reconciling the conflicting claims of id, ego, and superego, or in the mere adaptation and adjustment to society and environment.”- (page 125-126)

Acknowledging the Importance of Meaning and Purpose Prevents the Existential Vacuum

"To life he can only respond by being responsible. Thus logotherapy sees in responsibility the very essence of human existence."- Man's Search for Meaning (page 131)

Viktor E. Frankl describes that one of the biggest dangers of his times was the threat of nihilism. This specific philosophy that states that life has no meaning. We know that this false philosophy leads to lack of meaning, lack of purpose, and lack of faith. We learn that nihilism can lead to the existential vacuum where individuals do not have meaning and purpose that leads to negative emotions, depression, aggression, and addiction. Viktor E. Frankl describes that logotherapy helps individuals be able to remove the negative emotions because logotherapy has the intention of helping individuals understand the importance of having meaning and purpose. We learn that life has meaning and purpose when there is creativity meaning being able to create or work, have filial love, and persevere amidst obstacles and circumstances. This requires individuals to have responsibility. We learn that nihilism wants to lead to irresponsibility, slothfulness, intemperance, envy, anger, and hate among other vices.

"In fact, freedom is in danger of degenerating into mere arbitrariness unless it is lived in terms of responsibility. That is why I recommend that the Statue of Liberty on the east coast be supplemented by a Statue of Responsibility on the west coast. "- (page 156)

Viktor E. Frankl describes that individuals who have meaning and purpose are able to persevere even amidst opposition and difficult times. We learn that Viktor E. Frankl was able to persevere even when placed in four different concentration camps because he was able to keep a positive demeanor, placed a responsibility on himself to publish his first book's manuscript even when the book was confiscated, and have the responsibility to take care of his patients in the concentration camp. In one specific circumstance, Viktor E. Frankl was given the option to flee the concentration camp and leave his patients behind. Viktor E. Frankl decided to keep responsibility and stayed with his patients. This decision to be responsible also allowed him to persevere. Viktor E. Frankl described that after the removal from captivity, he had statistically calculated the probability of survival in a concentration camp. The odds were not very inspiring. Yet, Viktor E. Frankl persevered knowing that he had responsibility to keep going despite set-backs, opposition, and envy. We learn that Viktor E. Frankl kept being positive and described the importance of having gratitude, faith, a sense of humor, and perseverance amidst not so good times. This is because individuals have meaning and purpose that allows them to know that they can persevere. 

The Worship of GOD Almighty Allows For Improvement, Meaning, Purpose, and Development of Virtues

"The more one forgets himself-by giving himself to a cause to serve or another person to love- the more human he is and the more he actualizes himself. What is called self-actualization is not an attainable aim at all, for the simple reason that the more one would strive for it, the more he would miss it. In other words, self-actualization is possible only as a side-effect of self-transcendence."- Man's Search for Meaning (page 133)

We know that the worship of GOD Almighty helps us persevere regardless of times, obstacles, or circumstances. We learn that worshiping GOD Almighty and obedience to the commandments allows us to acknowledge that there is a Creator that is greater than ourselves. We learn that when we accept and confess King Jesus Christ Eternal LORD and Savior we have filial love that prevents us from having negative emotions. We know that we begin to improve in virtues because faith prevents us from believing the temporary lies of sin. We learn that in the existential vacuum, individuals that believe in nihilism are led to boredom seeing that having no meaning and no purpose leads to boredom. The boredom then causes individuals to have a negative triad describing depression, aggression, and addiction. We learn that nihilism attempts to lead to falsely believe that pleasure or power helps. We learn that instead of helping, the illusion of power and attempting to use lust to derive pleasure leads to even greater difficulties. Viktor E. Frankl described that finding meaning in one's life is far more important and actually allows individuals to persevere amidst pleasant times or not so pleasant times. Having meaning and purpose allows individuals to have satisfaction, true joy, and develop resiliency.

"A statistical survey recently revealed that among my European students, 25 percent showed a more-or-less degree of marked existential vacuum. Among my American students it was not 25 percent but 60 percent. The existential vacuum manifests itself as a state of boredom."- Man's Search for Meaning (page 129)

Logotherapy Allows Individuals to Find Meaning and Purpose

"Having shown the beneficial impact of meaning orientation, I turn to the detrimental influence of that feeling of which so many patients complain today, namely of the feeling of the total and ultimate meaningless of their lives. They lack the awareness of a meaning worth living for."- Man's Search for Meaning (page 128)

We learn from Viktor E. Frankl that logotherapy is the name given to the therapy that occurs that allows individuals to find meaning and purpose in their lives. We learn that logotherapy helps because logotherapy goes to the heart of the problem when individuals have an existential vacuum. We learn that logotherapy sees the manner that individuals find meaning and purpose in their lives so that there is no existential vacuum, negative emotions, nor boredom. We learn that having meaning and purpose prevents individuals from having ingratitude, anger, envy, the existential vacuum, depression, aggression, and addiction. 

We learn that logotherapy can help individuals not have negative emotions and instead there is gratitude and improvement. Dr. Viktor E. Frankl states that he had seen the manner that individuals are able to significantly improve when they acknowledge and understand that there is meaning and purpose in their lives. We are able to know that we can not allow false lies of sin to lead to nihilism that attempts to question the importance of meaning and purpose. We learn that we do not question having meaning and purpose and instead we question nihilism and false philosophies of sin that do not help, do not improve individuals, and lead them to an existential vacuum. 

Persevering Amidst Obstacles, Persecution, or Tribulation

"We must never forget that we may also find meaning in life even when confronted with a hopeless situation, when facing a fate that can not be changed. For what then matters is to bear witness to the uniquely human potential at its best, which is to transform a personal tragedy into a human achievement."- Man's Search For Meaning (page 135)

Viktor E. Frankl described that individuals are able to persevere amidst difficult times because they have meaning and purpose. We learn that Viktor E. Frankl was able to persevere amidst persecution and four concentration camps because he knew that he had to persist having meaning and purpose. We learn that even amidst obstacles, individuals are able to turn difficulties into something good. We learn that instead of seeing the negative, we are able to see the good in everything knowing that there are lessons to be learned and that can allow us to persevere without practicing sin, idol worship, and vices that lead to destruction. Even amidst the persecution from German nazi socialists, Viktor E. Frankl turned the difficulties into a learning experience. He was able to describe that human life has dignity and sovereignty.  He also described that individuals are able to persevere with courage that allows us to withstand adversity and not so good times. 

"It is one of the basic tenets of logotherapy that man's main concern is not to gain pleasure or to avoid pain but rather to see a meaning in his life. That is why man is even ready to suffer, on the condition, to be sure, that his suffering has a meaning. But let me make it perfectly clear that in no way is suffering necessary to find meaning. I only insist that meaning is possible even in spite of suffering-provided, certainly, that the suffering is unavoidable."- Man's Search For Meaning (page 136)

We learn that Viktor E. Frankl was able to turn the difficult circumstances that he lived into therapy for individuals. We learn that logotherapy is based on the need to keep positivity even amidst difficult times. We learn that finding meaning and purpose allows us to persevere even amidst tribulation. Viktor E. Frankl described that individuals are able to persevere even amidst difficult circumstances because they acknowledge that their life has meaning and purpose, they are able to remain creative, and are able to acknowledge the importance of filial love and genuine empathy. We learn that Viktor E. Frankl turned all the negativity and hate into therapy that helped individuals see the manner that they can persevere. We learn that he was able to survive four concentration camps, write and publish his first book despite the book being confiscated, was able to write additional books on logotherapy, provided logotherapy to patients, went back to school to get a Doctorate of Philosophy, and held a conference in West Germany to instruct the importance of having meaning and purpose. He was able to allow individuals to know that having meaning and purpose prevents there from having meaninglessness, faithlessness, a negative triad, and the false belief that there is no sovereignty seen in nihilism and atheism. There are specific cases in his book that describe the manner that individuals can always see the good in everything and that having meaning and purpose prevents discouragements, demotivation, and a lack of discipline and determination. 

Being Positive Amidst Difficulties

We learn from Viktor E. Frankl that individuals can decide to see life in a positive manner. Even when there are difficulties or circumstances that are not favorable, individuals can still persevere with gratitude and determination. Viktor E. Frankl described in specific cases where individuals were able to see the positive of everything and were able to persevere without sadness, lack of meaning, or lack of purpose. We learn that Viktor E. Frankl described the manner that a widower was able to see the best of life regardless of difficulties. We learn that a doctor who had seen Viktor E. Frankl was saddened by the fact that his wife had died. We learn that Viktor E. Frankl helped the individual know that he could reframe the situation so that instead of seeing the negative, he could persevere seeing the positive. Viktor E. Frankl questioned the physician about how he would feel if instead of him being the survivor, it was his wife who had survived him. The doctor answered that it would not have been favorable or positive. The doctor was able to see that while his wife had died, he could see the manner that it was he who had to mourn the loss of his wife instead of her. This manner of thinking allowed the doctor to acknowledge that there was meaning and purpose in his life and that he could have gratitude knowing that it was he who had to mourn his wife and not the other manner.

In another situation, we learn that there was a mother of two children. We learn that one of the children of the mother of two had died at the age of eleven. We learn that the mother had another child that was unable to walk because of lower limb paralysis. We learn that the mother wanted to commit suicide because one of her children had died at an early age, and she would have to take care of the child that could not walk. We learn that the mother had decided to commit suicide and encourage her child to also commit suicide. We learn that the child that had lower limb paralysis loved living. He did not want to commit suicide even when his legs were not functioning. We learn that the child prevented the mother from commiting suicide. At this, the mother was admitted to a clinic because of her depression and suicidal ideation. We learn that a doctor had created a logodrama where they were able to act out specific situations in order to help find meaning to their difficult situations. Viktor E. Frankl helped participate in the logodrama where questions were asked to help individuals find meaning. Viktor E. Frankl asked a woman how old she was and the woman responded 30. Viktor E. Frankl described that she was not 30 but rather 80 and lying on her death bed. He told her that she had extensive wealth and fame yet was without children. Viktor E. Frankl asked her how her life was? We learn that the woman stated that she had lived an extravagant life, flirted, and enjoyed her easy life. However when describing the manner that she was childless, she described that she did not know what all that was for. She had failed to see meaning in her life and described that her life was a failure. Then Viktor E. Frankl asked the mother of the child with paralysis to imagine the same scenario. That she was 80 and on her deathbed. She had raised her child and had done the best for her boy. Viktor E. Frankl asked her how she felt and how was her life? The mother of the boy said that she had decided to have children and this possibility of having a family was given to her. She had two boys, and one of them died at an early age. The other while having paralysis of the legs was still her boy. She did the best to help her boy and was able to take care of him without resorting to an institution. We learn that she understood that her life still had meaning and purpose. She had understood that while her life was not easy, she did have meaning and purpose in caring for her child. She no longer had negative emotions and instead decided to persevere with meaning and purpose. Viktor E. Frankl also described that the life of the young boy who died at 11 years of age could have still had more meaning and purpose because of the filial love and joy lived that could be greater than a life that lasted 80 years allowing the mother to see the positive side of life. We learn that even amidst difficult circumstances, there is the manner to see the positive in everything. 

There was another example described in the story of a rabbi that had gone through difficulties due to persecution by the Nazi socialists. We learn that he had been persecuted along with his family. We learn that his wife and six children had died in the concentration camps. The rabbi had remarried after being a widower. In his story, the rabbi described that he was unable to have children because his wife was unable to conceive. We learn that he was saddened at the fact that he could not have children and did not have a male son to say Kaddish. Viktor E. Frankl describes that there was still meaning and purpose in his life despite the difficulties. When further asked about his life, the rabbi described that he was really saddened about the fact that his children that had died at the concentration camps died being martyrs and therefore would be in the Highest Heavens. The rabbi described that he was saddened that he would not be able to live with his children because they would be in the Highest Heavens while he was a sinful man. 

To this Viktor E. Frankl described from the Psalms of David that GOD Almighty sees our tears and places our tears in a bottle and are in his book Psalm 56: 8. GOD Almighty is aware of the difficulties and does not forsake us. We learn that Viktor E. Frankl saw meaning in the rabbi's suffering because he was being purified through the difficulties so that he would be able to be with his children in Heaven. Viktor E. Frankl allowed the rabbi to see that his sufferings had meaning because they were purifying him. Even through the affliction of having to survive his children, although the rabbi was not innocent and pure like his children, the years of suffering allowed him to purify himself so that he may be worthy of joining his children in Heaven. Viktor E. Frankl described that for the first time in many years, the rabbi was able to see the positive side and find relief from his difficulties. Even amidst difficulties and circumstances, we learn that there is perseverance when there is the acknowledgement of our lives having meaning and purpose despite difficult times, circumstances, and even amidst persecution. 

Persevering Being Industrious and Avoiding Laziness

"Logotherapy, keeping in mind the essential transitoriness of human existence, is not pessimistic but rather activistic. To express this point figuratively we might say: The pessimist resembles a man who observes with fear and sadness that his wall calendar, from which he daily tears a sheet, grows thinner with each passing day. On the other hand, the person who attacks the problems of life actively is like a man who removes each successive leaf from his calendar and files it neatly and carefully away with its predecessors, after first having jotted down a few diary notes on the back. He can reflect with pride and joy on all the richness set down on these notes, on all the life that he has already lived to the fullest. What will it matter to him if he is growing old? Has he any reason to envy the young people whom he sees, or wax nostalgic over his own lost youth? What reasons has he to envy a young person? For the possibilities that a young person has, the future which is in store for him? 'No, thank you,' he will think. 'Instead of possibilities, I have realities in my past, not only the reality of work done and of love loved, but of sufferings bravely suffered. These things are even the things I am most proud of, though these are things that can not inspire envy.'"- Man's Search For Meaning (page 144)

Viktor E. Frankl describes the importance of being industrious and appreciating our past while persevering. We learn from a proverbial saying that those that live in the past are bound to develop depression while those that live in the future are bound to develop anxiety. We learn that we are supposed to live in the present and know that we have encouragement of a future while having learned from our past. We learn that the worship of GOD Almighty allows us to know that we can persevere with fidelity to GOD Almighty to make it to Shabbath Millennium and New Jerusalem. We learn that we can persevere being industrious preaching, writing, and worshiping GOD Almighty above everything. We learn that being industrious allows us to live in the present while having meaning and purpose that allows us to persevere amidst everything to make it to New Earth and New Jerusalem. We learn that we can keep going because we trust in GOD Almighty. We learn that our past is the past and that we were able to learn important lessons that allowed us to keep in the path of eternal salvation having gratitude to GOD Almighty instead of resentments, anger, and bitterness that evil tries to cause in individuals.

We learn that instead of being passive, slothful, and lazy concerning the present, we can keep worshiping GOD Almighty. Viktor E. Frankl describes that the individuals that are industrious and have gratitude each day are able to persevere acknowledging that each day allows us to learn about the importance of gratitude, gladness, virtues, and having meaning and purpose. We learn that instead of being sad about each passing day, there is the need to have gratitude that we can persevere. Instead of being envious and resentful of others, we can keep practicing gratitude to GOD Almighty knowing that we are utilizing our time, virtues, resources, and talents to worship GOD Almighty. This wisdom prevents us from comparing ourselves to false "comparisons" that are never true describing the need to compare oneself falsely in order to lead to the practice of idol worship, sin, temporary lies, envy, anger, fornication, adultery, homosexuality, and vices when we know that those things are not helpful, necessary, needed, or beneficial. Instead of comparing ourselves to others based on lies and deceit, we can persevere acknowledging that we have everything that we need in GOD Almighty. 

The Importance of Humor and Avoiding Negativity

"The neurotic who learns to laugh at himself may be on the way to self-management, perhaps to cure." -Man's Search For Meaning (page 148)

Viktor E. Frankl describes in logotherapy the importance of using humor to remove negativity. We learn that having a sense of humor allows us to know that we can detach ourselves from negative situations and instead learn to laugh at the negativity. We learn that there are situations that can be made better and improved with humor. We learn that having a sense of humor can help our health in the long term. There are health studies that have shown that people who have a sense of humor are able to have decreased depression, anxiety, and neuroticism. We learn that having a sense of humor requires that individuals remove the ego and learn to laugh at themselves, situations, or negativity. This allows individuals to remove neuroticism from their lives where individuals are self-centered and egoistic. Instead, a sense of humor helps us persevere acknowledging that everything works out for good, and we can make light of not so good circumstances. 

We have seen in the past decade how there have been attempts to prevent comedy and humor from being created. Part has been due to the manner that humor is able to help people persevere amidst not so favorable circumstances or times. We have to learn to keep a sense of humor and not be so sensitive seen in cases of neuroticism and neurotic individuals. Viktor E. Frankl decribed that having a sense of humor decreases the likelihood of being neurotic. We learn that humor can help us see the positive even in difficult circumstances. This helps us know that humor can be important and can help us. We learn that humor has positive health effects with medical studies having shown that laughing everyday for some minutes watching a stand up comedy routine or funny sketches can help individuals increase blood circulation, decrease stress hormones, and improve well-being. This describes the importance of being able to keep a sense of humor even amidst the times that we are living in. 

Having a Sense of Humor Allowed Patients to be Cured From Obsessive Compulsions

"I refer, for instance, to a woman sixty-five years of age who had suffered for sixty years from a washing compulsion. Dr. Eva Kozdera started logotherapy treatment by means of paradoxical intention, and two months later the patient was able to lead a normal life." (page 149)

There were specific instances that described that patients were able to be cured from specific conditions including a washing compulsion. This can be described similar to obsessive compulsive disorders. We learn that a patient who had fear of bacteria and germs had a washing compulsion and could not get rid of it. She described that she had difficulties trying to remove the fear of germs, and she would remain in bed all day at times. She described that the fear of germs caused her to stay in bed all day. With paradoxical intention that describes having a sense of humor and getting rid of negativity in logotherapy, she was able to improve and get rid of her washing compulsions. 

She was able to improve from her symptoms by being able to joke about her compulsion. While she may still have symptoms, she is able to remove the distress that the compulsion caused by being proactive and having a sense of humor. Logotherapy describes that when there is a fear due to an obsessive compulsion or a specific stimuli that causes fear, an individual can joke and have a sense of humor. This takes the wind out of the sails of the compulsion and instead allows individuals to feel calm and have serenity. This specific method of logotherapy can help individuals remove the distress that obsessive compulsions can cause in individuals. After only two months of therapy, the individual was better and could lead a normal life. 

The Importance of Sovereignty

"Man does not simply exist but always decides what his existence will be. By the same token, every human being has the freedom to change at any instant."

Viktor E. Frankl described the importance of acknowledging that we have sovereignty describing the manner that individuals have a choice to improve themselves and rise above their conditioning. This describes that we are able to repent of sin and choose to accept and confess King Jesus Christ Eternal LORD and Savior. We are able to remove sin from our lives and choose to worship GOD Almighty above everything. We know that evil wants to make individuals believe that they have no sovereignty with the intention to lead to the practice of sin and vices. We know that each individual is given autonomy and the freedom to decide if they want to worship GOD Almighty above everything or not. This describes that we can not believe the temporary lies of evil that say that individuals do not have sovereignty and autonomy. We know that Viktor E. Frankl was able to persevere amidst persecution having the autonomy to decide to acknowledge the importance of meaning and purpose and persevere with courage. 

"Man is capable of changing the world for the better if possible, and of changing himself for the better if necessary."

We learn that Viktor E. Frankl chose to have valor and courage to persevere writing his books for the betterment of individuals. This is so that we choose to practice goodness and righteousness instead of wickedness and sin. We learn that Viktor E. Frankl was able to give logotherapy and provide the basis of Positive Psychology that helps us understand that we can improve each day instead of believing the temporary lies of evil that want individuals to think that they have no choice, autonomy, or freedom. We know that individuals are able to turn difficulties and obstacles into learning opportunities that help us improve and get better each day instead of having resentments, anger, and hate. We can choose to improve in the worship of GOD Almighty and keep persevering knowing that we grow in autonomy and sovereignty that prevents us from believing the temporary lies of evil that does not want individuals to improve themselves and help others. We know that evil prefers that individuals quarrel, hate, and envy so that they do not acknowledge the importance of serenity, sovereignty, and wisdom in the worship of GOD Almighty.

The Importance of Goodness

"In the concentration camps, for example, in this living laboratory and on this testing ground, we watched and witnessed some of our comrades behave like swine while others behaved like saints. Man has both potentialities within himself; which one is actualized depends on decisions and not on conditions."

Viktor E. Frankl described that while Sigmund Freud stated that based on similar circumstances, everyone would act the same, we learn from Viktor E. Frankl's experiences that individuals are actually quite different. Individuals are unique and different unlike Freud's assumptions. We learned that Viktor E. Frankl stated that individuals in the concentration camps either behaved like swine or like saints. We learn that Viktor E. Frankl saw individuals that similar to himself refused to participate in envy, hate, and corruption. We learn that there were righteous individuals that decided to persevere being righteous rather than be wicked. We learn that while there are false notions and false information that has attempted to say that, 'Everyone practices sin,' this is not the case. We learn that Viktor E. Frankl was able to persevere without forsaking his patients when given the option to flee from the concentration camp, hid three patients from another camp so that they were not killed and could be transported to freedom when the war was almost over, and offered encouragement and motivation when times were not good. 

Viktor E. Frankl stated that there were also those that behaved like swine deciding to be envious, hateful, and spiteful. There were individuals that decided to go along with the hate of the nazi socialists gaining short term benefits in exchange for being envious and causing conflict. In spite of this, Viktor E. Frankl noted that there were righteous individuals that cared about others and helped others despite the circumstances that were not very positive. This allows us to know that even amidst persecution, discouragements, and envy, there are individuals that choose to be righteous and persevere with integrity. This is wisdom because the temporary lies of the world attempt to make individuals think that there are no righteous individuals. We learn that this is a blatant lie to try to cause individuals to sin and cause strife and conflict. Viktor E. Frankl described that even amidst circumstances, there are righteous individuals that are good. 

Turning Difficulties Into Achievements

"The human capacity to creatively turn life's negative aspects into something positive or constructive."

Viktor E. Frankl described the importance of logotherapy of being able to turn negative aspects of life into something positive. We learn that Viktor E. Frankl was able to turn the difficulties and persecution that he went through into learning opportunities to educate others on the need to have meaning and purpose so that we do not believe the temporary lies of evil that want to lead to nihilism, atheism, socialism, and communism. We learn that by having meaning and purpose, we can persevere with motivation and gratitude. We learn that life is not perfect, yet we can choose to see the best of life when we get rid of negativity, negative emotions, and choose to be different from negative people.

"In other words, what matters is to make the most of any given situation. 'The best' however, is that which in Latin is called optimum - hence the reason that I speak of a tragic optimism, that is, an optimism in the face of tragedy and in view of the human potential which at its best always allows for: turning suffering into a human achievement and accomplishment, deriving from guilt the opportunity to change oneself for the better, and deriving from life's transitoriness an incentive to take responsible action." (page 162)

Viktor E. Frankl described that individuals can choose to make the most out of their situations. Even when there are circumstances and opposition, we can learn to make the best of everything. We can turn suffering into a human achievement because we choose to remove sin from our lives and worship GOD Almighty above everything. This allows us to persevere with the help of GOD Almighty removing sin, idol worship, and vices from our lives and turning the obstacles into learning opportunities. We learn that we choose to persevere with gratitude amidst not so good times. Viktor E. Frankl was able to persevere turning his persecution by the nazi socialists into the instruction of logotherapy that allows individuals to know that having gratitude and being positive can help us persevere even amidst not so good times. We learn that gratitude and positivity can eliminate negative emotions and allow us to turn persecution and obstacles into learning opportunities where we know why we can never practice idol worship and vices. Instead of Viktor E. Frankl having resentments or hate, he was able to have gratitude for being able to survive the concentration camps and be able to practice Psychiatry and teach logotherapy to individuals so that they do not believe the deceit of nihilism. He also taught about the need to repent of evil and turn to practicing good. This allows us to know that the human individual has a chance each day to renounce sin and idol worship for improvement and betterment practicing good and gratitude. There is also the imperative to take action and be proactive about life instead of being negative and resentful. 

Developing Resiliency With Meaning and Purpose

“Nihilism does not contend that there is nothing, but it states that everything is meaningless.” (page 177)

We learn about the importance of practicing gratitude and responsibility so that we do not believe the temporary lies of nihilism that want individuals to believe that everything is meaningless. We learn that Viktor E. Frankl described that one of the biggest dangers of his time was the false philosophy of nihilism that attempts to tell people that everything is meaningless. Viktor E. Frankl described the need to avoid nihilism because it tries to lead individuals to cynicism and bitterness. We learn that having gratitude and seeing the positive of everything is able to prevent us from having ingratitude and cynicism. We learn from the Sacred Scriptures about the manner that evil attempts to discourage individuals in order to tempt into the practice of sin that is disobedience to the commandments of Moses. We can persevere without having ingratitude and bitterness by practicing gratitude each day and seeing the positive side of life. Even when there are difficulties, we can still be grateful for the good things that we have and also have gratitude for the things that we do not have that we do not need. There are things that we do not have because that would attempt to lead to the practice of idolatry and sin. We can be grateful to GOD Almighty for having the things that we need so that we can persevere in the path of eternal salvation worshiping King Jesus Christ. Nihilism tries to lie and say that nothing matters so that the practice of sin seems like an option. We learn that Viktor E. Frankl fought against this blatant lie and described the importance of persevering with meaning and purpose. We learn that Viktor E. Frankl described that logotherapy was different from Freud's psychotherapy in that instead of placing the importance on reinforcing neuroticism and egoism, logotherapy looks to help individuals remove the neuroticism and arrogance by having positivity, meaning, and purpose. 

We learn that Viktor E. Frankl stated that having meaning and purpose allows us to persevere with motivation and determination. We are able to have an objective perspective that allows us to see the positive in everything including difficult circumstances. This is seen in Viktor E. Frankl's determination to persevere in the concentration camps, publish his first book, and keep practicing Psychiatry while being able to go back to school to get a Doctorate of Philosophy. We learn that Viktor E. Frankl also returned back to West Berlin in 1983 to give conferences on logotherapy. Viktor E. Frankl described that logotherapy prevents neuroticism and self-centeredness seen in egoism and arrogance.  

The Importance of Meaning, Purpose, Positivity, and Autonomy

"That unconditional meaning, however, is paralleled by the unconditional value of each and every person. It is that which warrants the indelible quality of the dignity of man."- (page 176)

Viktor E. Frankl described that logotherapy helps resolve neuroticism and obsessive compulsions along with other psychiatric difficulties. Viktor E. Frankl described the manner that Freud's psychotherapy attempted to resolve issues by getting the individual to return back to their past and focus on their previous difficulties. Viktor E. Frankl described that logotherapy allows individuals to resolve issues based on acquiring responsibility, dicipline, meaning, and purpose in their lives instead of attempting to return the individual back to their past. Logotherapy is able to heal wounds from the past without having to return back to the past seeing that instead we are able to look forward to the future. Viktor E. Frankl describes that we look towards a future where we are able to persevere with responsibility, meaning, purpose, courage, goodness, maturity, and resiliency. Developing meaning and purpose allows us to persevere even amidst difficulties, hardships, or persecution. While Freud described that pleasure was the manner to obtain meaning, we learn that obtaining meaning happens through devoting ourselves to the worship of GOD Almighty and not lust or the illusion of “power”. Viktor E. Frankl helps us know that we can persevere amidst adversity because we choose to have gratitude instead of bitterness and resentments.

"Sigmund Freud once asserted, 'Let one attempt to expose a number of the most diverse people uniformly to hunger. With the increase of the imperative urge of hunger all individual differences will blur, and in their stead will appear the uniform expression of the one unstilled urge. Thank heaven, Sigmund Freud was spared knowing the concentration camps from the inside. His subjects lay on a couch designed in the plush style of Victorian culture, not in the filth of Auschwitz. There, the 'individual differences' did not "blur" but, on the contrary, people became more different; people unmasked themselves, both the swine and the saints: think of Father Maximillian Kolbe who was starved and finally murdered by an injection of carbolic acid at Auschwitz..."- (page 178)

We learn that Viktor E. Frankl critiqued the manner that Sigmund Freud believed that every human being would act the same given circumstances and that there was no individuality. Viktor E. Frankl described that individuals have a choice to decide if they want to be good or not. We learn that Viktor E. Frankl stated that he was glad that Freud did not live during his times to see the manner that individuals actually are quite different. Viktor E. Frankl described that in the concentration camps, there was a separation that existed between the good and the treacherous. Viktor E. Frankl described that the righteous decided to be good practicing fraternity and genuine empathy despite the difficult circumstances while the treacherous were abusive and envious. Viktor E. Frankl described the difference that exists between choosing the path of good and the path of evil. Viktor E. Frankl describes the story of Maximillian Kolbe who did not renounce his faith despite attempts to make him renounce his faith. Maximillian Kolbe was martyred by the nazi socialists yet persevered without renouncing his faith. Viktor E. Frankl described that in the concentration camps he was able to see individuals who were humble and good compared to the treacherous and deceitful. Viktor E. Frankl allowed us to know that even with difficult circumstances there are individuals who choose to be righteous and humble instead of evil and treacherous. This wisdom allows us to know that we can persevere despite opposition, persecution, or envy. Viktor E. Frankl was able to persevere despite the opposition of the nazi socialists. We learn that GOD Almighty allows us to know that we can persevere without having to practice evil and envy. We learn that human life has dignity and rights given by GOD Almighty. For this reason, we can not doubt the truth that GOD Almighty tells us despite attempts to oppose the truth by the deceitful and treacherous. While the nazi socialists attempted to prevent Viktor E. Frankl from practicing Psychiatry, we learn that Viktor E. Frankl was able to return to practice Psychiatry and also became an innovator and helped create Positive Psychology also called Logotherapy that has helped millions of people persevere amidst difficulties, times, and circumstances. We learn that we can take Viktor E. Frankl's example of how individuals can persevere despite opposition. 

The Unconditional Value of Meaning, Dignity, and Human Life

Viktor E. Frankl was able to describe that there is dignity in the life of each human being. This wisdom allows us to know that we are supposed to treat each individual with respect and genuine empathy knowing that GOD Almighty created each individual for the worship of GOD Almighty. We learn that Viktor E. Frankl stated the importance of respecting the dignity of human life and re-humanizing psychiatry instead of psychologizing medicine. This means that we see the importance of a human being instead of treating humans like machines and diseases. We learn that Viktor E. Frankl described the need to see the dignity, unconditional value, and significance and purpose of human life. This understanding allowed Viktor E. Frankl to not forsake his patients in a concentration camp when he was given the option to leave the concentration camp, leave his patients behind, and flee. Viktor E. Frankl chose to be responsible and courageous deciding to remain with his patients. This decision speaks about the courage and valor that exists in human life even amidst persecution and envy.

Viktor E. Frankl described that there was justice and gratitude to GOD Almighty amidst the difficulties that occurred. Viktor E. Frankl reminds us that GOD Almighty helps us persevere despite difficulties, opposition, and persecution. Viktor E. Frankl remained faithful and positive throughout the difficulties so much so that he did not practice sorcery described in one of his accounts. He described that there were a few individuals that created a seancé group, yet Viktor E. Frankl considered it foolishness and did not believe in such things. Instead, Viktor E. Frankl persevered reminding himself of the Psalms and the importance of the worship of GOD Almighty. Viktor E. Frankl practiced genuine empathy caring about his patients.

Viktor E. Frankl Described the Need to Persevere With Motivation and Positivity Knowing There is Justice 

While there were difficulties and some individuals were persecuted to martyrdom, we learn that Viktor E. Frankl states that we can persevere with positivity. We also learn that there was justice because even the nazi socialists that persecuted Jewish individuals for no reason other than envy, had difficulties, vices, and destruction. We learn of an individual that was the Chief Doctor in charge of the Euthanasia Division of the nazi socialists under Hitler that ended up committing irresponsibility and cowardice. The doctor's name is not mentioned yet is described having authorized the killing of patients that had mental illness and psychiatric disorders. Viktor E. Frankl described that the individual was arrested by the Soviets and taken to the Soviet gulag after the Second World War ended. We learn that the evil and treacherous doctor died in prison of bladder cancer.

We learn that while it appears that practicing wickedness and hate helped, there were actual consequences to the evil practiced. We also learn that Hitler did not make it after the conclusion of the Second World War. We learn that there are accounts of Hitler destroying himself due to cowardice and the fear of having to face the consequences of his actions. (There are stories that say that Hitler was taken to Chile and lived in Chile, yet these stories seem doubtful and may have been stated to not demoralize the nazi socialists.) We learn that the nazi socialism experiment only lasted thirty years with Hitler being a “leader” for twelve years. We learn that Germany was affected by socialism and it did not really help Germany. We also learned that the nazi socialists persecuted other Germans. This speaks about how it was not about being German, but rather about practicing evil and hatred. We learn that Dietrich Bonhoeffer was persecuted while being German and a Christian. We learn that regardless, individuals saw the truth concerning false philosophies of hate. Viktor E. Frankl was able to persevere despite the concentration camps and was able to return to West Germany to give conferences and life advice to Germans about persevering practicing responsibility, righteousness, goodness, and genuine empathy. 

The Dignity of Being Human

"A human being is not one thing among others; things determine each other, but man is ultimately self-determining."- Man's Search For Meaning (page 157)

Viktor E. Frankl described the manner that he was a Psychiatrist that was able to see thousands of patients. We learn that Viktor E. Frankl was able to describe about the importance of the dignity that exists in human life. We learn that GOD Almighty creates each human life to have meaning and purpose. We learn that this describes the importance of not only seeing the importance of having significance and purpose in our day to day lives in the worship of GOD Amighty and respecting humanity, but also seeing the importance of dignity in each human life. This wisdom allows us to resist and fight against sin that tries to lead to arrogance and wickedness seen in failed belief systems of the past century describing socialist nazism, socialism, and communism. We are able to understand that we do not need false systems that attempt to lead to the practice of sin and idolatry. We have seen the manner that the false systems caused difficulties, stagnation, and envy in the past.

"A doctor, however, who would still interpret his own role as mainly that of a technician would confess that he sees in his patient nothing more than a machine, instead of seeing the human being behind the disease!" (page 157)

We learn that Viktor E. Frankl described that he saw his patients being more than a machine that needed to be repaired. We learn that he described that there is human dignity that allows us to acknowledge our Creator, GOD Almighty, and also the importance of humanity. We learn that instead of seeing medicine as psychologized medicine, he saw the importance of humanizing medicine. We learn that this is very important in the sense that Viktor E. Frankl sought to help his patients practicing logotherapy that allowed individuals to know that there is meaning and purpose in life. We learn that logotherapy was able to help his patients improve and acknowledge the importance of having meaning and purpose and that there is dignity in being human. This is important realizing that we can improve ourselves each day acknowledging that there is meaning and purpose so that we do not believe the temporary lies of evil that wants individuals to hate others for no reason and lead to disobedience to the commandments of Moses. We learn that instead we can improve each day having gratitude and true joy practicing positive emotions and acknowledging that we have eternal meaning and purpose in the worship of GOD Almighty.

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Figures of History and Individualism allows us to persevere knowing that throughout history there have been righteous individuals that decided to practice good and not practice sin. We are able to persevere knowing that there is no need to fear nor have negative emotions knowing that we trust in the Creator and not in idolatry. We are able to learn about righteous individuals that decided to speak truth and help others even when there are lies being told that attempt to lead individuals to disobedience and the practice of sin. We can persevere without practicing sin and idol worship.