Jan 22 2008
Suffering, Sacrifice and Salvation
I will be the first to admit I’ve dived into the arena of masochism: Suffering for no other reason than experiencing the pain: Meaningless pointless symbolic suffering: Touching the stove because it’s hot. The pain is a reminder that we are mere animals and that we define ourselves by our senses. We define everything by our senses, even our sense of self. The scar tissue reminds us cutters of a point in time: memory that one can touch.
There is too much senseless suffering in our world: from people starving in Africa to the problem child heights of Beverly Hills, pain seems to permeate. The Buddhist wisdom that attachment leads to suffering is overly simplistic. Being attached to nothing and thus achieving nirvana is about as profound as stating that clean air is good. In fact, attachment to nothing can, in and of itself, be an attachment. I understand this thoroughly as a minimalist. I’m attached to my girl, my bike, my board, my knife and my life. But knowing reality, I know that all of these can be taken at any time. Accepting reality is not enlightenment, it is basic. Observe, Improvise, Adapt, Overcome. Wisdom is knowing that the now is all and we have a responsibility to provide more nows for descendants not yet imagined.
Suffering, not of one’s choice, is a sign that something needs changing. Suffering should be analyzed. What needs overcoming? The Buddhists and Christians are at the extreme ends of the spectrum. The Buddhists want to end their “cycle” of life; the Christians want to extend it into eternity. The reality is that we get what we get. And we shouldn’t fight our neighbors because if one goes far enough the neighbor turns into the self. Does that mean we should give everything we own to John and Missy? I think not. I wouldn’t want John and Missy to give their stuff to me. This train of thought goes into property and I’ll leave that for another time. Suffice it to say that we all own our body; everyone owns the air, water and fields of wheat.
I’ve never understood the “sacrifice” of Jesus. If he was the son of god and knew where he was going, a place of eternal bliss, what was he actually sacrificing. His exit from this world and a three day trip to hell seems hardly like a sacrifice for being god. As an Eastern Catholic I’m kind of upset that he sacrificed himself. There was plenty more work to be done. And I have a difficult time imagining inherited metaphoric parental sin. I have no problem knowing the inherited sin of my ancestors: The New Americans. We’ve revenged this land and built mini malls on native burial sights. And I’m even a fan of the space conscious grave. We’re paying for the sins of our forefathers with every mutant frog and extinct species. We’ve inherited a sacrifice, a sacrifice for the name of the capitalist dollar. Suffice it to say, I don’t see the use in senseless sacrifice.
If I use one hand to cut off the other it must be valid and well reasoned. If I kill life, it better for the food and hide (weeds in the garden exempt - someone gottah sacrifice for the beauty). The Muslim suicide bombers and Boots of rampant Nationalists sacrifice all they have. For what? Failed ideologies and religion. It’s all nonsense. Sacrifice is such an ambiguous term. I’m sacrificing my time right now to write this. Most would say that it’s not a sacrifice because I enjoy doing it. So does that mean not wanting to do something is what makes sacrifice, sacrifice? No. I don’t do plenty of things I don’t want to do. Us eCatholics know meta sacrifice the best. We’re attached to it.
Salvation also has confused me. What is it that I need saving from? Hell? What is hell? Where is hell? Why should I believe in hell? This world needs salvation, and it is Green and smells of Earth (period -). What’s your base line bro?
Hell? Well, what’s in a word? We need salvation from suffering.
Is that simply an end to our existence? No. If you have children you will viscerally feel that ending your life would not end your suffering if you know that your children will continue to live with pain or oppression. It may stop your suffering, but the intensity of your grief for your children will be without end.
Even without children, those that love the world will not relish the thought of ending their own pain with death, since they know that they would no longer be able to contribute to The Solution. Their suffering might cease without an afterlife, but that is small consolation for the suffering they felt in life. Atheism’s peace of the grave is not even comforting to me, much less a salvation. Hell might just be a really shitty 72 years of hard learning and an eternity not to think about it.
That does not mean that atheists are necessarily wrong about the (lack of an) afterlife. But it is not a very inspiring belief.
The salvation comes from faith that our suffering, and our children’s suffering, is not just a temporary discomfort before the peace of the grave. Faith that by persevering, and by doing our best in spite of our suffering, that we may rise and live our life again in a new world where no one causes us pain to reduce their own. A world where everyone is ready to sacrifice themselves, if need be, for their neighbors. Heaven?
I’ve never understood the “sacrifice” of Jesus. If he was the son of god and knew where he was going, a place of eternal bliss, what was he actually sacrificing?
Crucifixion is very nasty.
He could have fought it, summoned his legions of angels, and forced pain on His oppressors instead of taking their pain upon Himself.
He could have avoided it by playing politics, manipulating His followers, or simply living as a hermit.
Instead he did His work, faced His fate, and endured it with faith and love, even as they drove in the nails.
When I make my fortune, I will certainly enjoy it. It does not make the path to success any easier, just because I know that I will succeed.
God bless you Robert. Summon your love and courage.
Take heart in knowing that you may follow a leader that would not ask you to kill gloriously, but rather to die nobly.
Make your suffering a sacrifice, not a sacrament or a fetish. Because one way or another, all that live will die. Even God.
John and Missy… (Misty)
Is that a reference to my family?
It’s in reference to The family.
Crucifixion is nasty, but so is water boarding. He coulda shoulda woulda if it were possible. But then again, maybe he was just a cutter with a righteous cause.
Oh Robert.