Friday, June 5, 2015

What Suffering Can Bring

I never approved of Dostoevsky and his tortured, Christian theology of salvation and meaning gleaned from suffering.

Suffering makes us selfless, self-hating, emotional and ultimately can convert us to the dark side.

Having said this, if one is gravely ill, terminally ill, in chronic, severe physical and psychic pain, then one needs drugs, acupuncture, divine help to alleviate pain, physical and mental therapy, and prayer from family and friends to alleviate the suffering.

If there is no permanent relief from acute suffering for the ill person, then prayer and individuating are an option as part of positive pain management.

Fate has handed this person a lemon of an existence, so he might as well make lemonade.

In that way, his suffering, his disability or his terminal illness are given meaning, and he may find fame and salvation through suffering.

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