Suffering as Achievement:
It is easy to affirm life when things go well. The challenge for us is to continue in life even when fate takes bad turns. Were we to give up when confronted by pain, or a crisis, many lives would be lost unnecessarily, many ideas stifled, and many achievements never realized.
The right kind of suffering, that is, not masochistic but necessary suffering, is a genuine human achievement, for it is only human will and determination that urges us on in the suffering situation.
We do not know Why
Ultimately, it is impossible to explain the necessity of Godly intervention in terms of punishment, because we cannot really know why God has punished, or why God decided to spare us punishment. We cannot apprehend God’s reasons. We are stuck with the questions.
Some questions have answers; the questions related to suffering have responses – positive reactions to reaffirm life.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Day 3: Life in Perspective
Why is Suffering Necessary?
Ultimately, the problem of the meaning of suffering is really the problem of why is suffering necessary? Perhaps we have the right to be considered guilty and to suffer for this. If we are merely the unfortunate victims of circumstances, then we are less than true human beings, and this lames our will to change.
The blows of suffering might be necessary insofar as without them the sufferer might shrink into spiritual oblivion. They might be conceived as the rude awakening to the purpose of out life, to a confrontation with reality. The suffering due to an existential vacuum would then be a healthy despair which urges the individual to do something about it.
We have the right, and responsibility, to own up to this type of suffering in a mature and affirmative manner.
Not Meaning of, but Meaning in!
No one in his or her right mind would seek out suffering. This is masochistic, not normal. Yet there is a suffering from which there is no escape. How to handle it? Transcend it or use it for fulfillment.
The meaning of suffering may be unknowable, but meaning in, or in spite of, the suffering, can be discovered.
Suffering Towards:
It is ill-advised to run away from what life presents to us. The thrust should be to transmute all situations of life into affirmative experiences. When unavoidable suffering presents itself, we should transmute the “suffering from” to a “suffering toward,” to translate it into a positive experience.
Suffering is a basic and potentially affirmative component of life. The right attitude to suffering can give meaning to it.
Meaning in Suffering – An example:
IT is vital to transpose the “suffering from” to a “suffering towards,” to rise above the suffering, to elicit meaning from the suffering. Viktor Frankl illustrates this approach with the example of a doctor who consulted him because he could not shake off the severe depression brought on by the death of his wife. He asked the doctor:
“What would have happened, Doctor, if you had died first and your wife would have had to survive you?”
Whereupon he said: “For her this would have been terrible; how she would have suffered!”
Frankl then added, “You see, Doctor, such suffering has been spared for her, and it is you have to pay for it by surviving and mourning her.”
Suddenly, the doctor’s suffering took on a meaning – the meaning of sacrifice. With meaning, the despair and depression brought on by the death of his wife was vitiated.
Ultimately, the problem of the meaning of suffering is really the problem of why is suffering necessary? Perhaps we have the right to be considered guilty and to suffer for this. If we are merely the unfortunate victims of circumstances, then we are less than true human beings, and this lames our will to change.
The blows of suffering might be necessary insofar as without them the sufferer might shrink into spiritual oblivion. They might be conceived as the rude awakening to the purpose of out life, to a confrontation with reality. The suffering due to an existential vacuum would then be a healthy despair which urges the individual to do something about it.
We have the right, and responsibility, to own up to this type of suffering in a mature and affirmative manner.
Not Meaning of, but Meaning in!
No one in his or her right mind would seek out suffering. This is masochistic, not normal. Yet there is a suffering from which there is no escape. How to handle it? Transcend it or use it for fulfillment.
The meaning of suffering may be unknowable, but meaning in, or in spite of, the suffering, can be discovered.
Suffering Towards:
It is ill-advised to run away from what life presents to us. The thrust should be to transmute all situations of life into affirmative experiences. When unavoidable suffering presents itself, we should transmute the “suffering from” to a “suffering toward,” to translate it into a positive experience.
Suffering is a basic and potentially affirmative component of life. The right attitude to suffering can give meaning to it.
Meaning in Suffering – An example:
IT is vital to transpose the “suffering from” to a “suffering towards,” to rise above the suffering, to elicit meaning from the suffering. Viktor Frankl illustrates this approach with the example of a doctor who consulted him because he could not shake off the severe depression brought on by the death of his wife. He asked the doctor:
“What would have happened, Doctor, if you had died first and your wife would have had to survive you?”
Whereupon he said: “For her this would have been terrible; how she would have suffered!”
Frankl then added, “You see, Doctor, such suffering has been spared for her, and it is you have to pay for it by surviving and mourning her.”
Suddenly, the doctor’s suffering took on a meaning – the meaning of sacrifice. With meaning, the despair and depression brought on by the death of his wife was vitiated.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Life in Perspective Day 2
Suffering for Lack of Meaning:
There is a fundamental human suffering, the suffering that belongs to life by the very nature and meaning of life. This suffering stems from the frustration of the search for meaning. This suffering, this inner tension aroused by the desire to attain values, is not a pathological phenomenon; it is a true human expression.
The person who suffers from such frustration has, by this very suffering, exercised self-detachment and has begun to judge matters based on what he or she ought to be. This type of suffering, inherent as it is to the human condition, must be faced realistically and should not be tranquilized away. Killing the suffering with valium is a form of spiritual euthanasia.
Suffering Meaningfully:
What is the meaning of suffering? The despair associated with suffering is not a function of the suffering itself, and is instead a function of the doubt about the meaningfulness of suffering.
We are ready and willing to shoulder any suffering once the meaning of the suffering is apparent. There must be a meaning to suffering if there is to be a meaning to life, since suffering is a definite unavoidable component of life.
There is a fundamental human suffering, the suffering that belongs to life by the very nature and meaning of life. This suffering stems from the frustration of the search for meaning. This suffering, this inner tension aroused by the desire to attain values, is not a pathological phenomenon; it is a true human expression.
The person who suffers from such frustration has, by this very suffering, exercised self-detachment and has begun to judge matters based on what he or she ought to be. This type of suffering, inherent as it is to the human condition, must be faced realistically and should not be tranquilized away. Killing the suffering with valium is a form of spiritual euthanasia.
Suffering Meaningfully:
What is the meaning of suffering? The despair associated with suffering is not a function of the suffering itself, and is instead a function of the doubt about the meaningfulness of suffering.
We are ready and willing to shoulder any suffering once the meaning of the suffering is apparent. There must be a meaning to suffering if there is to be a meaning to life, since suffering is a definite unavoidable component of life.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Life in Perspective, Meeting the Hurdles and Challenges.
Suffering – To deny or to accept
Future possibility:
Often we despair because we are mired in what seems like a real predicament, from which extrication seems unlikely. It is precisely here that a sharp focus on the meaning possibilities that truly exist beyond the moment is so vital. By focusing on the future, we can transcend the present and its frustrations.
Life as Good Plus Bad:
Life has unconditional meaning, even in suffering and death. In spite of all, we are urged to say “Yes” to life. Suffering can be used in a meaningful way and translated into a positive experience.
Suffering is a basic component of life. It is an illusion to think that life can be a string of only joyful experiences. The individual who is vent on the experience of joy will be unable to find meaning in suffering. Such a person has turned life into positive and negative components, with the negative to be avoided rather than confronted. But avoiding what is there is not a healthful approach.
An integrated life must anticipate highs and lows, joy and melancholy, fulfillment and challenge.
Since suffering of some sort is unavoidable, it is better to be philosophical ready, and thus psychologically prepared for the inevitable suffering situation.
Future possibility:
Often we despair because we are mired in what seems like a real predicament, from which extrication seems unlikely. It is precisely here that a sharp focus on the meaning possibilities that truly exist beyond the moment is so vital. By focusing on the future, we can transcend the present and its frustrations.
Life as Good Plus Bad:
Life has unconditional meaning, even in suffering and death. In spite of all, we are urged to say “Yes” to life. Suffering can be used in a meaningful way and translated into a positive experience.
Suffering is a basic component of life. It is an illusion to think that life can be a string of only joyful experiences. The individual who is vent on the experience of joy will be unable to find meaning in suffering. Such a person has turned life into positive and negative components, with the negative to be avoided rather than confronted. But avoiding what is there is not a healthful approach.
An integrated life must anticipate highs and lows, joy and melancholy, fulfillment and challenge.
Since suffering of some sort is unavoidable, it is better to be philosophical ready, and thus psychologically prepared for the inevitable suffering situation.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
