Withering Away: The Problem of Suffering
As I write today, I am presenting symptoms of an uncomfortable but inconsequential infection of my respiratory system, among other things. I am being demanded of more than i consider right or fair by those I live with, but that's subjective, and in part due to the fact that these demands have forced a complete reversal of my sleep schedule and are interfering with my recovery. I am being oppressed on many sides by many different concerns.
I am also listening to a fellow named Joel Goldsmith's talks, many of which are apparently available on YouTube. They've reminded me of something I often forget about in my immersion in the business of being human. I realized not long ago that the most important thing I could conceivably do with my time is to do whatever it takes to stay in touch with my higher self. That still, small voice, that intuition, the gentle nudging of Spirit that for some of us is more of a clear and present guide who will politely point out things which might interest you, but will not interrupt you on your journey. Today we're going to be getting very spiritual.
A classic challenge to the existence of a God and particularly a benevolent God is the question of suffering. If such a being exists, then why all this sickness and violence and poverty and death and awful bloody struggle?
Mr. Goldsmith suggests the answer might be found in the book of John, chapter 15. Here we see God likened to a vine-dresser or gardener, Christ being the vine, and all of us the branches. By remaining in contact with the vine, by keeping in touch with truth, we thrive. Anyone who loses touch is like a branch cut off, withering up and dying and eventually to be burned.
I don't like where many people would go with that, and it's not necessary to go the hellfire and damnation route with this scripture. It's simply pointing out a significant and necessary truth. If there is a being who is omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, then such a being is already doing its best for you simply by BEING. So where's the leak in the supply line? It's got to be you and me, hasn't it? It must be the belief that there is anything else. By losing touch with that truth, by losing touch with the fact that there is only one power in all the universe, we start starving ourselves. We wither. We're running on the wrong juice.
To me, the metaphor presented in the Genesis narrative even clinches this. The whole problem started when Adam and Eve were deceived into thinking that something besides Good existed. They ate fruit from the tree which told them there were two powers, not one; given this vastly different perspective, it's easy to start having very strange ideas about how the universe actually works. When you believe that there is something working against you, you become very deeply invested in competition, hoarding, warfare, slavery, getting one over on anyone who could threaten you, always having more. When your perspective is the opposite, that everything that there is is working optimally in your favor, you begin to value cooperation, sharing, creativity, community, equality, and abundance for all, no one excluded.
And then someone comes along and says, " Yes, but..."
Their arguments are so reasonable. So rational. We must be careful. We must be practical. This spirituality business is all well and good, but it doesn't get the bills paid. So we get distracted. We get cut off. We wither. We fade. We burn.
What do I have to do to stay in constant touch? I'm tired of withering, guys.
I'm tired of being tempted away from the only thing that actually lastingly makes my quality of life something above shit by things like the laws of physics, the functional theories of metaphysical phenomena, the need for empiricism, the need to prove anything instead of just living it out if it works....
Feeling alive gets me to get up and live much more efficiently than getting up and living makes me feel alive. When I am watered and fed I yield fruit; I am not rewarded for my fruit with water and sunlight and soil.
I value my intellect a lot, okay? I do. But sometimes I feel like it's getting in the way instead of helping me. I feel like that a lot, actually.
I think this is gonna be a major meditation for me from now on.
I am also listening to a fellow named Joel Goldsmith's talks, many of which are apparently available on YouTube. They've reminded me of something I often forget about in my immersion in the business of being human. I realized not long ago that the most important thing I could conceivably do with my time is to do whatever it takes to stay in touch with my higher self. That still, small voice, that intuition, the gentle nudging of Spirit that for some of us is more of a clear and present guide who will politely point out things which might interest you, but will not interrupt you on your journey. Today we're going to be getting very spiritual.
A classic challenge to the existence of a God and particularly a benevolent God is the question of suffering. If such a being exists, then why all this sickness and violence and poverty and death and awful bloody struggle?
Mr. Goldsmith suggests the answer might be found in the book of John, chapter 15. Here we see God likened to a vine-dresser or gardener, Christ being the vine, and all of us the branches. By remaining in contact with the vine, by keeping in touch with truth, we thrive. Anyone who loses touch is like a branch cut off, withering up and dying and eventually to be burned.
I don't like where many people would go with that, and it's not necessary to go the hellfire and damnation route with this scripture. It's simply pointing out a significant and necessary truth. If there is a being who is omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, then such a being is already doing its best for you simply by BEING. So where's the leak in the supply line? It's got to be you and me, hasn't it? It must be the belief that there is anything else. By losing touch with that truth, by losing touch with the fact that there is only one power in all the universe, we start starving ourselves. We wither. We're running on the wrong juice.
To me, the metaphor presented in the Genesis narrative even clinches this. The whole problem started when Adam and Eve were deceived into thinking that something besides Good existed. They ate fruit from the tree which told them there were two powers, not one; given this vastly different perspective, it's easy to start having very strange ideas about how the universe actually works. When you believe that there is something working against you, you become very deeply invested in competition, hoarding, warfare, slavery, getting one over on anyone who could threaten you, always having more. When your perspective is the opposite, that everything that there is is working optimally in your favor, you begin to value cooperation, sharing, creativity, community, equality, and abundance for all, no one excluded.
And then someone comes along and says, " Yes, but..."
Their arguments are so reasonable. So rational. We must be careful. We must be practical. This spirituality business is all well and good, but it doesn't get the bills paid. So we get distracted. We get cut off. We wither. We fade. We burn.
What do I have to do to stay in constant touch? I'm tired of withering, guys.
I'm tired of being tempted away from the only thing that actually lastingly makes my quality of life something above shit by things like the laws of physics, the functional theories of metaphysical phenomena, the need for empiricism, the need to prove anything instead of just living it out if it works....
Feeling alive gets me to get up and live much more efficiently than getting up and living makes me feel alive. When I am watered and fed I yield fruit; I am not rewarded for my fruit with water and sunlight and soil.
I value my intellect a lot, okay? I do. But sometimes I feel like it's getting in the way instead of helping me. I feel like that a lot, actually.
I think this is gonna be a major meditation for me from now on.
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