Religion and Suffering

I recently learned about a new and intriguing concept regarding religion and suffering.

No, its not about how much religion makes us suffer. Back when I was younger and fed my counterwill, I felt hostile everytime I saw someone genuflect at church. I thought, "Why are people inflicting suffering on themselves in the name of religion, crushing their kneecaps while bowing to a piece of bread?"

Things have changed a bit for me. Now I have thoughts like, "Oh, my God, its God! I want to fall flat on my face to show You how much I love you! You are amazingly loving and You are here every time I come! Thank You!"

In the last decade or so, I have learned that there is plenty of suffering in the world. We dont need to create any extra through flogging or flagellation. This has been a path through Buddhism and healthy emotional growth that have allowed me to learn how to reduce my suffering. Staying in the moment, counting my blessings, being optimistic, finding that silver lining in the prophetic cloud... Ceasing to create crisis where there is none, and minimizing that suffering which we cannot avoid.

But... and end result of that was a belief that all suffering could be eliminated. And Buddhism would teach me that I can do this myself.

But I cannot. Not all by myself.

Perhaps this is MY mis-interpretation of Buddhism. I still love the Dharma Path very much and find much truth in it. Eastern Orthodoxy is very similar to Buddhism of the East. But I cannot practice Buddhism without God. And when God enters the picture, I realize that Jesus was a Buddha. Both a Buddha and a human man...and God. The Buddha does not talk about God. The Saints are Buddhas too. And Bodhisattvas. But only one is also God. And that is Jesus. An ultimate Buddha, Jesus is the God of Compassion and Love and Mercy.

Jesus takes mercy on us. He empathises with our pain, our suffering. And he does one thing more. He says,

"I will take on your suffering. If you trust enough to hand it over- to offer it to Me, I will carry it for you."

And then Jesus lets us in on a little secret. "I will carry your suffering for you whenever you ask. And when you realize that you are capable, you can carry some of your own suffering - never alone! I am here- but you can handle it. And what is more, you can offer your suffering up in My name. And I will see your suffering as a beautiful prayer to restore goodness into the world."

Well, maybe he doesnt use exactly those word. But, you know.

 I have learned in the last three years that I can actually offer that suffering up for a better purpose. In Bradley Method childbirth class, we were taught that pain with a purpose can make us strong. Pain we dont understand brings us fear and more pain.

Its the same thing with God. God gives us a purpose for our pain. He creates meaning from our suffering. From His own suffering.

A sign of a religion's depth and maturity is in how it handles suffering. A religion that uses parlor tricks to reduce or eliminate suffering is shallow indeed. A religion that denies suffering altogether may be a cult. Religions that teach that suffering is the point may be missing the point! And a religion that says that we are on our own, both in creating and dealing with suffering is very lonely.

A mature religion teaches us that, Yes, suffering is real, but we can control it to some degree. Inevitably, all suffering cannot cease unless through the hands of an immensely higher power, not through justice and smiting, but through compassion and love. But not without that higher power. And with the suffering that is left, the suffering that must exist in an imperfect world, we may choose to make it mean something. Not justifications but true meaning in the purpose and path of God.

This is different than believing that God purposes us to suffer. No. Suffering exists. It is a condition of our existance. God wants us to be happy, healthy and whole. So when we do suffer, and we offer it to God, He allows our suffering, our pain, to be turned into something good. And that good may come back to us in emotional relief and faith. Or it may become a prayer for those who cannot pray. Or it may enlighten our relationship with God and humans through compassion, understanding, patience, forgiveness, mercy...

Offering up our suffering can make us, through God's will, virtuous. Not sanctimonious, but deeper, more real, and authentic.

A few years ago, when I saw a crucifix- a bloodied and battered Christ hanging on a cross- I reacted very differently than I do today.

I would shudder and feel anger. How dare someone force that horrid image on me, or worse yet, my children! It is traumatizing!

But only if you do not understand it, which I did not. Now when I see the crucifix, I know that Jesus- in His humanity- KNOWS what it is to suffer. Physically. Emotionally. Spiritually. He wanted to know so that He could know US. This is what makes Him a Buddha. Ultimate empathy. Metta Karuna. Unpresidented compassion. But He is more. I know, when I see the crucifix, that Jesus understands me and that he has the power to carry and transform my suffering into something beautiful.