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 %SALVATION PERFECT SUFFER DEPEND PLEASE ENJOY LOVE 910324

     It   is  dangerous to believe that  salvation depends
upon us suffering.    It is not dangerous  to believe that
suffering may  be  unavoidable.  If,  however,  we believe
that  our salvation depends upon us suffering, then we are
likely to make  the  mistakes  of  seeking  suffering  and
avoiding pleasure.    To  avoid  those tragic mistakes  we
need  to distinguish  between  believing that salvation is
a  free gift  and  believing that it is essential that  we
suffer greatly to achieve salvation.

     Salvation is not  achievable  through any technology,
means,  techniques,   procedures,   avoidances,  focusing,
etc.   The questions  pertaining  to  salvation  are   not
technical  questions,  because salvation is not a  problem
which  can be solved through technical procedures;  it  is
not  a technical problem.    The  dilemma of how  to  deal
with  the   issue   of salvation  is a  dilemma,    not  a
problem.    Problems  can  be solved  through the  use  of
techniques.    Dilemmas cannot be solved.  We may  respond
wisely or unwisely to dilemmas,  but we cannot solve them;
and nobody else can solve a dilemma for  us.   Others  may
wisely  demonstrate  how  to  wisely respond  to dilemmas,
but  they  cannot  demonstrate how  to  solve  a  dilemma,
either their own or ours.

     We face a dilemma as regards our relationships in the
face  of  the questions which arise when we deal with  the
issues  of  salvation,   redemption,  success,    arrival,
perfection,  progress,   etc.   Our dilemma in the face of
such  questions  involves    the   roles   of   suffering,
pain,    endurance,  sacrifice, courage, and patience;  in
contrast  to  the roles of pleasure,    joy,    happiness,
love,  consummation,   and ecstasy.

     If we believe  that  we can achieve perfect salvation
through  patiently enduring our  suffering  with  courage,
then  we are likely  to  try to perfect our own  salvation
by   actively  seeking   suffering;    and  also  actively
avoiding  pleasure, joy,   happiness,  love,  consummation
and  ecstasy.   Our misguided  belief will thus tragically
lead us to  pervert our conceptions,  and so actively seek
to do what leads to alienation and estrangement;    rather
than    actively   seek   to   do     what    leads     to
reconciliation,     being   together,  understanding  each
other,   and  sharing  our  joys  and pleasures.

     If  we  believe that great suffering is essential  to
our  achievement  of salvation,   we may regard  pleasure,
joy,   happiness,    love,    consummation and ecstasy  as
signs  of failure;  for they are not associated with great
suffering  which we regard as essential to salvation.   We
may  for  this reason  generate  taboos   which   prohibit
the   enjoyment,  giving,    sharing  or  receiving openly
and   honestly   any pleasure,   joy,   happiness,   love,
consummation or ecstasy.  In  this  way  we  may  imprison
ourselves   in    confused conceptions  which  mislead  us
into  evil  ways of  behaving.  Our beliefs  become  self-
fulfilling,   and we come to endure what  we believe to be
essential  to  our  salvation;    but in  reality  we  are
disintegrating  and  losing  both our  personal  and   our
communal  integrity because  of  our  misleading  beliefs.
In   the  confusion generated by  our  misleading  beliefs
we  confuse disintegration with  salvation,   and there is
no  honesty,    health,   hope,  love,   joy,    pleasure,
happiness,  consummation or ecstasy in our lives;  and  we
wonder why.

     It  is  dangerous to believe that  salvation  depends
upon us suffering.    It  is not dangerous to believe that
suffering may  be  unavoidable.  If,  however,  we believe
that  our salvation depends upon us suffering, then we are
likely to make  the  mistakes  of  seeking  suffering  and
avoiding pleasure.    To  avoid  those tragic mistakes  we
need  to distinguish  between  believing that salvation is
a  free gift,   and believing that it is essential that we
suffer greatly to achieve salvation.

                                                                                                                               
                         (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in      
                    (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)  
                                                                                                                               
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