The Cultural Lie of Suffering

As a part of my recent theological coursework, I was invited to reflect on “cultural lies.” These shadow belief systems reside deep within the collective consciousness to such a degree that they are often accepted as fact or simply taken for granted as base assumptions.  Absent questioning, these beliefs can push people to the margins and contribute to significant struggle.

For this reflection, I am opting to focus on the prevailing illusion that pain, disability, difficulty, struggle, and even some types of suffering are necessarily “bad.”  I wrote the following in my reflection last week, and I would like to carry it forward into this discussion:

"As humans, I believe that we are here to learn something that may seem paradoxical. It is our nature to cling to structures in ways that make us feel safe. But union with God requires an emptying that often feels like suffering." – Heather Thompson

This is where I believe a prevailing cultural lie can be observed and witnessed.  Suffering leaves people stripped of words and struggling to find a way to make meaning out of desperate circumstances. Yet we expect people to be able to articulate themselves in culturally appropriate ways.  Those that are suffering are often made to feel “less than” for their inability to express their suffering according to expected social norms.

We live at a time when words are given greater meaning than symbols, where we seem to take for granted the vast array of language that is accessible to the imaginative, creative and divinely inspired human mind.  This can be observed at all levels of our human structures, from the educational system to the corporate world to the power structures that rule nations.  We also see it throughout religion, where greater meaning is often assigned to the words of the bible, as opposed to the physical manifestation of God throughout all of Creation (Cosmos as scripture).  While this narrow definition of language is sufficient for the majority of the populous, it is the people on the margins – the very people that are suffering – that often lack the ability to express their truth. Thus, the entire notion of communication and expression must be redefined, in addition to the value associated with words as language, especially in light of the ineffable nature of theological discourse.  Art, poetry, music, color, intuition, contemplation are therefore all valuable methods of facilitating a deeper discourse. 

I find that I am continuously anchoring this alternative view in which other forms of communication are essential and valuable aspects of the theological discourse.  The “lie” or the “shadow” is still very much present as I struggle to hold onto the value of artistic expression as a means of communicating ideas far too complex for the spoken word. I find myself struggling to be a “good girl” – to attempt to flatten my theological insights into linear language - in order to try to fit into the prevailing culture; yet doing so feels entirely contrary to why I am exploring theology in the first place.  This is the danger of the lie, where those that are different become marginalized and/or contort themselves to “fit in.”

I am fortunate enough to be able to communicate this very issue using words.  It has been a long time coming. That said, there are far too many that simply cannot do the same.  We must become aware that there is incredible value to the language being spoken on the margins. It is simply incumbent upon each of us to learn to LISTEN.