Darkness, Desire, and Pain

[four1298]

Bishop Nikolaj said, "Cast the world out of yourself, my heart, and then observe how feeble it is." Inspired by this, I think it can be said to cast out the darkness from your mind and perhaps even desire and pain. What does it mean to cast out desire? I think it's about accepting your lot despite what you may think is pain. I'm not sure, but my point may be related to the serenity prayer - you can be serene if you accept what you can't change?

What is darkness? Well, it's said Jesus is light. What is light? I think the term "light at the end of the tunnel" is insightful. Things will get better. (Really though, God is already in the present...) Another example that points to freedom from pain is the definition of "sunny" which is related to light. "Sunny" can mean "cheerful" or in other words not bogged down.

Maybe when The Bible says that "the truth will set you free" it includes freedom from pain. Maybe when you shift your focus to the future of Heaven which is a truth, you can forget about the present?

 

[dumbozhina]

Religious suffering is, at one and the same time, the expression of real suffering and a protest against real suffering. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people.

The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is the demand for their real happiness. To call on them to give up their illusions about their condition is to call on them to give up a condition that requires illusions. The criticism of religion is, therefore, in embryo, the criticism of that vale of tears of which religion is the halo.