"Pain is the touchstone to all spiritual progress"
Peace and Love
2006-07-21 04:59:35 · 11 answers · asked by digilook 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
No.
Love is. The love we feel for others, the love they feel for us.
2006-07-21 05:06:42 · answer #1 · answered by bobkgin 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not necessarily. Like salt, it may be an ingredient we add to enhance the flavor of a dish, but it was not called for in the recipe. While God can and does use pain to get our attention and often to chasten us, it was not and is not His original and present perfect plan for us. Just as an architect does not include the bodily injuries of the laborers of his skyscraper in his original blueprints, neither does God do so in our lives. I would find the quote much more accurate and effective if it read: “Jesus is the touchstone to all spiritual practice.” That there is often pain, separation, negation and loss in following Christ is the cost in this life to be his disciple. But whatever the apparent cost, it shall be shown to be worth it in the end. The world is passing away and all that is in it. That He should try to separate us from it shows His love. He is trying to spare us the greater pain of separation if we were to be wed to it and then one day have to be ripped from its tentacles to be with Him.
2006-07-21 05:40:10 · answer #2 · answered by michael s 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm convinced that the pain of separation, of being unfulfilled and empty drives people to seek spirituality. But, once spirituality is found, I believe, progress is driven by a desire for an ever closer relationship with a personal God. I don't understand how pain relates to spiritual progress, but that may be my problem.
2006-07-21 05:13:46 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Disagree - Not to all spiritual progress. Some spiritual progress can be achieved through life experiences that do not yield pain. e.g. seeing your children grow and mature, just being in the great outdoors and marveling in it's glory. Seeing people change their demeanor through others kindness and caring. I would say pain is an avenue to spiritual progress but not to all. That would be saying you can only progress spiritually through pain.
2006-07-21 05:13:18 · answer #4 · answered by curiosity 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree to some extent... if no pain, we never stop to think about life, in general, we never stop enjoying it - that would lead to excesses and block the spiritual development of the individual.
But, I think pain should be administered in bearable proportions, cause otherwise it is c-r-u-e-l-t-y and masochism - no extremes are good, in neither directions: be it pain or enjoyment!
Moreover, there comes a moment when a person is developed enough to learn from life withour pain... and that is excellent, that is the level one should aim to achieve - it is called self-consciousness... the moment when you don't need external pains or reminders for yourself any more to be ethical, and spiritual.
2006-07-21 07:39:09 · answer #5 · answered by Hibernating Ladybird 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no i dont agree that it is the touchstone.....it leads you to believe that you will not achieve spiritual progress without pain and i believe that pain is only part of it....i can achieve spiritual progress through joy, laughter, inner peace, a beautiful sunset, a rainbow, the smell of fresh cut grass.......you get the point
2006-07-21 05:07:12 · answer #6 · answered by cookiesmom 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
True, because various miseries (pain) of this material world get us closer to the realization that this world is full of miseries. This is also confirmed by Lord Krishna in Srimad Bhagwad Gita.
2006-07-21 05:05:23 · answer #7 · answered by CompassionateSoul 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would agree with this statement.
Through pain I have learned tolerance, compassion and numerous other things.
2006-07-21 05:07:05 · answer #8 · answered by Epona Willow 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Agree, because
i have learnt that through pain there is no gain.
2006-07-21 05:09:27 · answer #9 · answered by ♥ Bekka ♥ 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
pain is weakness leaving the body. That which does not kill us makes us stronger.
2006-07-21 05:05:29 · answer #10 · answered by dwaynej 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋