Does a strong faith help when we lose a loved one?
What impact does the loss of a loved one have on our faith?
I know I can't do justice to these topics, but some thoughts...
I think the answer to the first question is obviously yes. You may disagree, of course, and prefer to call "faith" something else - perhaps - "wishful thinking", "pie in the sky when you die", "delusional thinking" etc.
I don't think anyone would argue that a simple childlike (and yes possibly deluded) faith can be helpful for those dying or those grieving the loss of another.
The second question is perhaps more interesting. When we lose a loved one our faith may be shaken - it may be destroyed. What kind of God would allow, or for those who believe in predestination - script, the death of someone we love - when that death is painful, seemingly meaningless or in the case of a young person - much too soon?
What kind of a God?
Grief over personal losses are so close to us - vivid - painful; but what if we expanded our question?
What kind of a God allows - war, hunger, disease, abuse, murder or any other tragic senseless suffering?
Each of us has to work this out. I shouldn't say we have to - we could accept what a preacher tells us, or reject religion completely or numb ourselves up with whatever we choose. However - if we want to transcend - to grow - we have to sweat it out, work on it, live it, suffer through it...with fear and trembling - anger, frustration and pain.
There's no answer.
You just end up with a bunch of scars, and your hair starts to fall out, and your skin gets all saggy and wrinkly, and you forget stuff (thank God in some instances). But like the Skin Horse you will know if you stay in the fight - that you lived, loved and were loved...you became real.
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