Part 389. A life of misery.

"The true horror of existence is not the fear of death, but the fear of life. It is the fear of waking up each day to face the same struggles, the same disappointments, the same pain. It is the fear that nothing will ever change, that you are trapped in a cycle of suffering that you cannot escape. And in that fear, there is a desperation, a longing for something, anything, to break the monotony, to bring meaning to the endless repetition of days."

— Albert Camus, The Fall

Stark but real, as I testify from personal experience and from witnessing the lives of others imprisoned in a life of poverty, discrimination or marginalisation.  Society and politicians fail individuals caught up in this life of despair.  Christians peddling the need for repentance and salvation as the ticket to the kingdom of heaven, whilst ignoring the call of Jesus to work for the kingdom on earth, offer no solace, comfort or escape route from the misery of everyday life, from hand to mouth existence, from loan sharks, from any number of debilitating factors.

It is no wonder that church attendance by the poorer sections of society has fallen off faster than amongst the better off.  Fundamentalist evangelical doctrine and theology has much to answer for.  It is an irrelevance in the life of people struggling to survive in the cycle of suffering.  Individuals caught up in this situation need hope that things will change now, not at some indeterminate time in a heavenly kingdom.  Liberation theology is one step in the right direction, so is deconstruction from damaging theology and doctrine. The vital element is that of engagement in the society around us  helping at point of need, but above all striving to engage successfully with those in  positions of power to make systemic change.