The Root of Conspiracy
So it is that we conspire without even acknowledging what we are doing. We inherently know that our silent complicity will be rewarded. We are conditioned into a progression of behavior that, without temperance, leads to our participation in the abuse and neglect of fellow human beings. Finally, we become players in a conspiracy that threatens to undo us all.
In this way, believers seem indistinguishable from non-believers. Silence happens at every level of society. It can be found at home, at work, at school, even in our places of worship. It invades the world of politics and breeds in corporations and organizations of every size and kind. And the conspiracy entices many within today’s congregations of faith.
Many respond to the problem of suffering with no response at all. Whether they in fact stand on the side of the executioner or on the side of the oppressed victim remains hidden by choice. Those sitting on the sidelines ensconce themselves in a stony silence and become unwitting participants in the perpetuation of unnecessary suffering.
Sure, we say the right things or give a token donation or a few days’ time. But are we changed? In honesty, how often do we enter into the suffering of another and truly share the cup of sorrow? Do we love or care in a manner that transforms who we are? Or do we involve ourselves only when it is the morally or politically expedient thing to do?
What are we afraid of? Do we fear that approaching the unanswerable questions surrounding sin and suffering might hurt the Christian witness? Or do we crouch in such cowardly fashion because we are afraid our own sin will be exposed if we dare to speak? Perhaps it is both and more. We are afraid of letting loose and trusting God, of accepting pain and embracing joy, of confronting hate and knowing love.
Turning our eyes from corporate sin and the abuse of power creates a mental safety net that allows us to feel protected from the threat of others exposing our own weakness and sin.
But ultimately, when we remain silent in the face of suffering or the victimization of others, we shortchange ourselves. We leave our souls little choice but to remain trapped in the early stages of the grief process. Anger and denial become the strongholds to which we cling. We say we are not like them, never would be. By doing so, we fail to befriend that within us which has the capacity to do the same.
Until we fully accept the reality of sin and suffering, we will not be free to rely on the Spirit to guide us through the treacherous waters of life. Our minds will not be open to illumination until we see evil around us and call it what it is. Until we “become real,” like the beloved Velveteen Rabbit of children’s literature, we cannot hope to know Love and is true value in our lives.
We are called according to His purpose. It is high time that we find the courage to shed conspiracies that no longer serve us toward this end.
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