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Letters
MOVING THROUGH SUFFERING
I READ with interest ‘How do we move through suffering?’ (Salvationist 11 December) and would like to add some personal thoughts and experiences, which may broaden the exploration of the subject.
I would like to comment on author Matt Little’s assertion that ‘the stigma that used to surround mental health is being dismantled’, where he discussed ‘high profile personalities ... showing courageous vulnerability despite the potential backlash’.
While I agree in part, as someone who has experienced serious mental health issues for the past 22 years I have personally experienced stigma alongside many of the people who continue to be my friends. Many of us had to retire early, including a care home manager, a primary school teacher, a senior school teacher, a physiotherapist, a young man halfway through university, who will never be able to complete his course, and me, a probation officer.
All of us would agree with Matt that the only way to deal with suffering is to face it head-on – the truth is that we had little choice. Enduring mental health problems are lifelong experiences, as are the stigma and discrimination that come with them. My experiences have confirmed there is little change in attitudes towards people living with mental health problems.
Unlike some of my friends I do have a personal knowledge of Jesus Christ and The Salvation Army has always been my spiritual home. However, I would like to feel that The Salvation Army incorporates mental health within its wider training programmes, so that a broader understanding of mental health is achieved.
I thank Matt for the reminder that, even if there is no end in sight, we can face the suffering knowing that Jesus is right there with us and that he calls us gently not to give up hope.
ON THE SUBJECT OF HELL
MANY people struggle to come to terms with the concept of Hell, as described by the phrase ‘the endless punishment of the wicked’ in doctrine 11. For some, the concept is outdated, but Hell cannot be so easily dismissed.
The New Testament alone has more than 160 references that warn of Hell and more than 70 of them were uttered by Jesus. There are such phrases as ‘weeping and gnashing of teeth’ (Matthew 8:12), ‘outer darkness’ (Matthew 25:30 New Living Translation) and ‘tormented in this flame’ (Luke 16:24 New King James Version). Jesus made a sharp contrast between believers and unbelievers.
Some people dismiss Hell because they conclude that God’s love will gather everyone into Heaven. This is a back door theology called universalism – the belief that every human being will finally come to enjoy the everlasting salvation that Christians experience in the here and now. Is this something that is expressed by Peter when he writes that Jesus ‘went and preached to the spirits in prison’ (1 Peter 3:19 NLT)? Could this be the gospel of the second chance?
Notwithstanding that none need perish for Christ has died, we still need a definitive answer on this subject.
Cliff Kent Major Beckenham
A SENSE OF SELF-WORTH
IN the 20 November 2021 issue of Salvationist there was a report of the 2021 Officers Councils, where the main topic was identity. Never has there been a better time for such discussions, for there has been a sharp increase in young people who, feeling unloved and unwanted, have taken their own lives. How grateful am I to those in the Army who created within me a feeling of self-worth and belonging.
As a corps cadet, I learnt to sing with assurance: ‘Now I belong to Jesus,/ Jesus belongs to me,/ Not for the years of time alone,/ But for eternity’ (SASB 874). If it had not been for such love and devotion, would I still be here at 89? How many of those who played with me in the YP band or sang in the singing company were lost because of unkind words or having heavy burdens placed on young shoulders?
At Leytonstone the youth had Sunday night fellowship to discuss things that were of concern to them. One night they were talking about becoming soldiers. One young woman declared that she would like to be a soldier and wear a uniform, but for ‘that bonnet’. She was given time to work things out and, less than a month later, she was in full uniform, bonnet and all. (Later she was the first to buy her hat from SP&S!)
Joe Schultz Bournemouth
A PERFECT WORLD
I AM grateful to Major Nigel Bovey for his Bible study ‘The reason for the season’ (Salvationist 4 December 2021). Major Bovey asserted that God created a perfect world. However, may I respectfully suggest that this is not the case. The Creation story does not mention the word ‘perfect’, rather the expression ‘and God saw that it was good’ (Genesis 1:25) and also ‘it was so’ (Genesis 1:24). The first time the word ‘perfect’ appears in Scripture is in relation to Noah (see Genesis 6:9 King James Bible).
My observation is in no way a criticism. I am merely pointing out that, theologically speaking, God’s plan was never to create a ‘perfect’ world to rival Heaven, but to create an environment where the pinnacle of his creative power (humankind) could ultimately achieve a heavenly state (perfection) through Jesus Christ.
