Is it possible, at all, for someone to be so lost - to life, to others, to him- or herself - that even the grace of God cannot reach that person? Is it possible that someone can be so bruised and battered by life, and his or her response to life that the possibility of life with others just cannot be realized?
Is it possible there are people who aren't psychotic or sociopathic who nevertheless are incapable of love?
In the film What Dreams May Come, there is an image of Hell in which people, surrounded by others damned are incapable of reaching out, of communicating, of seeing how they have isolated themselves in their suffering. For me, what is most haunting about that image is that these people are, in essence, continuing the lives they led. They have defined their existence by isolation, by that inward turn that makes them incapable of seeing the person to their left and right, before and behind, who, if simply approached and seen and heard - really seen and really heard - might rescue them from the prison they have created. They may not even know they have died, let alone that they are in hell. The suffering just goes on and on and on . . .
These questions disturb me, that image from that movie disturbs me. The reason should be obvious. We all have known a person or two in our lives, I believe, for whom life is not endless possibility, but mere existence in the midst of suffering. I am not speaking here of those silly bourgeois "victims" we meet; nor am I speaking of those who live in marginalized communities, defined as "outside" by the majority. Rather, I am speaking of those rare people who just seem unreachable. Whatever the source of their "lostness" to others, they are, indeed, lost.
Any thoughts?
2 comments:
Reminds me of C.S. Lewis' idea that the doors in hell are locked on the inside.
It seems to me that the people you describe aren't so much sinful as they are sick. Ill. Broken. In desperate need of healing. I suppose the problem is that they would reject any attempt to help, since the kind of healing they need requires exactly the kind of contact they are incapable of.
If these are the denizens of hell, then hell can be understood as a place of refuge, or at least of necessary separation.
But perhaps these truly lost are not destined for hell. Perhaps it is foolish naiveté, but I like to hope that people who are lost to other people are still within the reach of God's grace; that death does not limit God's healing grace, and these people will be healed so that they may be able to "hear the Gospel" and come to live in loving relationships, and thus be spared from hell.
I believe in redemption. I believe that nothing can separate us from the love of God. I believe that the only thing that can separate us from God's grace is our own choice.
I believe that repeated rejections of God's grace (and I hope anyone can understand what I mean by that... Not so much in the old Baptist sense of refusing to "go forward" during an "alter call...") does make it easier to KEEP rejecting God's grace, that doing so hardens our heart and makes repentance that much harder.
I agree with you that self-imposed isolation can be a self-fulfilling deed.
"No, THOSE people are not part of my community! And certainly not THOSE people. Maybe THAT guy... whoops, no! he believes something wrong, HE's not part of my faith community. Alas, where are the strong and faithful, like me??"
Cutting people out and cutting people out until we live in an isolated hell of our own creation.
Post a Comment