Enduring pain for eternity?

My experience of life is that I keep feeling pain so long as I haven't learned whatever lesson is linked to the situation I'm unconciously repeating. I find my negative thinking painful, but I find learning life lessons very painful as well. A big part of me would prefer not to have to fight my habits and thoughts; not to have to live on this base planet. Since I cannot terminate my soul and stop the reincarnation process, I feel like I do not have freedom of choice. I will keep reincarnating until I become what God wants me to become so I cannot choose not to play the game. If I do, I must endure an eternity of pain. SOme choice! Why would 'God' create zillions of independent intellects that are unenlightened and then force them - through the infliction of pain - to become just like him (enlightened)? It's like making a mess just to see it being cleaned up.

Sandra

Suffering is the BEST way to learn. Human nature is such that we learn only when we HAVE to. For example, I have only learnt to live when it was time for me to die.

The most important is to note that virtually ALL suffering is caused by ignorance. Reducing ignorance, both yours and others (by provoking others to THINK) is the most direct way to eliminate suffering. My contribution is to make discoveries and expand the CONTEXT of our existence on Earth. Have you seen NU journal.net ?

I do not agree that you need to "endure pain for eternity" and that you do not have any choice. Your choice is very simple - experience suffering, SEEK a way to eliminate it (by increasing your Understanding) and Evolve OR stop thinking altogether and cease to exist.

When you give up thinking - your consciousness is not "refreshed". When the memory in your computer is not refreshed frequently enough - it becomes BLANK. The same happens to your consciousness. You have a choice - either to use it or loose it. What do you choose?

What helps me immensely to endure and overcome difficulties that arise in my life is imagining how much the Great Intellect had to suffer ALONE in the darkness before IT became intelligent enough to Design the Universe that actually works. My suffering becomes totally insignificant...

Tom