Why do some have to suffer more for Christ while others do not?

[Bill_Martin]

This reminds me of one of my favorite quotes.

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle” --Rev. John Watson

We have no idea what kind of burdens are carried by others. In a way this is comforting, since even the happiest looking, most carefree person you know suffers, and sometimes terribly. We’re never, ever alone in suffering.

 

[mikekle]

No one likes their looks, not even girls who are considered pretty. The beauty magazines make it look like their models are perfect, but they aren’t. Those pictures are altered and air-brushed. It’s a fantasy meant to sell beauty product)

Ive heard this statement a number of times, and I do understand what they are saying, but they are also wrong, on a daily basis, I see more than a few people who I consider to be good enough to be on the cover of a magazine, and Im seeing them in real life, they do not need any airbrushing or alterations, so people like this DO exist.

Plus, I dont know about anyone else, but Ive noticed as the generations go by, people tend to get better and better looking, take a look at any yearbook from the 1960s or 70s, it was fairly common to see very ‘ethnic’ features, you can pretty easily tell who had german parents, who had italian parents, etc etc. there seemed to be alot more ‘ugly ducklings’ than I see in 2015. Ive heard the argument for this is that the further we get away from our ancestors, we also get further away from particular looks, such a german features, Italian features, and so on, people are inter-mingling more now, people from certain places dont stick together like they once did, its common now for kids to not even associate with any ethnicity, they are just white, black, or asian.

Hopefully I was able to convey what I wanted to say here, Just seems like the majority of young people I see today (ages from about 15-18), are pretty good looking people, I rarely see any ugly ducklings.

 

[Della]

Ive heard this statement a number of times, and I do understand what they are saying, but they are also wrong, on a daily basis, I see more than a few people who I consider to be good enough to be on the cover of a magazine, and Im seeing them in real life, they do not need any airbrushing or alterations, so people like this DO exist.

Plus, I dont know about anyone else, but Ive noticed as the generations go by, people tend to get better and better looking, take a look at any yearbook from the 1960s or 70s, it was fairly common to see very ‘ethnic’ features, you can pretty easily tell who had german parents, who had italian parents, etc etc. there seemed to be alot more ‘ugly ducklings’ than I see in 2015. Ive heard the argument for this is that the further we get away from our ancestors, we also get further away from particular looks, such a german features, Italian features, and so on, people are inter-mingling more now, people from certain places dont stick together like they once did, its common now for kids to not even associate with any ethnicity, they are just white, black, or asian.

Hopefully I was able to convey what I wanted to say here, Just seems like the majority of young people I see today (ages from about 15-18), are pretty good looking people, I rarely see any ugly ducklings.

People in real life look very different from people on film. I know because I have taken filmmaking classes. Some do look fine as they are, but trust me, most people need special lights, make-up, and other techniques to look “good” in a picture. That’s why they hire professionals to take pictures not simply people with iphones.

I would hope no one would be held up for ridicule because of their ethnic looks. It’s true that as various peoples intermarry they lose their ethnic variations, but it doesn’t mean they look better because of that. No one is really an ugling duckling, but people can be cruel and thoughtless, especially young people who are going through puberty and the “pecking order” syndrome of adolescence.

 

[IrishAm]

You are right. I have not suffered more than others do. That is horrible assumption. I have money, a family, etc. Why aren’t I happy though?

Oh, my friend, this is your real question, isn’t it? Sounds like there is a big hole in your heart, or in your soul, that isn’t being filled. I’m sorry you feel that way. Whether it is something with which a good counselor or a good spiritual director can help, I hope you find him/her/them. There are as many answers to that question as there are people who ask it . . .