I keep thinking about the Christian talking point about "crosses we have to bear" or whatever, and then they go on to allude to having to deal with abuse, trauma, poverty, oppression, etc. as examples of "crosses" that people are just supposed to deal with as a test of faith.

The problem with this, though, is that, that's not what THE cross *is*. The cross that Jesus carried wasn't a test of faith. He'd healed people in ways that go beyond contemporary medicine at the time, I'm pretty sure He was aware that He's the freakin Son of God.

The cross he carried was a service to others. He carried that cross, knowing that He was going to die, but in doing so, the original sin of humans would be purged. His suffering wasn't to prove anything to God, it was to serve others.

Which, interestingly enough, is something that the people who obsess over carrying crosses seem to just never do. Oppression isn't a cross to bear, but fighting oppression is. Trauma isn't a cross to bear, but accommodating and preventing trauma is.

Poverty isn't a cross to bear, but redistributing resources, opening up access to resources, and voluntary poverty are. Crosses aren't supposed to be difficult for the sake of being difficult, they're supposed to be in service to others.

In Christian mythology, the first being ever to lift up a cross, to be willing to die in service of others, was wholly human. As human beings who follow Christ, we should be following this example, instead of using it as a selfish, scapegoating excuse to be lazy and cruel.

I'm still trying to figure out what my crosses are, and to be honest with myself if I'm willing to die on them. My faith isn't just a commitment to God, but a commitment to my fellow humans as well. It's vile how other people's "faith" is just a guise for their greed and cruelty.