My Religion Is Love

There is something in the very nature of my freedom that inclines me to love, to do good, to dedicate myself to others. I have an instinct that tells me that I am less free when I am living for myself alone. The reason for this is that I cannot be completely independent. Since I am not self-sufficient I depend on someone else for my fulfillment. My freedom is not fully free when left to itself. It becomes so when it is brought into the right relation with freedom of another.  --Thomas Merton, 1915 – 1968

In a random moment in the car today, I was imagining what I would answer if asked by a panel of Unitarian Universalist scholars (say a panel who could decide if I were eligible to be a minister--hypothetically) what my "religion" was.  Of course, I'm a devout UU.  But within that, I could define my faith in many different ways, drawing upon many of the religions of the world.  But my answer would be simple. 

My religion is love. 

I don't want this to sound too simplistic or Pollyanna.  I don't mean this in a way that we don't look at the complex challenges out there in a discerning way.  But almost every decision I make is (or should be) based in the question "Is this the most loving way to respond to this situation?" 

We are not meant to live solitary lives; we live in community and how we treat each other matters.  I think we need to look at the greater good in a loving, compassionate way. 

If I look at why I'm a democrat, it's because I believe their policies are the most loving and compassionate to all people.  If I look at why I believe in earth-based religious philosophies, it is because it is the most loving to the earth.  I don't believe in the death penalty or torture because they are the furthest from loving practices. 

In this time of political discourse (that's what I always hope it will be and yet it seems to be a time of political hate), I try to look at the other side and see them as loving humans, but it is hard for me.  Because often I see selfishness and greediness.  I have to conclude that they don't believe in love as much as I do.  And that makes me sad, but what I can do about that is to live my life so darned loudly that they see the power of love and hope to embrace it more in their lives.