Dan Brooks's Blog, page 23

Profaning The Name

In terms of leadership the community bears responsibility for the actions of those elected into office just as any church and church community bears some responsibility for its clergy.
The powers and authority of leaders rests on the support of their community. In tyrannical regimes the complicity of good people is what allows horrors to take place.
But does God require the support of His people?
He does, to some extent. Nothing we do or don't do will affect His standing. But without His people supporting Him the effects He works will go unnoticed or ignored. Many people refuse to acknowledge His existence and those with faith bicker about who He really is and what He's really said.
But it is still possible to profane His name. Profaning the name in Judaism has meant for thousands of years to commit a sin public ally and attach Gods name to it to give it weight and authority and make something evil be seen as Godly.
Blessing the atomic weapons that killed innocent and unarmed women and children in WWII to me is an obvious example. Our Savior said we should love our enemies. I don't see how murder qualifies as a loving act.
Or politicians constantly invoking the name of God as they govern according to the false gospel of Ayn Rand is another example.
But invoking the name of God to justify killing His children is to me the worst profaning that can be done.
Jesus was clear that His new commandment to love one another as He loved us was to be heard and followed.
Jesus gives us specific examples of what loving our brothers and sisters looks like:

And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. Matthew 25:32-46

Where in scripture does Christ offer justification for killing? When in His life did He ever take a life? He healed a soldier Peter had injured when He was arrested and taken to be beaten and crucified.

Jesus prayed for God to forgive the men who beat and crucified Him. He did not pray for retribution.

This is what He said of retribution:

38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Matthew 5:38-39

Gandhi and Dr.King understood this teaching to be both literal and metaphorical. That understanding is where the tactics of non-violent resistance sprang from.

It speaks volumes about Hesus that though His home was under Roman occupation He never took a life in the name of a God, rather Ge gave His life in the name of God and glorified His name rather than profaned His name.

Jesus Was A Feminist

Jesus was a feminist because He treated all He met with the same love, compassion and understanding.
The number of women in the Old Testament who are mentioned by name are few but in the New Testament there are more, and this fact is not lost on scholars but seems to be lost on the faithful.
Mary and her sister Martha knew Jesus well. Mary Magdelene was said to be the apostle to the apostles in early Christianity. Women were more than important to the Jesus movement some of them played crucial roles.
Like Mary Magdelene who was the first to see the risen Christ.
Jesus broke the taboos of His time to minister to women like the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4.
He told the parable of the Good Samaritan which turns a enemy of the Jewish people like a Samsritan into a hero.
Jesus did not play favorites when it came to social status, rich or poor, young or old, sinner or saint, man or woman-all He ever saw were children of God and He treated them with the respect and love and understanding deserved by Gods' children.
Equality to me is what feminism is all about. It's not about just reversing sexism and misogyny, it's about eliminating discrimination across the board.
The fact that women played a more vital role in Jesus' inner circle than they currently do in most Christian churches is proof that going to church doesn't make you Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.
Here is what Christ said about how we are to treat Him and our brothers and sisters:

And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. Matthew 25:32-46

How we treat any of our brothers and sisters is something Jesus takes personally.

True worship of Jesus, true discipleship means loving your neighbor and even your enemies equally regardless of sex, age, gay or straight, rich or poor or any other descriptor you can imagine.

Feminism means so much to so many people but I think above all else it is a fight for equality and social justice regardless of gender which is where Jesus seems ahead of His own churches in recognizing women as leaders in their own right.

Modest Is Hottest

Today a friend who isn't even LDS shared a modesty rhetoric post about a woman at church who wore skin tight leather pants with a skimpy top to church.
This caused a problem for the men as her immodesty caused them to lose focus of the speaker and focus on her.
But if these men couldn't stop thinking lustful thoughts it's not any womans fault. Your reactions are your responsibility. Any descent therapist will echo that, it's about the boundaries we set, healthy or not.
If a man can't control himself that's his problem not the fault of any woman he lists after regardless of what she is or is not wearing.
If a man cannot control his lustful thoughts when he sees bare knees and shoulders that is his lack of character, his reactions reflect the sin in him not in the person he focuses his lustful intentions on.
This modesty rhetoric is harmful because it always places the blame for rape and sexual assault on the victim when it should only be the responsibility of the victimizer.
This rhetoric is what cause the chewed gum lesson that made Elizabeth Smart feel used and unwanted to the point that she saw no reason to escape her captor.
She didn't see who would ever want or love her after she had been raped. She felt she had lost her virtue and felt unlovable because of it.
When these licked cupcake and chewed gum lessons are taught to young men and women they teach that mens reactions whether inappropriate or outright rape is the fault of the woman.
What we need are lessons that teach personal accountability for ones actions and reactions. One that teaches that the victimizer is at fault rather than the victim "asking for it."
No one asks to be victimized.
Jesus taught this:

Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Matthew 7:16-20

So if these lessons are bringing forth damage to those taught then they have borne evil fruits.

Good teachings to not produce bad, harmful or even evil results.

These teachings are morally reprehensible and we all need to stand up for better teachings. Our children deserve better than what is being offered now.

Women are not objects to be used or abused and they are more than just mothers or wives; they are their own people. They are also daughters of God with their own talents, aspirations and dreams.

Impeding The Faithful

What are the some of the things that impede the faithful on their journey to salvation?
Jesus warned the Pharisees that they were impeding the flock on their spiritual journeys.
Jesus has this to say about how the Pharisees were more in love with their power and authority and popularity than they were with God.

And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

16 Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!

17 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

18 And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.

19 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

20 Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

21 And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

22 And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.

23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.

28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,

30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Matthew 23:9-31

Many leaders in our church value their authority and popularity and power than their spiritual life or that of their brothers and sisters.

It's not merely the fault of the leadership but of our church culture as a whole. We have all been raised to revere our leaders and trust in the arm of the flesh more than the iron rod of scripture.

I've routinely heard someone at church make a comment and the first question is always "well who said that?" 

When what is more important is, is that statement true?

If the person behind the quote is supposed to be a general authority it is accepted without question and accepting anything without questioning it or praying for guidance and clarity is a major problem as I see it.

Jesus makes the case that appearances can be deceiving by saying that the Pharisees only care about cleaning the outside of a cup(appearances) but give no thought to the inside of the cup(what's on our hearts).

He also says if the inside is clean so will the outside be, like when Jesus said "it is not what goes into your mouth that defiles you but what comes out."

Our spiritual path is an inward journey because the kingdom of God is within us and what's on our hearts is the measure by which we will be judged. 

And Jesus said "wherever your treasure is your heart will be also."

If we truly treasure the spirit our hearts will be filled with it. And that you can't show off or brag about because it will remain unseen.

Actions speak louder than words but again as Jesus said in John 7 "Judge not according to appearance."

Maybe because appearances can be deceiving we are told in John 7 to "judge not according to appearances but judge with righteous judgment." 

Righteous judgment has meant in Judaism and in writing since before Christ, giving the benefit of the doubt or judging favorably.

But the larger point is that we are warned in scripture to not rely on the arm of the flesh we are to hold to the iron rod which is the word of God Himself.

And we are told that where our treasure is our heart will be so we should treasure the spirit and let go of our love of power and hero worship. God alone deserves worship.

When the power of love overcomes the love of power we will know peace and live in Zion.

And I think hero worship and love of power and authority is what is impeding our development both individually and as a people.

Forgiveness

21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

We as disciples are told to forgive each other 70 times 7 which in Hebrew was symbolic of infinity so it appears Jesus was saying was that we are to be infinitely forgiving.
Lamech, a descendant of Cain, was one of the most wicked and vengeful people in the scriptures. Known well by the people in Judea in the time of Christ.

23 And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.

24 If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.

Jesus was saying that we should be as forgiving as Lamech was vengeful, that we should be the most righteous character in scripture rather than the most wicked.
And to do that we must purge our vengeance and anger from our characters.

34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Jesus forgave the men who beat and crucified Him, He begged God that they be forgiven. Could any of us forgive our murderers? Or those that killed our loved ones? 
Thing is vengeance, anger, and hate are not just toxic but they poison not only ourselves but our relationships because we are attached to others.
Forgiveness releases both the one forgiven from the burden of wrong doing, and it frees the one forgiving from holding on to their anger, hate and vengeance.
Vengeance is like throwing hot coals at the person you hate; the only one who gets burned is you. 
It's also been said that hate is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.
But forgiveness lightens our burdens, it releases us from the bondage of infinite punishment in retaliation for limited wrongs.
Forgiveness is not easy, it may feel impossible and unfair but it is necessary to avoid stunting our spiritual development.
Forgiveness does not mean that any wrong has been condoned it means that we have moved on, and one cannot move forward in life while holding on to the past. We ought to live in the moment not in the past.
Forgiveness is part of finding yourself and discovering the true nature of others, that true nature is of divine origin.

Exploring Sainthood

http://exploringsainthood.org/judging...
Check out my new post on exploring sainthood.

Giving

Many in our culture are guilty of hoarding their wealth.  But scripture says that it is not ours to hoard since all substance comes from The Lord.  We have one hand to give and one to receive and thereby we maintain balance.

16 And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish.17 Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just— 18 But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God.19 For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?Do we really own anything and if not, are we not all beggars?  And how often do politicians and pundits declare that the poor are poor because they choose to be because they are just lazy and unmotivated.  But scripture has something very different to say. 20 And behold, even at this time, ye have been calling on his name, and begging for a remission of your sins. And has he suffered that ye have begged in vain? Nay; he has poured out his Spirit upon you, and has caused that your hearts should be filled with joy, and has caused that your mouths should be stopped that ye could not find utterance, so exceedingly great was your joy.And if we are called to be like him we must not turn a deaf ear to those who plead with us. 21 And now, if God, who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith, believing that ye shall receive, O then, how ye ought to impart of the substance that ye have one to another.22 And if ye judge the man who putteth up his petition to you for your substance that he perish not, and condemn him, how much more just will be your condemnation for withholding your substance, which doth not belong to you but to God, to whom also your life belongeth; and yet ye put up no petition, nor repent of the thing which thou hast done. 23 I say unto you, wo be unto that man, for his substance shall perish with him; and now, I say these things unto those who are rich as pertaining to the things of this world.(Mosiah 4:16-23) Jesus says "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Luke 12:34 He also tells us a parable about a beggar and a rich man:  
19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. 27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: 28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. 29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. Luke 16:19-31    More than parables Jesus tells us how we will be judged and gives specific examples:

 31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.Matthew 25:31-45 But don't just take this as advice to give only of material substance but a disciple should give of the substance of ones heart.  One should offer a kind word or gesture, a joke to break the ice, an observation showing that you paid attention and care. Give of your time as well, spending times with others sometimes is the most meaningful thing one can do.  Your time, consideration and care is often more important than material goods for as important as they can be. And most importantly whatever we treasure becomes the resting place of our heart, whether that is in material goods or in the company of others and our relationships with them we decide where are hearts go and what consumes them. Let them be consumed by love of God and of others, our neighbors and even our enemies, not in material goods that we can't take with us. 

Weathering The Storm

Last Friday my wife was singing at her choirs performance when she felt unwell and couldn't move the left side of her body, it went numb.
She sat down and when the choir finished they rushed to attend to her. A nurse who also sings in her choir checked her for stroke symptoms. I went to get my car and then I heard the sirens from an ambulance and fire engine and I knew 911 had been called for her.
The EMTs told me which hospital they were taking her to and I told my wife I would meet her there. I drove over but don't remember the drive. I remember parking my car and going to the front desk. The told me to check with the ER.
The admin told me she had been there two minutes which means I beat them to the hospital.
I stayed with my wife while the stroke team assessed her. Then the took her in for an MRI. 
I waited for two hours. I was losing it. I've never cried so hard in my life, I thought she might die. I called our oldest to let her know and asked her to call her sisters I didn't want to break down and cry while talking to them but I just couldn't be as strong for them as I needed to be.
I was in constant prayer in between crying fits. I was allowed back in to see my wife and I stayed with her until they discharged her at about 1am.
I feel like I failed our kids by not holding myself down and being stronger when I they needed me to be.
When I thought my wife might die I fell apart. My world fell apart. How was I going to take care of the youngest two without her? Could I? I didn't see how I could.
I have never felt so helpless in my entire life. My wife was terrified and wasn't sure what was going on. The doctor came in to say what my wife had suffered was a sudden onset complex migraine which mimicked a stroke. She would be fine but needs to be seen by a neurologist for treatment.
I'm still shaky after this episode but I am calm and my faith in God has helped me maintain but knowing my wife is ok is key.
For the sake of our kids I need to be strong for them even when the world around us is falling apart down around us. And I realize part of what scared me so much is that I was weak when I needed to be strong. That is the most important thing I can do for these kids.
Too many burdens and responsibilities have been placed on my wife, she is the rock our family has been built on. I need to shoulder more of that responsibility.
I need to be prepared to provide the calm in the storm. My wife is ok and I now know what I need to work on. So I must do it so that the next time this happens, or when something worse happens I can be the rock my wife always has been.
Job lost everything and I understand what that looks like. But he never cursed God through all his trials and neither did I but I did feel forsaken but I wasn't my family wasn't and neither was my wife.
So I feel some comfort in knowing that the second my world fell apart I didn't curse God for having to bear the brunt of tragedy in my life, tragedy that befalls others everyday.
I don't have a liahona, I have my amazing wife. But for my family's sake I need one of my own. I need to provide them sanctuary from the storm so that they have a decent chance to wheather it.

The Doctrine of Love

Buddha was not a Buddhist. Krishna was not a Hindu. Jesus was not a Christian. They were simply teachers who preached the message of love. Love was their religion.
As the Dalai Lama said "kindness is my religion."  So is love a doctrine of all religions?
These terms denoting religious denomination or which world religion one is a member of are all transitory. They have an agreed upon meaning but truth has an intrinsic meaning it does not require meaning to be assigned to it, it is already imbued with it.
And while there is only one truth there are an infinite number of perspectives one can have regarding that truth. 
Gandhi said "in truth there are as many religions as there are people."
Yet though there are by that definition billions of religions they are just individual perspectives of the one truth.
A study was done in Japan that found there were more members of religions than there were people because so many people considered themselves Buddhist, Shinto, and Christian and saw no conflict between the various religions.
If only more people could be so at ease with others of differing faiths.
But I believe love is the foundation of the gospel Jesus preached. And Buddha and Krishna but let's focus on Jesus.

Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Matthew 22:36-40
And Jesus defines what it takes to be His disciple:
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
John 13:34-35
So it's not an esoteric idea of Jesus' gospel being love, it's what Jesus Himself preached. Love is more than a doctrine for Christ it is the fulfillment of all the laws and prophets.

World Views

The view that there is no God has no scientific data to prove itself true.
The view that there is a God has no scientific data proving itself true. Both views require faith.
Allow me to tell you two stories; one that requires faith in God and one that requires faith that there is no God.
When I was 23 I attempted suicide. After I took 4 bottles of sleeping pills I laid down and waited to die. The next thing I know I am in a small but cozy room with lots of pillows and blankets.
A man I've never seen is talking to me about life on the otherside. He told me I did not live a good life but I am a good person, if that makes sense, and he said it was too bad I died young. 
And it was too bad I was dead because you only get one chance at life, there are so many things you can only experience in this life.
And there were so many things I was supposed to do that wouldn't get done now. But the more he went on like that the more I regretted killing myself, I remember thinking I would give anything to have another chance, that I'd never throw it away again.
The next thing I remember was waking up in the hospital.
My doctors told me I was lucky to be alive and that I would likely suffer brain damage because of the drugs and booze.
I not only lived but I never suffered the brain damage I was told to expect.
I recently saw a painting of Jesus that jogged my memory of the man who spoke with me. I now believe I spoke with Jesus. I have no proof to offer, I didn't not have a typical near death experience, and I have nothing but my memory and faith to back up my account.
The other story goes that I took sleeping pills with spiced rum and then passed out, I was found wandering the hallways of the hotel I was in until cops arrived and I became combative and fought with them until they got me in an ambulance.
That on the way to the military hospital I had dreams/delusions spurred on by massive quantities of drugs and booze.
I then awoke in a hospital hours later suffering from intense delusions of a near death experience.
Which story do you prefer? Which one is more edifying? Which one is more meaningful and inspiring?
Because neither one proves anything but only one means something to me. It is the same with God. There is no more proof that there is a God than there is proof that there is no God.
The world view that there is no God carries no meaning, in fact it bolsters meaninglessness. 
But the world view that there is a God runs deep with inspiration and meaning. 
Is the glass half empty or half full?
So which world view do you prefer?