Path to a Fulfilled Life
First Proposition
That the path to living a fulfilled human life is to live a life of love. (There are those who have differed greatly with this first proposal (Ayn Rand, Marx, Nietzsche, etc.,) but this is proposition is based on the two Great Commandments which are to love God and to love neighbor as He loved which is unconditionally and selflessly.
Characteristics of Love
Second Proposition
This love is unusual as it is defined as being:
- Longsuffering
- Kind
- Does not envy
- Is not rash
- Is not proud
- It does not behave badly
- Is not self-seeking
- Is not easily provoked
- Does not think evil
- Does not rejoice in evil
- Rejoices in the truth
- It bears all things
- It believeth all things
- It hopes all things
- It endures all things.
- And it never fails.
- It is joyful
- It is peaceful
- Good
- Gentle
- Meek
- Temperate
- And full of faith
Third Proposition
This type of love is in some degree lacking in all human beings. Our nature and nurture of self prevents constancy. Because it is lacking to some degree or another the ability to live a fulfilled life is lacking. Failure to love perfectly puts all people out of harmony with genuine bliss.
Fourth Proposition
The principles of this love can be taught but an unfailing constant application – especially from the heart – remains an impossibility. The result is frustration which is antithetical to a fulfilled life. As a result, external application of this love, and demands for it, typically serve to lead to lives of frustration rather than fulfillment. Organized religions thrive in the gap of demanding and teaching this principle to its congregates and members and knowing that people cannot measure up to its demands. The net effect of such is guilt, shame, sinMissing the mark of faith and love—no punishment, just lost growth or peace. and then needing absolution for such – which the churches offer – at a price.
Receiving and Giving Unconditional Love
Fifth Proposition
For this love to be fully operational and effective in producing bliss it must originate from the genuine heart. There are times when people will choose to act by the demands of this love (which is better than not acting it at all and is often a precursor to actually possessing it from the heart) but the most satisfied and lives operate by this love from the heart of the individual.
Sixth Proposition
Wanting satisfaction, people search far and wide to discover the means to possess this love in their hearts. Hence, the proliferation of:
- Religion and religious philosophy
- Self-help books
- Meditation
- Gurus
- Psychologists
- Camps and Retreats
- Drug abuse
- Attempts at free love
Seventh Proposition
Possessing this love begins by first being the recipient of such love unconditionally. This means an individual deeply realizes that they do not deserve such love but have received it anyway. This unfathomable generosity, this extended kindness and unconditional acceptance of their person from another (who has no reason to receive and accept them as they are) serves to humble – even break – the walls we build around the human heart. The net result is forgiveness of others and their crimes against us, compassion on the weak and fragile, appreciation for the able and strong, and an overall humility toward all people.
Eighth Proposition
Looking across the spectrum of religious icons, gurus, leaders, philosophers and gods, the only one that qualifies as having the capacity to first love all of us unconditionally is Yeshua. This is the story from the beginning. He came and did what we could not do, out of unconditional love for God and Man. When anyone realizes that they are the recipient of His love, unmerited, they gain the capacity to then love as He loved, to be free from the mandates of their nature and nurture, and to then love all others, who do not deserve our love, from the heart – which is the key to living the most fulfilled life.
