A Theory of Love
As a practicing “Christian” I have a still different belief which works for me. I was raised in church and have attended all my life with a heavy amount of required reading, discussing and memorizing of the Bible. I’ve listened countless times to humans with different interpretations of the same verse(s) with both/all parties declaring with emotion they had “the Holy Word and plain reasoning on their side”. My interpretation allows me to truthfully respond “yes” to my church’s required declaration (“… do you believe Christ died for your/our sins and was raised from death to provide eternal life …) — but I never share my belief with anyone in my church (it would lead to highly charged disagreement and the need to correct me).
My framework involves western “science” and the use of poetic allegory, metaphor, symbolism. It is influenced by my work as an anthropologist and my amateur but dedicated long time interest in evolution, consciousness and search for “reality “.
Here goes. We have a brain and one portion, the Amygdala, seems to serve a dominate role in emotions (fear and aggression seem to be high on it’s priority), memory, power, sexual orientation and on and on a long list and … we’re not sure of the accurate list. Some people in the field of psychology suggest it is problematic to be in a state of “fear” (full blown Amygdala activation) and simultaneously have effective full rational processing in the frontal lobe (theorized, cerebral cortex stuff) associated with higher order reasoning and creativity (different lobes). As long as the Amygdala is in the saddle riding herd then the idea of rationality progressing in evolution to which, for me, would be a higher order of lowering fear and aggression and seeing all things connected and exhibiting universal love (tolerance, forgiveness, goodwill, kindness, humility, compassion, blah, blah) … would be dim. Most agree the Amygdala served to perpetuate the species by being on a high state of alert.
In science we hold a requirement for skepticism and the need for any theory to provide empirical evidence with outcomes repeatable in a controlled/defined setting (model).
Here comes the leap which will put me in a small minority, I’ve not found anyone who uses this interpretation of the Jesus story. I think of it as a dramatic, cosmic, poetic, creative lab experiment. We use a test variable (Jesus) that doesn’t rely on the Amygdala (fear, aggression, dominance) but instead operates in pure consistent conscious universal love. Surrounded in a world drenched in Amygdala adrenaline, fear, desire for judgement and raw power (religious orthodoxy, societal norms, a state Superpower — Rome, etc.) the ambient structure not only rejects the injected universal love but sees it as something to be feared, a dangerous “other” that would dethrone fear and ego. The existing system like an all pervasive immune system reaction surrounds and kills the universal love particle. However, the particle reappears in a style not too different than the paradox of both wave and particle hypothesized in quantum mechanics. The lab experiment demonstrates a theory which should influence evolution which is that fear and separation will always attack universal love and appear to inflict lethal results only to be outmaneuvered with universal love continuing to exist and persist in it’s diametric energy and intent. Love wins.
My guess is unless our consciousness evolves to a higher order of love dominance our species will go extinct. I know that soon enough I will go extinct. If my theory of the need to grow in love with a leap of faith that it will overcome fear and aggression and judgement turns out to be in no way true I will not regret having tried to pursue manifesting less fear and bigotry in my life and grow in demonstrating more love and tolerance.
