This concise theology of love was constructed by The Rev. Dr. Jeff Hood (Dean, The New Theology School) after a recent night of dialogue/conversation with Ohio Death Row philosopher, Keith LaMar. Of particular consequence, is Hood’s consistent interaction with Lamar’s slogan, “Love is the only freedom.”
5.
“Love ain’t real until you learn how to love yourself.”
-Keith Lamar
“Only a mindless dumbass would try to love somebody without first loving themselves.”
-Jeff Hood
Clear your mind.
Breathe.
Who do you give your heart to? Where do you give your heart? How do you give your heart? When do you give your heart? What do you give your heart to? Why do you give your heart?
Love is a question.
Love explodes our expectations. Love destroys everything we think we know. Love moves our realities. Love rattles our souls. Love changes everything. Love is a new start. Love is a new reality.
Love is a transformation.
The opposite of love is not hate…it is indifference. It is seeing injustice and not caring. It is seeing hunger and continuing to eat. It is seeing thirst and continuing to drink. It is watching someone die and then acting like nothing happened. It is seeing pain and turning one’s head. The opposite of indifference is not hate…it is love.
Love is a concern.
Too often we tie love to what is. We fail to see the possibilities beyond our realities. There are few things more evil than to allow love to be shackled to what is. Love is always moving forward. Love is always moving stronger. Love is always moving faster. Love is always…
Love is a potential.
We all have trauma in our lives. Some have more than others. Regardless, there can be no love unless one is addressing their own trauma. Unaddressed trauma is always going to come out in relationships. Love and unaddressed trauma don’t mix. In fact…love is the only thing that can treat trauma.
Love is an antidote.
When you love someone on a minimal level…you’re not really loving them…you’re controlling them…because on a minimal level you’re not able to understand that love is about freedom. On that minimal level you are allowing your fear to control your love…instead of love controlling your fear. There is no minimum with regards to love.
Love is a maximum.
Love can’t exist alone. You got to learn to love the inward. You got to learn to love yourself. You got to learn the outward. You got to learn to love everyone…everything…else. Love isn’t a vacuum.
Love is a relationship.
We exist on Planet Earth.
But.
That don’t mean we exist on Planet Love.
You’ve got to worker a little harder for that.
Hold it all in your mind.
Breathe out.
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