By Kristi Casey
Most of us would find it difficult to watch someone get hurt and not feel anything. I remember hearing things pop or crunch while playing sports. It’s an unsettling feeling, even when it’s not happening to your body.
That’s because we’re hard-wired to want to connect and care for each other. Infants imitate facial expressions and gestures long before they can express themselves with words. And who can resist awwwing over babies — human or otherwise?
The central commandment
Caring for each other is not only natural. It’s divine. The world’s major religions all emphasize the importance of loving one’s neighbor.
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. ‘ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37-39)
The Buddhist concept of love for one’s neighbors or fellow beings is based on the four Brahma-viharas, or divine attitudes. The first one is maitri: loving-kindness, intense selfless love for others — including your enemies.
The Prophet Muhammad said, “None of you will have faith until he loves for his brother or his neighbor what he loves for himself.”
According to Hindu Advaita philosophy, God and creation are one entity, which means that when you love others, you are loving God. Since Advaita also means you are God, loving others means loving yourself.
One of the core commandments of Judaism is “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18). The Talmudic sages Hillel and Rabbi Akiva considered this to be the central commandment of the Torah, as it’s located in the very center of the holy scroll.
If loving one’s neighbor is godly, those who go out of their way to inflict harm cannot be.
Intentional cruelty
We have no lack of examples of governments and dictators who seek to control their populace or cow dissent through intimidation and fear. Several of these bad actors even try to cast their actions as religious or ‘righteous.’
Fear and hatred are rooted in lies. Intentional acts of cruelty are crimes against humanity.
We are all one body. We need to care for each other as we would care for ourselves. And we need to speak out about injustices perpetrated on our neighbors that violate that sacred compact.
We also need to be clear about what kind of language encourages violence. Criticizing someone, disagreeing with policies, or describing behavior with historically accurate labels is not hate speech. Calling people vermin, using racist and misogynist stereotypes, or encouraging your followers to view any dissenters as stupid, deranged, mentally challenged or evil, is the most hateful of language.
Why? Because to love your neighbor, you need to value them. Language that dehumanizes or makes it easy for you to ‘other’ them encourages you to forget our sacred commitment to care for one another.
Your challenge: Love your neighbor
We are living through extreme times. The world is becoming a much narrower place, and it may worsen before it improves.
Your challenge this week is to meditate on love. Consider:
What does it mean to love your neighbor?
Are you capable of loving everyone, even those doing unspeakable things to other human beings?
What can you do to lessen others’ suffering?
While oppressive leaders and systems continue to act inhumanely, it’s essential to center ourselves in love. In a world where there is so much cowardice, corruption and cruelty, the strongest position you can take is to stand fast in love and truth.
Be steadfast in love.
Have the courage to love your neighbor, protect them and stand up for their right to be treated with dignity. When you fight for their rights, everyone benefits.
Oppression and injustice end when enough of us say, “No.” When we turn our backs on hate and fear and choose unity and love.
That’s your challenge. Let me know how it goes by writing a letter to the editor or tagging @trulykristi on social.
Kristi Casey is a creative alchemist who paints, performs with the folk/Americana duo Mayberry Wine and is the author of several books of fiction and poetry. Visit trulykristi.com to sign up for her free weekly newsletter.