Love as Action:
Encounter between the
Dasbien Theory
Introduction
Humanity has long sought ways to understand and live out love. The Dasbien Theory, created by Andy Figueroa, redefines love as a deliberate and conscious action aimed at giving something good to another. Jesus Christ, in his central message, also presented love not as a mere feeling but as the greatest commandment and foundation of the common good: “You shall love the Lord your God… and your neighbor as yourself” (Mt 22:37–39). This article proposes a fruitful dialogue between both approaches, showing how the Christian vision and this contemporary theory can illuminate one another.
Love as Deliberate Action
The Dasbien Theory holds that love is not a passive state of emotion but an intentional act that requires three steps: subjectivize (to know the other), intend (to give something good according to the recipient’s need), and feedback (to ensure that the good has been received). This dynamic resonates with the praxis of Jesus, who did not merely preach about love but embodied it in concrete actions: he healed the sick, fed multitudes, comforted the marginalized, and forgave those who offended him. Christ’s love is also measured in degrees and levels, from daily gestures (sharing bread) to the supreme act (laying down his life for others).
The Three Senses of Love and
The Commandment of Jesus
The theory articulates love in three senses: receiving love, giving love to oneself, and giving love to others
- Receiving love: Jesus taught that God the Father loves first, and every disciple must open up to receive that love. His baptism in the Jordan bears witness: “This is my beloved Son.” Receiving love is not passivity, but recognizing the source that sustains us.
- Loving oneself: Jesus also includes this in his commandment: “as yourself.” Self-compassion and self-care in Dasbien coincide with the Christian invitation to recognize oneself as God’s temple, to cultivate one’s dignity, and to live in gratitude.
- Giving love to others: The climax of the Gospel is love of neighbor, which Jesus radicalizes in the commandment, “love one another as I have loved you.” Here the altruism of Dasbien and Christian self-giving converge: giving not what I want to give, but what the other truly needs—even to the point of giving one’s life.
The Common Good:
A Meeting of Horizons
Both Dasbien and Jesus emphasize that love does not end with the individual. The theory sees it as a path toward sustainable well-being and the common good; Jesus proclaims it as the Kingdom of God, a new order where the poor, the sick, and the marginalized receive justice and dignity. In both cases, the measure of love is not the intention of the giver but the real good that transforms the recipient and the community.
Critical Discussion
The Dasbien Theory text acknowledges the risk of individualism
The Gospel provides the corrective: love is not only a personal matter but also communal and structural, capable of challenging unjust systems. Just as Jesus denounced the powerful and stood in solidarity with the excluded, authentic love must also seek social change so that all may receive “life in abundance.”
Conclusion
The Dasbien Theory and the proposal of Jesus Christ converge in an essential principle: to love is to act for the good of another. Dasbien offers a modern, applicable, and verifiable methodology; Jesus provides the transcendent foundation, the ultimate meaning, and the radical nature of love that gives itself even unto the cross. In the union of both approaches, we see a horizon where love becomes a transformative force—personal, communal, and universal.