"True religion... is giving and finding one's happiness by bringing happiness into the lives of others"

Boetcker places the essence of faith not in doctrines or ceremonies, but in a lived orientation toward generosity. Religion becomes less a set of beliefs to be defended and more a habit of love practiced in public. Happiness is not pursued directly; it is discovered as the byproduct of expanding another person’s joy. Such a vision turns the spiritual life outward, treating compassion as the truest liturgy and service as the most honest creed.

There’s a paradox at work: by giving, one receives; by seeking another’s good, one’s own flourishing arises. This is not mere sentimentality or a call to self-erasure. It suggests an alignment between personal well-being and the well-being of the community, where the self finds its fulfillment through connection rather than competition. The pursuit of happiness shifts from consumption to contribution, from accumulating pleasures to cultivating relationships.

The statement also quietly critiques performative piety. Moral credibility flows from acts that relieve sorrow, restore dignity, and kindle hope. A smile offered to someone unseen by others, time given to a weary friend, advocacy for those without a voice, these are treated as spiritual disciplines as meaningful as any prayer or hymn. Every small act has sacramental weight because it participates in a larger economy of grace: goodness multiplies as it is shared.

At the same time, genuine giving respects boundaries and honors mutuality. It does not foster dependency or mask control as kindness. The happiness sought is not superiority dressed as charity but solidarity that recognizes equal worth. To “bring happiness” is to listen, to accompany, to empower.

Ultimately, this vision democratizes holiness. Anyone, anywhere, can practice it through everyday mercies. The world brightens not by grand gestures alone but by a steady traffic of kindness, where one person’s lifted spirit becomes the lantern by which another finds the path.