When I studied different religions I saw a lot of things that were essentially the same but varied slightly in approach and terminology. It seemed clear to me that Jesus taught us not to let those things divide us.
I like that chapter as well. I think one of our hardest tasks in life is sifting real love from all the things mankind often mistakes for love. My own belief system is built around love and truth being consistent guiding principles that cross the boundaries of most religions and even the non religious.
I remember a story from years ago about a young man raised in a church who became a minister. He was a good man and was good to those he encountered in life. He ministered well to those in his charge. Years passed. One summer at a church camp he was struck with the realization that although his life had been dedicated to serving God and God’s people he did not have a deep abiding love for them in his heart. He had been serving out of a sense of duty and purpose , but not love. It disturbed him so much that he considered quitting his ministry because it seemed a sham. Then he realized that becoming aware of this meant that he could begin to change it and it was the next leg of his own spiritual journey.
Is it love or is it respect for your fellow man? I don’t believe the terms are interchangeable. I don’t “love” people I don’t know. I respect them as human beings and I care that they’re hurting or suffering and do what I can to help, but I don’t know them, so I can’t “love” them. I don’t think it’s wrong to help people I don’t love. A sense of duty and purpose is enough.
I don’t believe I did choose at first, I just loved Jesus so much that I couldn’t imagine, nor did I try to imagine life without Him. Any decision I made to follow Him was not a conscious one on my part.
Yes, I have siblings. I have one full brother (with a heart of gold, who’s unfortunately an alcoholic), two haf-brothers (both non-believers), one step-brother (a drug addict who OD’d when he was thirty), and a step sister who is also a drug addict. To the best of my knowledge, none of them ever were believers.
No, but I’ve read Dear God, This is Anna. Could it be the same book? (I don’t recall the contents anyway, I read it many years ago.) If not, is there something in this book you think I should read?
I’m finishing up a 5,200 page, seven-novel series, so I haven’t had time to read much in the way of fiction lately. All my reading is research and that which I encounter on my forum, here, and on other forums where I am semi-active.
I think it’s duty and purpose with aspirations of love. Your take is certainly realistic. I am occasionally disturbed by those who want to be good disciples of whomever and throw the word love around to eagerly. The truth part of love and truth means we have try to be truthful about ourselves to ourselves. But I digress.
Of course it’s not wrong to help people we don’t love. There is a difference between those we have long standing relationships with and a shared history and those we pass along the way. Still, I think in striving to love the approach and interaction is different.
In the minister story I think the point was he realized he realized he didn’t even love those he was minister to and had some shared history with.
A question. Out of duty and purpose we might feed the hungry, provide shelter to the homeless. What about giving a bit of time to a stranger who is lonely or troubled? There’s no pressing need or danger. Could those times when we go out of our way to help a stranger and reach out with compassion and consideration be called an expression of love rather than just duty and purpose?
Mr God, this is Anna is a good book about an amazing little girl’s relationship with God.
Just curious. Your own story just brought it to mind.
Best of luck with your novels. Care to share a brief summary of what they’re about?
I have gone to great lengths to explain how to reach GOD in detail on this thread. However, in post # 236, you called the process ‘circular reasoning’ and apparently didn’t ‘get it.’ No offense intended.
Well, for me it would have to be a closer connection than just a reach-out to someone who’s lonely or troubled. I just can’t muster the love thang without a give-and-take on some intellectual or emotional level. I don’t think it diminishes the value of the interaction. I think compassion and empathy are key to any sort of charitable acts, but they’re not the same as love. I know this might go against the grain here, but there is a selfish component to love. If it’s not a two-way street, it’s not the real deal.
Great lengths? “You have to ask” and “you have to already believe” are great lengths? C’mon…you’re a writer. You’re going to have to provide more detail if you expect anyone to “follow the instructions.”
Or maybe you don’t have a real answer. Maybe it’s just more smoke and mirrors because you really have no authority whatsoever in transmitting a god’s message to people. The ‘great lengths’ you went to are no lengths at all.
Love isn’t one dimensional and it can be either a noun or a verb.
We have Agape love - principled love we extend toward all humankind.
We have Phileo love - botherly love, such as is experienced and usually shared between family and friends.
Finally we have Eros love - the love felt and exchanged between lovers.
Reciprocation isn’t a requirement for love to be love. If that were the case, Christ’s love for **‘All mankind,’ **for which he laid down His life, wouldn’t have been the ‘real deal.’ There can be no ‘self’ in love. Love is self-LESS, and that’s what makes it 'the real deal.'
If you’d rather have a human example, I loved my mother dearly but she didn’t love me, told me so often, and died maintaining her position. I still love my mother, and I miss her. My love for her is the ‘real deal.’ We don’t cry over and mourn those we’ve lost if we don’t love them.
They say that whatever makes us cry is true about us, whether we like it, or believe it, or not. I believe that’s a true statement.
Sure there can be “self” in love. As the saying goes, you can’t love someone else until you love yourself. You have to feel worthy to the object of your affection so that you can receive love from them. Obsession is another word for one-sided love.
Can you provide the names of the books you’ve written? You’ve piqued my interest.
- Jesse.