god is love

I know that if i could love everyone around me I would be infinitely happy, and it was even my New Year's resolution to learn how to love everybody 2 years ago, but it's hard because so many people are so difficult to love.

I understand that this is a major challenge for anyone attempting to follow a religion, so how do you approach the problem of loving everyone unconditionally? This is a serious question, I don't follow any religion but I believe that truely religious people must have some insight into this issue.

BTW, for those of you who are unenlightened on this particular point, you can only love yourself through loving others. In laymen's terms, in a nutshell, it makes you a good person and then you can sleep at night, full of warmth and happiness 🙂

I am serious. I want some help here. I want to learn how to love everyone. This will make me happy and will make the world a slightly better place. If you face, or have faced this challenge then please let me know your techniques and strategies/philosophies for dealing with it. Maybe we can help each other in this monumental task. Sincerely.

Andy

Originally posted by twiceaknight
I know that if i could love everyone around me I would be infinitely happy, and it was even my New Year's resolution to learn how to love everybody 2 years ago, but it's hard because so many people are so difficult to love.

I understand that this is a major challenge for anyone attempting to follow a religion, so how do you approach the problem of lo ...[text shortened]... it makes you a good person and then you can sleep at night, full of warmth and happiness 🙂

Well Christianity claims that God is a God of love. Love is said to be at the heart of all of God's laws and if we love God and our fellow man we will keep God's laws without even trying. In fact, Christ even said that we should love our enemies and do good to those who mean us harm. For me, Christ's message, although hard to swallow at times, is the completion of the love message and therefore the completion of God's law. Having said that, sin is merely the result of the absence of God's love in ones heart.

As far as how to show love to your fellow man, Christ once gave the example of the Good Samaritan as to how to show love to your neighbor. The message is merely to do unto others as you would want them to do to you. Since we were created in the image of God who is love, we have a natural tendency to show love to other people and, in fact, we require love for our hapiness. The question then becomes why we do not always show love to others. It is simply because we are a fallen race and at times choose not to show love to others. Christ once said that to show love for those who love you is natural and, in fact, even nonbelievers do as much. However, the supernatural kind of love is what Christ discussed when he said to show love to those who are your enemies. It is not a natural affection, rather, it is of a supernatural origin. For me, it requires Christ within me to help me love those who are hard to love otherwise I would probably not do so my own.

Originally posted by whodey
Well Christianity claims that God is a God of love. Love is said to be at the heart of all of God's laws and if we love God and our fellow man we will keep God's laws without even trying. In fact, Christ even said that we should love our enemies and do good to those mean us harm. For meI know I'm asking , Christ's message, although hard to swallow at time ...[text shortened]... me to help me love those who are hard to love otherwise I would probably not do so my own.

Thank you. the thing is I don't just want to show love (easy), I want to have love (difficult), for everyone. How can I develop my unconditional love for everyone? I really want to love everyone because I know this will make the world a better place,(and me happier) but it is the biggest challenge within the human condition. In practical terms, how do I go about it? Where do I start? (assuming I'm not going to find religion of course)

I know I'm asking a big one, but has anyone got any pointers?

Originally posted by twiceaknight
Thank you. the thing is I don't just want to show love (easy), I want to have love (difficult), for everyone. How can I develop my unconditional love for everyone? I really want to love everyone because I know this will make the world a better place,(and me happier) but it is the biggest challenge within the human condition. In practical terms, how do I to find religion of course)

I know I'm asking a big one, but has anyone got any pointers?

Well for me the source of all love is God, so to ask how you can go about increasing your love for others without God is problematic to say the least. To have more love for you common man you must go to the source of all love. I am sure that many who are not religious would not agree, however, I have never met a nonreligious person who were as radical about the love message as was Christ when he said that we should even love our enemies. For me it only works with Christ in my heart.

Originally posted by whodey
To have more love for you common man you must go to the source of all love.

Are you saying atheists can't love?

Originally posted by dottewell
Are you saying atheists can't love?

Absolutly not. If you re-read my post, I said that we were created in the image of a God of love so that love comes natural to a degree. However, without God in our lives there is a limit to this love. With God in our lives this love is limitless, however. That is all I am trying to say.

Originally posted by whodey
Absolutly not. If you re-read my post, I said that we were created in the image of a God of love so that love comes natural to a degree. However, without God in our lives there is a limit to this love. With God in our lives this love is limitless, however. That is all I am trying to say.

Then it isn't impossible to love more without turning to god (despite what you said). Unless one is at one's "limit".

Originally posted by whodey
Well for me the source of all love is God, so to ask how you can go about increasing your love for others without God is problematic to say the least. To have more love for you common man you must go to the source of all love. I am sure that many who are not religious would not agree, however, I have never met a nonreligious person who were as radical about ...[text shortened]... hen he said that we should even love our enemies. For me it only works with Christ in my heart.

I am that radical. I want to love my enemies. Seriously. How can I do it? where do i start? what strategy or guidelines should I adopt? how should I rationalise and deal with loving the enemy?

somebody give me a starting point!

This is not just important for me, but for all the people I will deal with in the future. Here is your chance to make a real diference. PM me if you are shy.

Tell me about what doesn't work if you like. All input will be appreciated!

Originally posted by whodey
Absolutly not. If you re-read my post, I said that we were created in the image of a God of love so that love comes natural to a degree. However, without God in our lives there is a limit to this love. With God in our lives this love is limitless, however. That is all I am trying to say.

By the bible's account, wherever a total is listed, we can tally the total number of people that god has killed. According to scripture, that total checks in at a whopping 2,270,365 people. As their numbers are impossible to tally, this total does not include the great flood, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, or the slaying of all the firstborn of Egypt, the addition of which would undoubtedly increase god's body count several times over.

How you conclude that your god is a god of "love" is simply unfathomable. Clearly your definition of "love" is something completely different from the standard definition. Any sane person would label him a maniacal god of hate.

http://www.gospeakit.com/science/bible-body-count.html

Originally posted by twiceaknight
I am that radical. I want to love my enemies. Seriously. How can I do it?

Ask Christ to come into your life and make him Lord in your life. Ask him to show love for those in your life who are hard to love. For me, focusing on loving Christ above all is key. He is your source for love, not your loved ones. Christ said if you love me you will follow me. This is what I recommend. His love will then spill over to those around you.

Originally posted by rwingett
By the bible's account, wherever a total is listed, we can tally the total number of people that god has killed. According to scripture, that total checks in at a whopping 2,270,365 people. As their numbers are impossible to tally, this total does not include the great flood, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, or the slaying of all the firstborn of Egyp abel him a maniacal god of hate.

http://www.gospeakit.com/science/bible-body-count.html

I suppose I could go into a theological debate here as to the differences of how God relates to sinful man before Christ and how he deals with them after Christ came into the world but I'm afraid it would be lost on you and your only interest here is to sream, "Your God eats babies!!!" Suffice it to say that sin is the absence of love so fighting sin is key.

We are now in the era of grace that Christ ushered in. Christ is said to be the completion of the law ie the law of love. For example, when a woman was caught in adultry, under Mosaic law they had a right to stone her, however, Christ showed her mercy and asked them, "He that is wihtout sin, cast the first stone" and they spared her. He then forgave her and told her to sin no more. Again, fighting sin is key. Christ came into the world to deliver us from sin. Christ said that he that sins is a servant/slave of sin and that only he has the keys to free you. That is the message today. In fact, Christ only had words of condemnation towards those who were religious leaders because they should have been about the business of God which is guide people out of darkness and into his law of love but instead they had no real heart for the people.

Originally posted by whodey
I suppose I could go into a theological debate here as to the differences of how God relates to sinful man before Christ and how he deals with them after Christ came into the world but I'm afraid it would be lost on you and your only interest here is to sream, "Your God eats babies!!!" Suffice it to say that sin is the absence of love so fighting sin is key. ...[text shortened]... out of darkness and into his law of love but instead they had no real heart for the people.

So what did Christ allegedly die for? The sins of man, or the sins of god himself? But your god is now a changed god and all his past sins are to be swept under the rug? Very convenient. The parable of the adulteress is a moving one, but unfortunately there is much evidence to suggest it was not originally in the bible, but is rather a later addition. And as for Jesus being such a loving guy, well, I'm not so sure...

Matthew 10:34
Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

Originally posted by rwingett
So what did Christ allegedly die for? The sins of man, or the sins of god himself? But your god is now a changed god and all his past sins are to be swept under the rug? Very convenient. The parable of the adulteress is a moving one, but unfortunately there is much evidence to suggest it was not originally in the bible, but is rather a later addition. And a 34
Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

Never mind all that! Tell me how to love you!!! How do you love others?!!

Perhaps you don't try to love your enemy (which is perfectly normal of course) but I want some help in unconditionally loving my fellow person (or enemy).

There must be people out there who have the same goal. It is a life's work. Please share your insights. We can exchange notes, so to speak.

rwingett and Whodey this wasn't directed specificaly at you....I want to love you unconditionally!🙂

Originally posted by twiceaknight
I know that if i could love everyone around me I would be infinitely happy, and it was even my New Year's resolution to learn how to love everybody 2 years ago, but it's hard because so many people are so difficult to love.

I understand that this is a major challenge for anyone attempting to follow a religion, so how do you approach the problem of lo or dealing with it. Maybe we can help each other in this monumental task. Sincerely.

Andy

I believe it's possible to love everyone unconditionally without "religion", though it'll take sincerity and, based on your post, a change in your worldview.

It'd also help if you give details on your background, such as age, religious or spiritual views (past and present) and your reasons for doing this.

Also, define "love".

Originally posted by rwingett
So what did Christ allegedly die for? The sins of man, or the sins of god himself? But your god is now a changed god and all his past sins are to be swept under the rug? Very convenient. The parable of the adulteress is a moving one, but unfortunately there is much evidence to suggest it was not originally in the bible, but is rather a later addition. And a 34
Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

Whom did Christ kill? Whom did Christ raise a sword against? Whom did he encourage to raise a sword? In fact, he rebuked Peter for raising a sword in his defense. He was not talking about a literal sword in the scripture you provided. What a cheap shot.