Love

gordon 2

Senior Member
Ok. I'll try again in my own words. Love is( drum roll) making hay where there is none. It is very volontary.

Love is an action which creates many things. I love, you love, we love... used as a noun it refers to an action. Love is something we make happen. We have " comfortable feelings" and "special or out of the ordinary feelings" for some people for many reasons, emotions, familiarity and chemistry. The choices to lust for or to love are volontary.

Animals don't love, they make hay when there is some.
 

Ronnie T

Ol' Retired Mod
Biblically, and understood by many Christians, the definition of the four Greek words used for love are:

1. Eros, which is sexual or romantic love.

2. Phileo, which is a brotherly love toward someone we really like.

3. Agape, which is the deepest love, which is based on doing good things for another person.

4. Storgay, which is the love of one's relatives. It is a relatively unknown word that is used only twice in scripture and only as a compound word.
 

Ronnie T

Ol' Retired Mod
Agape love is selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love, the highest of the four types of love taught in the Bible.

It is not driven by emotions, and it is not given in response to some good that's been done. It is a decision to love, even when there's no other reason.
 

1gr8bldr

Senior Member
Ok. I'll try again in my own words. Love is( drum roll) making hay where there is none. It is very volontary.

Love is an action which creates many things. I love, you love, we love... used as a noun it refers to an action. Love is something we make happen. We have " comfortable feelings" and "special or out of the ordinary feelings" for some people for many reasons, emotions, familiarity and chemistry. The choices to lust for or to love are volontary.

Animals don't love, they make hay when there is some.
Disciplined love is fake love
 

1gr8bldr

Senior Member
I ask my wife which she would prefer given the option. The disciplined love that my past preacher often spoke about as he tried to teach others how to love their wives [which usually consisted of him boasting about what he does such as flowers, etc,] Or would she rather me love her because I think she is wonderful. Disciplined love from the head? or love from the heart?
 

1gr8bldr

Senior Member
Agape love is selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love, the highest of the four types of love taught in the Bible.

It is not driven by emotions, and it is not given in response to some good that's been done. It is a decision to love, even when there's no other reason.
Love is not a decission of the head. If it does not come from the heart then it no longer qualifies as love.
 

ross the deer slayer

Senior Member
Isn't love a genuine care or concern for someone, wanting to help someone or look after someone? Well that's kind of how I feel about it when its directed to other people
 

1gr8bldr

Senior Member
Isn't love a genuine care or concern for someone, wanting to help someone or look after someone? Well that's kind of how I feel about it when its directed to other people
This I agree, you can't chose to be genuine
 

hobbs27

Senior Member
Agape love is selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love, the highest of the four types of love taught in the Bible.

It is not driven by emotions, and it is not given in response to some good that's been done. It is a decision to love, even when there's no other reason.

Agape love is indeed the highest of the four, yet there's one more mentioned in 1John 3:1. The Agape love that is so great John couldn't explain it but to say,"Behold what manner of love has the Father bestowed upon us."
According to my strongs, Agape was the greek word translated here, and everytime I read this I think of John confused over trying to describe how great of love it is,trying to find the perfect adjective explaining how great the Fathers love is, and coming up empty.

Love is a gift, be it given or recieved and all love comes from God.
 

hobbs27

Senior Member
given we're communal animals we need to be able to form bonds for survival. I imagine at first those that showed no empathy or compassion died off faster than others as survival of a lone individual is harder than in a group. In order to recognize virtue in another was helpful in building tribes / communities.

BTW, that's me just talking i havent looked up any sources

edit: not to far off the mark i guess

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_basis_of_love

How could hate still exist after all these years? I would think by now hate would have been taken care of by natural selection since love is required for our existence.
 

gordon 2

Senior Member
Love is not a decission of the head. If it does not come from the heart then it no longer qualifies as love.

If love is not a decision of the head...kick Isaiah to the curb and most prophets. Even Jesus. I just figured out why males forget important dates and get their better halves aniversary cards they read with their elbows. ( I include myself in this. LOL )
 

gordon 2

Senior Member
How could hate still exist after all these years? I would think by now hate would have been taken care of by natural selection since love is required for our existence.

Because love is a human thing of the spirit and not the flesh. Simple as that.
 

gordon 2

Senior Member
Isn't love a genuine care or concern for someone, wanting to help someone or look after someone? Well that's kind of how I feel about it when its directed to other people

Yes that is what it is. Why don't we ask our mothers what love is. They have all kinds of experience with the many aspects of love including a ear full if we are in ignorance of it. If it was not for my mother's love I would still be beating up my brothers or getting beat up buy them. I would never have known to "respect" girls or else! And "respect for grand parents...well...what a loving concept, mama".
 

Ronnie T

Ol' Retired Mod
Love is not a decission of the head. If it does not come from the heart then it no longer qualifies as love.

Your head IS your heart. The greatest love is agape love, because in it you love unconditionally.

In emotional love, you'll unconditionally love the one who loves you. You'll give your life for that person.
But if that person is your wife, and she's caught cheating on you with 8 guyes from down the street, you'll stop loving her.

In Agape love, God's love, godly love, you'll even love the one who mistreats you.

In agape love, not only do you stop and help the injured man, but you stop and help him even if he is your enemy.

It's a love that comes with the cross. It's the impossible love. It's illogical.
 

teneyedoc

Member
How could hate still exist after all these years? I would think by now hate would have been taken care of by natural selection since love is required for our existence.

Well, natural selection still hasn't gotten rid of manatees, as much as it's tried.
 

1gr8bldr

Senior Member
If I pick a person and declare, "I will love that person", that is not love. Love is not decided, it flows from the heart. Disciplined love, or the love you guys are defending, is a sort of "have to" because you gave yourself the responsibility of it. But that disqualifies itself because now it is your obligation of your commitment to love.
 

Four

Senior Member
Ok. I'll try again in my own words. Love is( drum roll) making hay where there is none. It is very volontary.

Love is an action which creates many things. I love, you love, we love... used as a noun it refers to an action. Love is something we make happen. We have " comfortable feelings" and "special or out of the ordinary feelings" for some people for many reasons, emotions, familiarity and chemistry. The choices to lust for or to love are volontary.

Animals don't love, they make hay when there is some.

Good point, i suppose we should mention love can be a noun or a verb. The noun love (the emotional state, etc) i believe is involuntary, but of course the verb is not... thats kinda what a verb is :) To love, vs. in love
 

hobbs27

Senior Member
Are you an evolution denier?

Im not sure, I just wanted to hear from an atheist as to how they might rationalize the evolution of love, and I appreciate your answers.I find it informative to know how people with differing opinions think.
 

Four

Senior Member
Im not sure, I just wanted to hear from an atheist as to how they might rationalize the evolution of love, and I appreciate your answers.I find it informative to know how people with differing opinions think.

Ok, i was just getting the vibe that the conversation was moving from a discussion to mocking.

I figure "hate" or dislike has as much of a spot as a positive feeling.

Unfortunately i think it might be a bit worn out, but at some point things like racism helped protect people. Back when people didnt move around much, an "outsider" was a threat.

Also, love might help tell good people much like hate would help tell bad people
 
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