21 posts tagged “love”

The phrase "God is love" is quite a popular phrase among Christians. It's an interesting phrase that doesn't make too much sense at first. But after thinking about it for a bit, one simply understands that God is considered to be the ultimate example of love, which, theologically speaking, makes sense. The thing is, love is supposed to be limitless, without boundaries. It is universal in that all can concretely experience it and see it in action. There is no presupposed truth that is necessary to make love valid. Love is simply love.

But there must be some presupposed truth in order to make God valid. And, well, God essentially lives in a box made out of limits and boundaries. (The box is called theology.) Plus, isn't our understanding of God finite, thus we will never be able to comprehend him fully? That's a huge limitation. So exactly how can something--that is, God--with limits and boundaries, and not really universal (there is a zillion concepts of God, all differing in some sort of fashion), be the ultimate example of love?

When it comes down to it, we shouldn't extend the most important human characteristic to a supernatural concept. In my humble opinion, humans should be the ultimate example of love. But I know what you are thinking, "We aren't perfect." Well, first, is love supposed to be perfect? Probably not. Second, if love is supposed to be perfect, and God is supposed to be the epitome of perfection and love, can we honestly say that God is perfect? After all, we can't exactly know that he is perfect if we can't fully comprehend him. Moreover, what good is perfect love if we can only experience and represent love that is far from perfect? This doesn't belittle our human love. If anything, I think it shows that we may not be as "imperfect" as we think.

Perhaps what I want to say the most is this: the only thing that can represent love is love. Love is love. Not God is love. Not cake is love. Not orange is love. Love is love. Why? Because only love itself is limitless, separate from our beliefs, non-beliefs and narrow-minded perceptions. 

There are numerous types of love: platonic love, romantic love, humanistic love. It's been quite a while since I've experienced romantic love. And, to be honest, I'm not sure I will any time soon. As one of my females friends recently told me, I seem to be an emotionally distant person, someone who is emotionally detached. While I've never really noticed this (it's hard to see your own flaws), I don't doubt her statement. For quite sometime, I've just been somewhat emotionless. Now, I'm not saying I'm an emotionless robot or something, but I am someone who watch his emotions and tries to understand when I should be emotional and not. In my life thus far, I've found that we, as humans, are too dramatic and sensitive. It would seem to me that most of our emotions are unjustified--we make a big deal out of nothing. Yet, making a big deal out of nothing is what makes us human because, well, there is nothing, everything is ultimately meaningless, so we have to make something out of nothing.

Anyway, back to the romantic love bit. Recently, I've been hanging out with a girl that I am beginning to really like. Problem is, she is a Christian. Now, this isn't really a problem for me. My current worldview is that we all have our own unique perspectives, which are founded upon subjective grounds, thus making them meaningful. This doesn't mean that I agree with the truthfulness of particular perspectives, but it does mean that I am willing to work with a perspective as long as it produces a meaningful outcome, like living a good life, helping others, etc. Thing is, my nonbeliever status may be a turn off for her (we haven't had this discussion yet).

You see, my Christian friends all believe that a Christian should only marry a Christian. Moreover, they also believe that a Christian should only date a Christian, and should not date if there is no reason to believe that you may end up marrying your boyfriend/girlfriend.

So I'm helping my Christian friends feed the homeless this morning. After the feeding is done, my buddy comes to me and asks how last night went. I tell him I had a wonderful time with the girl I was hanging out with (the Christian girl). He then proceeds to ask me, "Do you know how strong of a Christian she is?" "Uh, not really. We haven't talked about that," I replied. "Oh. Well, I'm just wondering because it may be problematic down the line." The "it" he is referring to is my atheism.

Naturally, this really bothered me. Because I'm not a Christian, this girl may not be able to love me romantically? Mmm, since when did love become constrained? This all led me to ask the question, "Can religion destroy love?" I think it's a good question. I thought love was supposed to have zero constraints. Oh, right, it does if you meet said requirements. If not, then you have problems. You can't be loved by a group if you aren't a part of it. 

Now I wonder if I should talk to this girl about our differences, thereby insuring that neither one of us is wasting our time. Sucks....

I like to think that I have grown a lot over the past year or so: never have I read or thought as much as I have this past year or so. At this stage in my life, I am just beginning to embark on the continuous process of developing my personal philosophy, my perspective, the way in which I view the human condition and existence. Nevertheless, I think it is important to assess what philosophy I have developed thus far, even if it is only in its beginning stage.

Perhaps the most existential choice that I have made in my life thus far is the choice to not believe in a supreme being, the traditional monotheistic God. While this choice has been extremely important to me, I feel like what I hold to be valuable or existential is not a function of whether one agrees with this choice. I personally believe that believers and nonbelievers are living in the "here and now" trying to get the best out of the one life we all have. Some of us decide we need God, while others decide otherwise. Some of us find traditional religion to be a tragic lie, while others do not. There are always different means to the same end.

In line with existentialism, the concept of Nothingness is important to my philosophy. I believe that there is no intrinsic meaning to the universe, no innate, preset meaning to anything. In some sense, everything means nothing--originally. Existence precedes essence in that we existence and then we create meaning. In other words, meaning in one's life is not here to be discovered (essence precedes existence). Meaning in one's life must be created.

Truth is a matter of perspective, just like anything else. It is nonsensical to claim that one knows the way to live or the truth. While the natural tendency is to do so, we must overcome this dogmatic, insecure part of the self. Such a mindset breeds division (no matter how much you claim to cover it up with so-called "love". This type of "love" isn't true love), stupidity and dogma. While it is obvious that some truths are better than others, it should also be obvious that within each of our perspectives is some sort of seed of truth. We simply need to look for it through the barriers of language.

Objective morality is dead. Its death should be more apparent now, as we start to think of ourselves as global citizens rather than citizens of a specific country. In other words, morality that says "This is right and this is wrong" is foolish; we must move beyond such a false dichotomy. Build a system of virtues and act in accordance with it. Actions based on virtues exhibit who you really are, not actions based on a nonsensical concept of morality. Plus, look what morality has produced--immoral beings. That is, morality hasn't, and doesn't, work.  

Well, I definitely could write more. I probably will later. It's time to keep back to the family. Until then, I bid you all a good evening!  

It is becoming more of a goal of mine to actively help others in need, whether it be by donating money or by physically participating. My brother and his friends are always going out of their way to help others. For example, they feed the homeless in downtown Dallas every Wednesday, and they plan events to help organizations raise money. While I do not agree with their Christian beliefs, we are all after the same end: helping others.

I was talking to my brother this morning and he told me of an event that is happening tonight near downtown Dallas called "Love Comes to Town." This event is a benefit event for the Falling Whistles organization. The donation to enter is $20 and you have to register online. Wine will be served, a silent art auction will be held, and numerous artists will be performing throughout the night.

If you are interested in coming, go here. If you have the time, definitely come out. You'll meet new people, have fun, and help a cause.

I was talking with my buddy last night. We were watching House on television; I was sitting on the couch across from where my buddy was sitting. There was a commercial break and we began to talk about something. I'm not sure how we started talking about this topic, but I started talking about the poor and the homeless.

My twin brother is a Christian and active in church and community service. Every Wednesday night he goes downtown and helps feed the homeless. My brother told me a story last week that really touched me. If I remember correctly, over a couple of feeding sessions, my brother had gotten to know this particular homeless man. He comes to the place my brother helps at and grabs a meal every week. Then, he goes across town to shack up in a homeless shelter for the night, but he hadn't been able to get over there for a few days because his car didn't have a battery. The guy asked my brother if he could possibly get a ride to the shelter this past Wednesday night. My brother and his friend took the guy to the shelter, where the man showed my brother his car without a battery.The man was so thankful for my brother and his friend's kindness and willingness to help someone in need. Now the guy could sleep well. Then, my brother and his friend gave him $15, and the man was even more thankful. I could really tell that my brother felt good about helping another human in need. After hearing this story, I told my brother that I would like to go and help him feed the homeless.

I told this to my buddy last night and he asked me "Why?" I replied, "Wouldn't you want to help another person in need?" "No. I have better things to do with my time. And, well, I really just don' care to help others that I don't know or are strangers." After hearing this, I was pretty pissed off. "You are what's wrong with society. We don't fucking help each other anymore because we "don't care" or because we don't *know* the people in need. It is every man/woman for his or herself. American individualism is what is killing us. The very thing we all treasure is killing us. Don't you feel a responsibility to help your fellow man who is in existential need?" "Dude, no. I just don't care. Why would I?" What's more, the idiot said, "Dude, you sound like a Christian. You sound just like a religious person." This has nothing to do with religion or being a Christian. Any decent human would feel like he or she has a responsibility to help others in need and the community as a whole. 

My buddy talks like he has no time. Ha, yeah right. He could definitely make time by cutting out his WoW play and by decreasing the amount of time he spends playing other pointless games.

My buddy's thoughts on this topic are the epitome of what is wrong with American society.    

Is this the Christian conception of love? There is no such thing as "the" Christian conception of love: at different times, different Christians have held many different conceptions of love. But when one offers four cardinal virtues, it is appropriate to consider Paul's celebrated paean on love in First Corinthians 13, since this is the classical exposition of the three Christian virtues. Paul couples love with faith and hope, and his conception of love involves faith and hope: "Love," he says, "believes all things, hopes all things." The love I mean does not believe all things and hope all things. It survives disillusionment and persists in despair. Love is not love that ceases without hope or  faith. As long as faith and hope support it, it is hardly more than puppy love. That love is pleasant is a fashionable myth, or, to be more charitable about it, the exception. The Buddha knew that love brings "hurt and misery, suffering, grief, and despair"; and he advised detachment.* The love I consider a virtue is not the blind love of the lovers or the trusting, hopeful love of Paul, but the love that knows what the Buddha knew and still loves, with open eyes.

-Walter Kaufmann