There is no God. .

[Love4All]

Christianity has elements of both a carrot and a stick in regards to orienting the world towards love. It patiently draws us but also ultimately compels us to align ourselves with this virtue. The “over-arching principle” has every right to impose this requirement simply because love is ultimate goodness and anything less, anything that would reduce the net love in the universe, is evil relatively speaking, and can only cause harm where goodness alone would otherwise prevail.

But unless we have faith, faith that love is real and is superior to all other values including our own selves, our own lives, even while as Christians we know that it would be willing to sacrifice its life for ours, I’m not sure that we can expect that kind of faith from an atheist, for whom love is more or less an option anyway. Faith brings with it an obligation-the obligation to love. And Christians also have the definitive revelation, held, again, via faith, that love holds eternal life in store for us after this life is over. This revelation itself is core to the meaning of love, as it affirms reason and purpose to a life that otherwise may or may not end in annihilation.

Love may be all there is-and much more than we could ever want or need, once understood-but I’m not sure how you could truly convince many of that-without faith being part of the equation.

I’m not trying to eliminate the part of Faith. What I am saying, however, is that it begins in Love. There is a notion in Christianity that everything begins in Faith, and on that Faith, Hope is built, and on that Hope, Love. While I am not contradicting that dynamic, it only works for those who already have Faith.

My thesis is that everything begins with Love. Once a person has tasted Love, it is not too much of a stretch to conceive a Hope based on this Love, and after that, one might be willing to accept a Faith based on that Hope.

If one initially comes to Faith based on, for example, a desire of self-preservation, then I submit, Love goes to work on that person, to change them from one so self-centered to one more Love-centered, and thus completes its work. Or else, that one will ultimately fall away from Faith, too.

Since God is Love, Love always comes first.

 

[Love4All]

God is Love but Love is not God. ( Lewis somewhere).

Saint John has more authority than C.S. Lewis.

God = Love.

 

[Love4All]

Hello love4all

  I'm not part of your religion and I'll tell you why.  Suppose we view the universe as a school with many classrooms.  Just like in a school many classrooms are designed to teach one particular subject.  Other topics can be learned in these classrooms but they were designed especially for one specific topic of instruction.  In determining what the earth was designed to teach we have to observed what specifically will cause and individual to fail in life.  In other words what quality must an indvidual have which will cause him to be successful, and if he lacks that quality will cause him/her to fail.  

 The answer is self discipline.  There are many personalities who have achieved great status and because of there lack of self discipline came tumbling down.  Most individuals come to the realization that they can't continue burning the candle on both ends.  On earth there is  no downhill slide as a result of not loving.     There are most likely other worlds out there which were designed to teach us love but I don't think the earth is designed for that purpose.

superwimp, this is indeed the harshest challenge to my point of view that I have yet encountered here.

My main thesis is unarguable: either you pursue love or you don’t, and no amount of argument is going to change your mind about that, because it is a lot deeper than intellectualism. It has to do with the basic kind of person you choose to be, a lover or a hater.

My sincerest hope is that you have not in fact chosen hate.

But it is apparent, that you have not yet chosen Love. If you have not rejected Love with finality, then there is still hope for you. All that I can do for you is pray, and I will do that.

To address briefly your objection in the form of its analogy, I would say that there is really nothing else to learn, anywhere, except for Love. Self-discipline for the sake of loving better, bravo! Self-discipline for any other reason is means to that end, whatever it may be. Self-discipline for the sake of living eighty years as opposed to thirty, seems pretty shallow to me. What’s the point? Why preserve life, if not for love?

As I said, I don’t think I’m going to convince you, but I can surely express my hope that you do decide to reconsider. But Love is entirely Free. There is no compulsion in it, including rational compulsion, which is why it is unarguable.

Thanks for your (name removed by moderator)ut, even though it strikes me as icy cold.

 

[Love4All]

Perhaps the English speaking world would benefit from the introduction of this word - Agape.

Peace
James

“You’d think that people would have had enough of silly Agape songs, I look around me and I see it isn’t so.” Doesn’t quite cut it.

People have been speaking English for a very long time. Love is the Word.

 

[Darryl_B]

“You’d think that people would have had enough of silly Agape songs, I look around me and I see it isn’t so.” Doesn’t quite cut it.

People have been speaking English for a very long time. Love is the Word.

I guess if you repeat the word Love often enough with no other intrinsic motive you would feel kind of empty inside and so fill it with repetitions of the word Love.

 

[Love4All]

I guess if you repeat the word Love often enough with no other intrinsic motive you would feel kind of empty inside and so fill it with repetitions of the word Love.

Love is also a Name of God, and it is universally taught in all religions that have a God, that to repeat His Name bears much good fruit.

 

[Darryl_B]

Love is also a Name of God, and it is universally taught in all religions that have a God, that to repeat His Name bears much good fruit.

Love is not a name of God. But you are most welcome to repeat the word love over and over to fill that void in your heart where God should be.

 

[Love4All]

Love is not a name of God.

Thank you for displaying your ignorance before your presumption. It makes your presumption more understandable.

newadvent.org/summa/1037.htm

But you are most welcome to repeat the word love over and over to fill that void in your heart where God should be.

Thank you for displaying your presumption. Usually, I repeat the Name, “Jesus,” since that is the Name of my Lord, who apparently you don’t know. I recommend you start.

 

[Darryl_B]

Thank you for displaying your ignorance before your presumption. It makes your presumption more understandable.

newadvent.org/summa/1037.htm

Thank you for displaying your presumption. Usually, I repeat the Name, “Jesus,” since that is the Name of my Lord, who apparently you don’t know. I recommend you start.

Im not the one saying Love, Love, Love is all you need. I know Jesus very well and thank you for your presumption, but He did not say all you need is love, I believe that was the Beatles circa the 60s. You really seriously need to start taking Jesus Christ more seriously in an awe.

 

[Love4All]

Im not the one saying Love, Love, Love is all you need. I know Jesus very well and thank you for your presumption, but He did not say all you need is love, I believe that was the Beatles circa the 60s. You really seriously need to start taking Jesus Christ more seriously in an awe.

I do not recall having asked you for your spiritual direction. Jesus is humble. Ask Him to teach you humility, and He will. Are you Catholic?

 

[Darryl_B]

Thank you for displaying your ignorance before your presumption. It makes your presumption more understandable.

newadvent.org/summa/1037.htm

Thank you for displaying your presumption. Usually, I repeat the Name, “Jesus,” since that is the Name of my Lord, who apparently you don’t know. I recommend you start.

And … Love is not a Name of God. But thanks for the link.

 

[Love4All]

And … Love is not a Name of God. But thanks for the link.

Saint Thomas Aquinas is a Doctor of the Church. God’s Name is, in fact, Love. It is sad that you do not know Him as such. I will pray for you.

 

[Darryl_B]

I do not recall having asked you for your spiritual direction. Jesus is humble. Ask Him to teach you humility, and He will. Are you Catholic?

I haven’t found you humble. Humility would not try and tell me that I don’t know Jesus Christ and I should start, that my friend is arrogance.

You on the other hand have shown no recognition to God just Love.

 

[Darryl_B]

Saint Thomas Aquinas is a Doctor of the Church. God’s Name is, in fact, Love. It is sad that you do not know Him as such. I will pray for you.

I believe God’s Name implies Love but it is not Love, I will pray for you.

 

[Love4All]

I haven’t found you humble. Humility would not try and tell me that I don’t know Jesus Christ and I should start, that my friend is arrogance.

You on the other hand have shown no recognition to God just Love.

I apologize for my presumption. I was judging by appearances. Your words to me did not seem like the words of a Christian, except in name. Your presumption was way out of line, and most real Christians would not have led with such a thing. But that is no excuse for me to do the same, and therefore I apologize.

There is absolutely no God at all except the God Who is Love. If you worship a Jesus Who is not Love, you worship a false Jesus.

I hope you worship the real Jesus. If you have not yet recognized that God is Love, and that there is nothing at all about God that is not Love, I hope you start.

 

[Love4All]

I believe God’s Name implies Love but it is not Love, I will pray for you.

Not only is God’s Name Love, also God’s Essence is Love. God is Pure Love, there is nothing at all else about God except what is Love.

Thank you for your prayers, I need all the help I can get!

I repeat: are you Catholic?

 

[Darryl_B]

I apologize for my presumption. I was judging by appearances. Your words to me did not seem like the words of a Christian, except in name. Your presumption was way out of line, and most real Christians would not have led with such a thing. But that is no excuse for me to do the same, and therefore I apologize.

There is absolutely no God at all except the God Who is Love. If you worship a Jesus Who is not Love, you worship a false Jesus.

I hope you worship the real Jesus. If you have not yet recognized that God is Love, and that there is nothing at all about God that is not Love, I hope you start.

I disagree, if you valued God so highly you would not attempt to claim athiests and every other religion were the same. That you did my friend. And that I disagree with. You cannot ask me if I am Catholic or not if your own religion is simply Love, ie you haven’t even claimed that yourself.

 

[Love4All]

I disagree, if you valued God so highly you would not attempt to claim athiests and every other religion were the same. That you did my friend. And that I disagree with. You cannot ask me if I am Catholic or not if your own religion is simply Love, ie you haven’t even claimed that yourself.

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Creator of Heaven and Earth, and in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He arose again from the dead. He ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He shall come to judge both the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen!

By “the Holy Catholic Church,” just so we are crystal clear, I mean the One Holy Catholic Apostolic Church, under the leadership of the Bishop of Rome, Pope Francis.

In case you don’t yet grasp what I am saying here, I am Catholic.

Thus, my religion is Love. Catholicism is Love. That is because God is Love. Just as there is no God but Love, so there is no Catholicism but Love, and no true religion except for Love.

Above, you have publicly libeled me. You have stated that I said something I did not. You have stated that I advanced the claim that atheism and every other religion were the same. I said no such thing, and your claiming that I did say it is libel. Or else, produce the quote. After you recognize that you can produce no such quote, make a public retraction to repair for your public libel. Thanks very much in advance.

We got off on the wrong foot. It is time to correct that now. I can and did ask you if you are Catholic, and now I am asking you for the third time. It is up to you whether you will answer my simple question or continue to be coy. I do, however, demand a retraction of your libel.

Peace!

 

[Darryl_B]

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Creator of Heaven and Earth, and in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He arose again from the dead. He ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He shall come to judge both the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen!

By “the Holy Catholic Church,” just so we are crystal clear, I mean the One Holy Catholic Apostolic Church, under the leadership of the Bishop of Rome, Pope Francis.

In case you don’t yet grasp what I am saying here, I am Catholic.

Thus, my religion is Love. Catholicism is Love. That is because God is Love. Just as there is no God but Love, so there is no Catholicism but Love, and no true religion except for Love.

Above, you have publicly libeled me. You have stated that I said something I did not. You have stated that I advanced the claim that atheism and every other religion were the same. I said no such thing, and your claiming that I did say it is libel. Or else, produce the quote. After you recognize that you can produce no such quote, make a public retraction to repair for your public libel. Thanks very much in advance.

We got off on the wrong foot. It is time to correct that now. I can and did ask you if you are Catholic, and now I am asking you for the third time. It is up to you whether you will answer my simply question or continue to be coy. I do, however, demand a retraction of your libel.

Peace!

Then change your religion in the status bar. My friend, what was the entire purpose of your initial post?

 

[Love4All]

Then change your religion in the status bar.

Why would I do that? To please you? You are not God. I will obey God rather than men.

My friend, what was the entire purpose of your initial post?

Before you continue to call me friend, retract your libel. Now I have informed you twice.

And you still haven’t answered my question.