God is Love

wil said:
imo a truly loving Golden Rule= 'Treat others as they wish to be treated'
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Thanks wil, yes I think that is crucial. It's important to put ourselves in their shoes, and treat others accordingly.
 
"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." - John 15:13

That, my friends, is love as a verb.
 
9Harmony said:
Thanks wil, yes I think that is crucial. It's important to put ourselves in their shoes, and treat others accordingly.
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Storytime!

Yesterday when I was young....and foolish....actually years and years and seems like years ago...:rolleyes:, I had a multitude of free thanksgiving meal ensembles on my hands. I had gotten all this with coupons. I went to the secretary of the community where I live, and asked if she knew of anyone who could use some extra food. The secretary informed me that there was a family who had just been through a really bad time. The woman was very ill, and her dad who lived with them had just passed away. His social security check had been their only income, and there were kids to feed.

I thought I would be just so helpful by anonymously giving them a bunch of food. I went to the door with the groceries two days before the holiday, and a young man answered. I said I had been asked to bring these things over. The man asked me who sent them, and I said that I had promised not to tell. He said that the family could not use the gift.

I looked at this scraggly-looking person, and I observed the three little scruffy angels peeking out from around him, and thought "What a jerk!". So I said that I had no choice but to leave these things. The man reluctantly took the bags, shaking his head all the while, and I left rather peeved and confused.

I later found out that they hadn't been able to pay their utility bill, so they had no way to cook the food. Boy, did I learn from that experience. I never got a chance to apologize, for they had moved or been ousted or something by the time I found out.

Ever since then, if I want to help with food, I research things a bit more. I find organizations I can go through, or if it is someone I know well enough, I forego the anonymous bit and just ask them if they want whatever it is I think they need. If it is food, I usually cook it myself, unless I know it is something they would enjoy and are able to do.

I had been so proud of myself for not telling them who was helping...that was wrong. That was for me, not them--but I just didn't know it at the time. Not that there is anything wrong with remaining anonymous when it is appropriate, but charity takes a special, truly unselfish form, and sometimes what the person really needs is inadvertantly overlooked. I have even heard people say, when they come to the food pantry in need, that they wish they knew who to thank. The only answer I can give them, then, is to thank God, for He is Love, and whoever donated the food did so in Love.

Well, just rambling again. Thought it might be helpful and relevent. :)

InPeace,
InLove

P.S. Oh yeah--and "Love" can also be an adjective. ;)
 
You've had a haircut!
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Thomas,

Every now and again I cut my hair. I actually don't go to the barber. Got a set of clippers and very much enjoy trimming my hair myself. And it saves me a little scratch. And after two years of the same picture, seemed good to put up something new.


Makes it seem that he is a mere emotion.... Hate is the devil I assume?
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17th, I'm Jewish. We have no devil. It's all God. My point was that God for me cannot be limited by such a defining word, and while it has its limits, there's something to be said for the process of negative theology, and with love as a verb now mentioned, the process of process theology. There are some things that may make it harder to be aware of God by reinforcing boundaries, distinction, and separation, but still God, like hate. Yes, the stuff in the toilet too.

Dauer
 
InLove,

Thanks for that! yes, very relevant, and really makes the point well.

and thanks everyone else for your input...i don't have time to respond to each post...but am processing what you've all shared so far.

Thanks again everyone!
 
Ah nope... I disagree. From personal experience God is NOT Love as the word has been used on this thread. Either the author of 1 John 4:8 was wrong, or it was wrongly translated, or it has been wrongly understood. I suggest that it is in direct conflict with the rest of the bible. God is real and more living than any person alive today. Calling him Love is just wrong. Most Loving, but not 'IS' Love. Nice words perhaps but I think it is basically the setting up of an idol.

wil said:
imo a truly loving Golden Rule= 'Treat others as they wish to be treated'
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imo that is closer to what some people call the Platinum rule. Service.
 
'Abdu'l-Baha talks about the four different kinds of love. Each one has its origin in God somehow:

"...The first is the love that flows from God to man.." He says, "This love is the origin of all the love in the world of creation."

"The second is the love that flows from man to God. This is faith, attraction to the Divine, enkindlement, progress, entrance into the Kingdom of God, receiving the Bounties of God, illumination with the lights of the Kingdom. This love is the origin of all philanthropy; this love causes the hearts of men to reflect the rays of the Sun of Reality."

"The third is the love of God towards the Self or Identity of God...Through one ray of this Love all other love exists."

"The fourth is the love of man for man..."

I love the last one. It goes on to say:

"Each sees in the other the Beauty of God reflected in the soul, and finding this point of similarity, they are attracted to one another in love."
(`Abdu'l-Baha: Paris Talks*, Page: 180)


So it seems to me that when the Writings talk about love, there is always the love of God involved. We get our true love from Him, and it's our love for Him and His creation which binds us all together in love and unity. Maybe that's why they say, "God is love".
 
Perhaps my sentiment is expressed somewhere in the movie, "Field of Dreams":

Annie Kinsella: Terence Mann was a voice of reason during a time of great madness. Where others were chanting, "Burn, baby burn", he was talking about love and peace and prosperity. He coined the phrase, "Make love, not war". I cherished every one of his books, and I dearly wish he had written some more. And if you experienced even a little bit of the sixties, you would feel the same way, too.
...
Terence Mann: Oh, my God.
Ray Kinsella: What?
Terence Mann: You're from the sixties.
Ray Kinsella: Well, yeah, actually...
[spraying at Ray with a insecticide sprayer]
Terence Mann: Out! Back to the sixties! Back! There's no place for you here in the future! Get back while you still can!
 
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