Follow-up: What should Love between Theists and Atheists look like?

Question

As before, I am not interested in your religion or lack of religion.

Someone in an earlier question pointed out we need a common definition for Love to work together. I agree.

What do you think Love between Atheists and Theists should look like? What do you need to feel loved?

Hand of Justice: I think you'll find most atheists will -strongly- disagree with that assessment. The Golden Rule is almost universal. It is not limited to theists.

And I notice that even amongst those with a faith in a God, many do what they wish without worrying about an "objective standard".

Perhaps the problem you're having is legalistic. If they don't have a book of rules, you can't predict their behaviour. I've noticed it is no less true amongst those who have a rule book.

Anyway, your answer is not helpful, as it requires one group to convert their beliefs, and I've rejected that in an earlier question.

Peace.

Bama: I respect your belief. Is there no other way you can demonstrate the love of god? Must it come across as 'you're damned and I'm going to save you'? Is that how we're to treat each other? Shouting -at- each other rather than sharing our lives and love with each other?

Answer 1

I think everyone of us here on planet Earth want to be understood , and wants someone to care enough about us to really see us,good bad & ugly,and still care.Unconditionly.

Answer 2

I think that the best thing would be tolerance of the other person's point of view rather than condemning the other for his beliefs. The theist shouldn't be telling the atheist that he is going to hell for his lack of faith. (That is a judgment that only deity can make.) The atheist shouldn't be telling the theist that he is crazy for believing in a higher power. We can debate the virtues of the others philosophy while respecting the others point of view. The problem I really have with many people is their lack of respect for a different systems of beliefs. It is not religion that causes the problems in the world. It is intolerance of different points of view that causes the problems. If everyone would just respect everyone else's right to believe as they wished, this whole world would be a much happier place.

Answer 3

Love between theists and atheists looks no different then love between two people with the same beliefs. It is respect for each other and each others beliefs and opinions. It is accepting the person for who they are and not trying to change them. It is just wanting the other person to be happy and as long as they aren't hurting anyone accepting what it takes to make them happy.

Answer 4

Sorry.... I can't give you my definition of love with out discussing my faith...

You really don't want the answer any way.


But love is unconditional, The surrender of all you have and are for someone elses good or betterment.

Luke 6:32-35 Mark 12:31 John 15:17 Romans 12:9
Romans 13:10 1Corinthians 13

Answer 5

Hard as it is to believe, look at the love between Charles Darwin and his wife Emma. He propounded a theory that questioned the need for God in creation and she was very religious, even writing a letter to him making clear her fears for his mortal soul. Yet through it all they had more than 10 children, dealt with the premature death of at least three, and loved each other till he passed away.

The key was that they always remembered that staying true to each other was the key to love regardless of whether one is a theist or an atheist, or as Darwin said, and agnostic.

Answer 6

Love is not the answer. Love is an addiction. Common purpose is more important. The 'image' of God is the Creator. In order to be a Net Creator, we merely have to find the usefulness in what we do, and minimize the resources we consume. Religion can be a cooperative creative effort to improve the community and the world. Atheism is a method of minimizing resources consumed.
A combination of the two philosophies: Creating community and minimizing resource use, can be beneficial to both.

Answer 7

Love is taking joy in another persons life just as you would your own. It is a blending of emotion to the point of feeling the others feelings, successes and disappointments as vividly as you do your own while allowing the other person the freedom to make all the decisions of their life for themselves. It is an unconditional admiration and respect of another individual. This is made impossible with the conditions we are taught to attach to love, the fear we harbor of loss and loneliness, but it is the ideal. The closer ones relationship comes to this ideal, the more satisfying it will be.

Answer 8

That is a good question....I feel a great amount of respect for the atheists on this forum...In fact I get voted for a lot of best answers from them, so I know that we have so much thought process in common....I would love to hear more about science and hear more of their experiences....

However, when it comes to me, I think they would call me stupid and crazy, and not want to hear about my experiences, because they can't be scientifically proven....As a spiritual person, I lead a very lonely existence because, I don't find camaraderie with any particular group.....

Answer 9

I believe in God. Just as I believe that faith and obediance to God will be rewarded eternally in heaven, I also believe that the lack of faith in God will result in eternal punishment.

Now if I love you, and I believe you are lost without God, what should I do? What would be the loving thing to do?

Some seem to say that I should just accept you as you are. But to do that is to leave you in a state in which you will be eternally lost!

On the contrary, If I love you, I will not want you to be lost, and I will say or do anything I can to try to convince you to come to a knowledge of God so you can be saved! Someone who loves you will try to convince you of your condition so you will see a need to come to God.

To leave you alone, would be to stand by and allow you to be condemned. This would not be love! This would be as far from love as one could get.

Answer 10

Nice try, but religion has too strong a grasp on people's lives.

I was hangin out on a beach and a girl approaches me. She asked my name, and where I lived. And then the next question was "Do you believe in god?" Which I found extremely shocking. I told her the truth, and she was so struck that she left. Then came back the next day to argue about god with me.

She was from Virginia.

And I personally wouldn't be able to have an intimate relationship with a person that thinks I'm going to hell.

Answer 11

Why is an atheist predisposed to love anybody? If they are not accountable to God WHO CARES. Treat Christians anyway you want to and however you do; you do.

You see that is the fundamental problem with Atheism; it provides no foundation for accountability or morality. If you are an atheist youre forced to believe that morality is subjective. and if morality is subjective then there is no true objective standard of right and wrong. Youre forced to take up an eastern philosophy which states that evil is a mere illusion.

If evil is a mere illusion and morality is subjective, then there would be nothing REALLY LITERALLY wrong with me raping your daughters, torturing your mother to death, and burning down your house. You may disagree with those actions, but you have no objective basis to call what I do "evil" or even wrong.