Can we love God or any human without respecting them?

Question

I believe there is no love, not for the old or the young or the weak or strong absent of true and genuine respect, not necessarily for what a person does but certainly for what a person is. So if we are first and foremost to love God then what constitutes genuine respect toward Him?

Consider the book of Malachi

Answer 1

It is interesting for humans to share their opinions on a matter, but perhaps more beneficial to look to God's Word, the bible. The apostle Paul's words in Ephesians chapter 5 help us understand something of human nature, and appreciate that love and respect are not mutually inclusive.

Many have noticed even in our day that few godly husbands need to be reminded to RESPECT their wives; a godly husband rarely berates his wife, rarely insults her (especially in front of others), and rarely ignores his obligations to his wife. But even the most godly of husbands may forget to demonstrate tender affection, holding and caressing her and making her feel his love. Similarly, many have noticed that few godly wives need to be reminded to love their husbands; a godly wife rarely withholds affection, and naturally touches and hugs her husband. But even a typical godly wife is capable of a much wider range of emotion than a typical husband; she may berate her husband, insult him (perhaps behind his back to her friends), and petulantly deny the marital due.

In a godly household, husbands respect their wives but may need to be reminded to show love; wives love their husbands but may need to be reminded to show respect.

(Ephesians 5:22-33) Let wives be in subjection to their husbands as to the Lord ...as the congregation is in subjection to the Christ, so let wives also be to their husbands in everything. Husbands, continue loving your wives, just as the Christ also loved the congregation ...husbands ought to be loving their wives as their own bodies. ...Nevertheless, also, let each one of you individually so love his wife as he does himself; on the other hand, the wife should have deep respect for her husband

Answer 2

Respect is a pre-cursour to love. There cannot be any love without respect.

Every living thing is a soul, a tiny part of the Lord. Young, old, weak , strong ,are only external, material considerations. If one develops equal vision, they will learn to see every living being as divine, and as a part of the Lord's creation and family. Re-spect , means to "look again". Certainly killing cows has nothing to do with developing this kind of respect, or exploiting others in anyway. Every soul has the right to reside in their residence or body. If we prematurely force them to leave, by killing them, then we are not only dis-respecting them, but also ourselves, because we will be killed in the same way, according to God's laws of karma. That is why there are abortions, and wars. This is all bad karma for our disresepct to other living entities. What comes around goes around.

Answer 3

I agree with you David,without respect love is a falsehood,look at the respect God has for us and yet there are so many who have none for God or those who love Him,some of the vilest comments against God on this forum come from those with no respect.

Answer 4

Depends on your definition of love.

1 corinthians 13:4-7

Love is long suffering and kind. Love is not jealous, It does not brag, Does not get puffed up. Does not behave indecently, Does not look for it's own interests, Does not become provoked. It does not keep account of the injury. It does not rejoice over unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, Believes all things, Hopes all things, Endures all things.
Love never fails.

That is God's definition of love. Is there another credible one?

Answer 5

No, love and respect must go hand in hand. Immature people used to follow one aspect of a twin truth, therefore they fail. In this age of maturity, we can see the whole entity of Divine Unity, we can act harmoniously to reach a higher civilization.

Answer 6

I would disagree. When my youngest daughter was in rebellion, I lost respect for her, but I still loved her. However, God is a different question - because He will never, has never let me down, because of Who He is, I cannot but respect Him. I cannot but love Him.

Answer 7

I believe that you are right. The "what a person is" part is that they are a human being, created in God's Own Image. We owe that respect to all.

Jesus said "love the Lord thy God with all thy heart soul and mind...and your neighbor as thyself..." He did not say "except..."

Answer 8

Look a bit farther, and realize that respect for the Creator includes honoring Him with our worship and obedience, and respect for humans means wishing them well, and not harming them. (There is similarity in "respect" but some differentiation)

Answer 9

I'm glad you asked this.
Certainly we can't love someone we don't respect.
And when we love we respect that person because we don't want any harm to happen to that person we love and preserving is respect.Also did you ever happen to meet a person that you just couldn't not to admire and you wanted that person to like you and trusted every word he said?I say he said because it may refer not to a girlfriend but to a teacher or something.

Answer 10

My answer is; I disagree with you because;

I do not consider the book of "Malachi" to be accurate further more, religion shouldn't be discussed here as it's a personal topic and often causes people to be reported for their opinions because they differ from yours.

Open your eyes to your opinions and view both sides of all religions before making your decisions and after they are made, for Satan's sake, keep them to yourself!

http://www.churchofsatan.com

Answer 11

Very good point. You can not love someone without first respect them

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