2007-05-27 12:16:38 · 11 answers · asked by LaCosaMasBella 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
English is a weak language for talking about different kinds of love. The Greek of the New Testament is much better:
+ Eros: Romantic love
+ Philia: Brotherly (or sisterly) love
+ Storge: Parental love
+ Agape: Godly love
Eros and philia are based on emotions and storge is almost an instinct.
But Agape is a decision to wish for the best for someone.
Christians are commanded to love (agape) their neighbors and enemies. This does not mean we have to like them or approve of their actions.
This love (agape) is almost impossible to do without God's help.
Do you love (agape) the terrorists who flew airplanes into the World Trade Center?
With love in Christ.
2007-05-27 15:41:22 · answer #1 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It says to love everyone and that would include your enemies, people you don't like at all. How is this possible? Only if the Holy Spirit dwells within you. There is a great book: The way of Agape by Nancy Messler. It talks about loving others through God. Only then it is possible not to see the person we dislike but the person God loves. Does this mean you should hang out with murderers? No. It means that you are not capable of hating someone but you will look at them and treat those in your life with a love that is not from you.
2007-05-27 19:22:28 · answer #2 · answered by VW 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I wish that was the real message of the Bible. Unfortunately I feel someone has pointed you to one small sentence in the New Testament and probably claimed that is the key message of the Bible. It's not.
The Bible is about fear and hate. It was not created to support Jesus, but to subvert his true message. . Let me explain:
The Old Testament was written from around 600 BCE.
The main authors were: Jeremiah, Baruch (600 BCE- 590 BCE) with help of Persians and then Nehemiah and Ezra from 450 to 420 BCE (again with help of Persians).
See the Supreme Bible of God which gives you all the source texts from which the Bible was written as well as the Biblical texts.
http://one-faith-of-god.org/final_testament/bible_of_god.htm
+++Is the Bible fact or fiction+++
If we take just one character, Moses, did Moses ever exist? or was Moses in fact based on the real historic figure of Pharaoh Akhenaten?
The Essene High Priests exiled at Qumran (Dead Sea Scrolls etc) certainly believed the Torah was pure fiction and based on Akhenaten. One of their most treasured relics was
the Copper Scroll on which is written in Greek:
"Akhenaten is also Zadok". (in other words Akhenaten is Moses/Aaron )...
See:
http://one-faith-of-god.org/old_testament/sources/copper_scroll/copper_scroll_0010.htm
Or maybe the instruction from Nehemiah to the Temple on Elephantine Island around 420 BCE on the "brand new" ceremony of Passover is a clue that the Old testament Bible is a made up story?
See:
http://one-faith-of-god.org/old_testament/apocrypha/passover/passover_0010.htm
+++What did Jesus think?+++
Jesus founded the Nazarenes, also known as the gnostics.
http://one-faith-of-god.org/new_testament/apocrypha/nazarenes/nazarenes_0010.htm
Jesus believed the god of the old testament was not god, but satan, the ultimate deceiver pretending to be god.
This of course makes perfect sense, for any god that commands its followers to kill, has to be twisted and evil. Any God that is "jealous" is "vengeful" clearly cannot be the creator of the universe, but some lesser deity.
However, the Sadducee High Priests with Paul of Tarsus created the parasite religion called christianity to deceive even those who thought they follow Jesus.
http://one-faith-of-god.org/new_testament/apocrypha/founders_christianity/founders_christianity_0000.htm
So if a person truly follows Jesus, then they would reject the Bible of Paul of Tarsus. Because any person who believes the Bible supports the primary enemy of Jesus.
2007-05-28 04:15:53 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
That mean for you to have eternal life you must love your neighbor
2007-05-27 19:20:08 · answer #4 · answered by rebecca m 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
In a spiritual sense, I think it means that when you view 'the world' or 'all people' as a whole ... you feel love in your heart .... that you poses the hope that we can all be better people
2007-05-27 19:25:36 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Love others as YOU want to be loved!
2007-05-27 20:33:54 · answer #6 · answered by jasmin2236 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It means not to hate them or be indifferent to them. To give strangers the same accord and respect you would give your favorite friend.
2007-05-27 19:20:14 · answer #7 · answered by Esther 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
love everyone... just like you said!!
Treat everyone equal.. no matter what!
2007-05-27 19:19:27 · answer #8 · answered by LIEUTENANT K STAR!!!! 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
those who go to your church
all others of course you are free to leave on side of the road like story of Good Samaritan as they are now
2007-05-27 19:19:36 · answer #9 · answered by voice_of_reason 6 · 1⤊ 4⤋
ummmm...it means just what it says
2007-05-27 19:26:23 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋