Atheists: please answer?

Question

What does this mean to you?

1 Corinthians 13:4-5: "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs."

Last time I posted one of these the scripture I chose was kind of harsh, sorry about that. I wanted to put something nicer this time. So, once again, what does it mean to you?

Bland and Boring: I am trying, I thought this question was a start.

no this came from the Bible

i said sorry.......

Answer 1

Ummm... Its a Bible verse.

Its okay, i guess.

Dont agree with the last line ("It keeps no records of wrong") though.

Answer 2

I have to say it sounds a little to idealistic to me and definitely does not encompass every type of love. I'm not sure what is meant by 'self-seeking', but from the context I'd guess it was along the lines of self-serving. I do believe love is self-serving. I don't believe the people do anything unless it benefits them in some way, whether it's a physical benefit or just a satisfaction. We love because we crave that closeness with someone else and the security it brings. Even in situations where the love is not reciprocated or ends in misery, it's there because we yearn for that connection and want to satisfy that desire. It may sound cynical, but this is coming from someone who doesn't see selfishness as a negative thing.

As for the record of wrongs, I think that a love with no record of wrongs is quite shallow and maybe self-deception. Problems will come up. It's inevitable. The important part is to find resolution to these problems. I've argued with my girlfriend of a month or two several times over important issues, but our relationship works because we fight fair and work things through. I feel that ignoring these arguments also entails ignoring the solution process, which I feel is a key element of our success.

As a final point, my girlfriend likes that I'm a jealous boyfriend. She's never had one like that before, and it's one way she knows that I care about her. So I think a little envy is a sign that something is meaningful.

Answer 3

I'm not atheist but here is that section you are referring to. With so many translations of the Bible many words were changed and left out. The first part of Corinthians is speaking of charity.

In this chapter: Paul extols the high status of charity—Charity, a pure love, excels and exceeds almost all else.

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of aprophecy, and understand all bmysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the apoor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity denvieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself aunseemly, seeketh not her bown, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in ainiquity, but rejoiceth in the btruth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

In verse 13 is listed faith, hope and charity and the greatest of these three is charity.

Charity is the pure love of Christ.

Modern revelation on charity: Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy cconfidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.

Answer 4

I am not a Christian, but I beleive that there is a bit of truth within every religion. I beleive that these verses are descibing very well what unconditional love is.

"Believe nothing merely because you have been told it.
Do not believe what your teacher tells you merely out of respect for the teacher.
But whatever, after due examination and analysis,
you find to be kind, conducive to the good, the benefit, the welfare of all beings -
that doctrine believe and cling to, and take it as your guide."

This is a Buddist saying, but it is one that I beleive we should all go by. :)

Answer 5

It means to me what all bible quotes mean: Nothing. It's a pretty little piece of prose, but it sounds like a greeting card. A mere platitude.

You folks need to understand something: Throwing bible quotes at nonbelievers is like yelling at the back of a deaf person. If you want us to listen, put aside your book and just ask us something.

Answer 6

I like this one...

Let me not to the marriage of true minds

Admit impediments. Love is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds,

Or bends with the remover to remove:

O no! it is an ever-fixed mark

That looks on tempests and is never shaken;

It is the star to every wandering bark,

Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.

Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks

Within his bending sickle's compass come:

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,

But bears it out even to the edge of doom.

If this be error and upon me proved,

I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

Answer 7

If the BLOODY BIBLE is your thing then that's your problem,as for me there is only one bible and that is the one from THE CHURCH OF SATAN,all other's are non-exsistant.As i have said before-and will again the bible of christ is a non event,and the sooner you thick heads get to realise it the better,your book is a lie and has always been,all of you that read it still go out and commit adultry,rape,murder and all the other thing's the bloody good book says are against god,yet you go to church and say we didn't mean to do it.The prison's are full of you wanker's,so get off the grass,heroin and other drug's you are on,and enter the real world.

Answer 8

OK, it is a nice idealized definition of a human emotion. All of the Atheists I know think that love is a good thing and try to practice it as best they can. Maybe it is just Theists that require constant reminding.

Answer 9

In principal, it is a wonderful beautiful thing. If it was carried out purely as written, this would surely be a better world, but unfortunately, I think many wrongly confuse and self interpret its true meaning.

Answer 10

Sounds like a scripture they should follow with pride they normally would with the whole preaching of other things they select to preach about. Even if they do not agree with their fellow human.

Answer 11

Well, perhaps that is true, but not all love is like that. That's probably "agape", as distinct from "eros". Frankly I think "agape" comes awfully close to pity in that it is not actually based on any way in which its object affects you positively. I'm not sure if that kind of love exists seperate from pity. It would be nice though.