Do Atheists Believe In Love?

[JBeukema]

Love isnt a feeling, its a choice.

Love is an emotion, it's whether you act upon it that is a choice

 

[Avatar4321]

Love isnt a feeling, its a choice.

Love is an emotion, it's whether you act upon it that is a choice

No, I was right the first time.

Love is a choice. The emotion is the result of that choice, not the cause of it.

It's also easily confused with infatuation, lust, and obsession.

That's why so many people fail to find love, they are looking for the emotion rather than the choices they have to make to get the emotion. It's like bowling, if you want to hit the pins you dont aim for the pins, you aim for the arrows on the alley. Do that, youll hit the pins every time you try.

 

[JBeukema]

No, I was right the first time.

Repetition does not make you right- it only highlights your ignorance
Love is a choice. The emotion is the result of that choice, not the cause of it.

Definitions of love on the Web:

* a strong positive emotion of regard and affection; "his love for his work"; "children need a lot of love"
* any object of warm affection or devotion; "the theater was her first love"; "he has a passion for cock fighting";
* have a great affection or liking for; "I love French food"; "She loves her boss and works hard for him"
* beloved: a beloved person; used as terms of endearment
* get pleasure from; "I love cooking"
* a deep feeling of sexual desire and attraction; "their love left them indifferent to their surroundings"; "she was his first love"
* be enamored or in love with; "She loves her husband deeply"

You fail

That's why so many people fail to find love, they are looking for the emotion rather than the choices they have to make to get the emotion

You're an idiot. You just said love isn'y an emotion.. but to find love, you have to look for the emotion (of love)

Do that, youll hit the pins every time you try.

Not if you put your fingers in the wrong holes...

 

[editec]

Love/lust is that chemical madness which makes individuals in our species crazy enough to procreate.

There's nothing RATIONAL about having children, folks.

 

[Harvey]

Love is a man found belief, just like God.

Love is a human emotion it's more powerful then anything man made

 

[brewerboy]

I think that Tank here is operating on the age old Christian idea that "God is Love". Be that as it may. Personally, as an atheist, I'm not gonna bicker on that point.

But because I dont believe in God, does not mean that I dont believe in love.

As a first time father, I can defintely tell you that Love DOES exist outside of the belief in God.

 

[Phoenix]

Got a quote - "Any man who seeks to define love does not truly understand it." Or something really close to that, at least.


Love is not where you seek it. It's where you don't expect it.

 

[Diuretic]

1. I'm agnostic.

2. I believe in the physical effect of brain hormones because I've (a) read about them and (b) felt their effect.

There is no logical connection between statements 1 and 2. This is in keeping with the thread.

 

[JBeukema]

^ agnostic theist or agnostic atheist?

 

[Diuretic]

Don't profess to know if gods exist or not, believe they don't exist, can't say where I fit in with the categories you've described JB.

 

[JBeukema]

Don't claim ultimate knowledge = agnostic

don't believe in deity = atheist

you are an agnostic atheist, from the sound of it

 

[Phoenix]

Ok - question for all the atheists/non-theists/agnostics out there:

Do you believe in hate? Do you believe hate exists?


Love cannot exist without hate to compare it to. So if you believe there is hatred in the world, then love must exist as well. You have to have one to realize the other.

And why would atheists not believe in love anyway? I don't understand that premise.

 

[JBeukema]

Ok - question for all the atheists/non-theists/agnostics out there:

Do you believe in hate? Do you believe hate exists?

That's a stupid question, just like the OP.

Love cannot exist without hate to compare it to

Wrong. Hate cannot be appreciated without love, but it would in no way be impossible without it.

So if you believe there is hatred in the world, then love must exist as well.

See above. Your logic is fatally flawed

 

[YWN666]

Ok - question for all the atheists/non-theists/agnostics out there:

Do you believe in hate? Do you believe hate exists?

Hate is not something one believes in so your question makes no sense.

 

[Phoenix]

Ok - question for all the atheists/non-theists/agnostics out there:

Do you believe in hate? Do you believe hate exists?

That's a stupid question, just like the OP.

Love cannot exist without hate to compare it to

Wrong. Hate cannot be appreciated without love, but it would in no way be impossible without it.

So if you believe there is hatred in the world, then love must exist as well.

See above. Your logic is fatally flawed

Wow.

If only I'd thought of that. Then perhaps I wouldn't have taken it as such a serious question.

Thank you for your illuminating insight.

 

[Big Black Dog]

I cannot prove that there is a God. Nobody can. You either believe in God to some degree or you don't believe in God at all. I base my belief in God on faith alone because that is all I can offer up for my belief in God. That's all there is. If you believe in God you do so because of faith.

I do know what love is and that is not something that I base on faith. I can see the love in my wife's eyes, I can feel the warmth of love when I hold her, and I can prove that she loves me because of the things she does for me personally. I know exactly when that love came about. I also know the emptiness of lost love. I can tell very clearly when love is present just as I can tell when love is not present. I think everybody can. It's a sad thing to not have love in your life. My personal opinion is that it is also a sad thing to not have a belief in God in your life too. If there is enough love in you then most likely you will have some degree of belief in God. That's my two cents worth...

 

[YWN666]

It's a sad thing to not have love in your life. My personal opinion is that it is also a sad thing to not have a belief in God in your life too. If there is enough love in you then most likely you will have some degree of belief in God. That's my two cents worth...

That is utter nonsense and an insult to non-believers.

 

[Diuretic]

It's a sad thing to not have love in your life. My personal opinion is that it is also a sad thing to not have a belief in God in your life too. If there is enough love in you then most likely you will have some degree of belief in God. That's my two cents worth...

That is utter nonsense and an insult to non-believers.

Not really, it's just a bit naieve.

It's probably not occurred to some folks that people can have normal human emotions and yet not be a believer. Case in point - Bertrand Russell, non-believer, randy bastard

I believe in using words, not fists. I believe in my outrage knowing people are living in boxes on the street. I believe in honesty. I believe in a good time. I believe in good food. I believe in sex.

 

[Diuretic]

Don't claim ultimate knowledge = agnostic

don't believe in deity = atheist

you are an agnostic atheist, from the sound of it

That sounds very much like a diagnosis

 

[Big Black Dog]

YWN666 - Funny how just because I don't have your point of view my comments are utter nonsense and an insult to "nonbelievers". If you don't believe, why should what I believe be an insult to you? I'm not insulted that you don't believe. That's your choice and one of the things we have here in America - or at least for now - and that's freedom of religion, or the lack there of. If I'm wrong about this thing called religion, and a belief in God, than all I've done for a good part of my life is to walk the earth appearing foolish to nonbelievers. However, if you are the one that is wrong I'm afraid that the consequences might be a bit more steep. I can appreciate your view point. I don't agree with it but you're entitled to your opinions. By the way, nice to meet you...