Is Love Unconditional?

[MisterBeale]

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To have a mutually loving relationship love is conditional. However, one can love another from afar even though the other party may not want anything to do with them or is too abusive to be around

That makes unconditional love sound like a psychosis. Healthy relationships have heavy conditions.

Love is the feeling a healthy person has toward those whom we have the greatest admiration, respect, and attraction to. We don't admire that which is worthless, or at least most of us don't We admire and respect those who earn admiration.

What if everything has worth and you just don't have the wisdom to see it?

 

[Uncensored2008]

What if everything has worth and you just don't have the wisdom to see it?

Worth is subjective. What has worth to me may not have worth to you. That is the beauty of it all, we have our own standards and the majority of people will find love. The majority will then go on to squander it, which in itself supports my thesis that love is conditional.

 

[MisterBeale]

What if everything has worth and you just don't have the wisdom to see it?

Worth is subjective. What has worth to me may not have worth to you. That is the beauty of it all, we have our own standards and the majority of people will find love. The majority will then go on to squander it, which in itself supports my thesis that love is conditional.

Perhaps.

I'm not sure I agree with that though. Most people do not know what the universe has in store for them, or what would be best for them. They all believe they know what is best for them, that is why they all tend to turn out to be so selfish.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

 

[WinterBorn]

I read the claim in another thread that love is unconditional? Is it? Should it be?

My wife loves me, I have no doubt of this. But would she love me if I beat here, spent my days drinking, and we were in financial distress due to my irresponsibility? Absolutely not - since that virtually describes her ex-husband.

Even if we look at a puppy, if you kick the pup and abuse it, the dog will not love you. The love of a dog is at least based on the condition that you treat it decently.

All love is conditional. If one is a quality person, one has the right to expect quality in others. A bond is formed with those who are worthy of love, those who share values and goals in common with a person.

Ah, but what of a child you ask? Do we not unconditionally love our children? Obviously with 10's of millions of abortions each year we do not. But what of after they are born? For most of us, children are reflections of the values and ideals we instill into them, so the love we have for them is still a reflection of shared values and goals. Would a parent of three children still love a child who killed both of their siblings? Doubtful,.

My contention is that all love is conditional.

The difference between those who know the spirit and have faith, and those who are materialists, is the knowledge of unconditional love.


Atheists cannot conceive of unconditional love.

Naturally, there are many types of love (see the philosophy of love,) but unconditional love does exist.

The love I have got my children is unconditional. There is nothing they can do to make me not love them.

 

[Montrovant]

Unconditional love is not based on the person seen as the object of that love. If there are no conditions, the love is not based on who that person is, their personality. Instead, it must be based simply on the fact of their existence. If a parent loves a child unconditionally, it is not because of who that child is as a person, it is because they are that person's child. It is an impersonal love.

If someone is a proud mass murderer, puppy torturer, and child rapist, if in any other person those qualities would make you consider them to be evil, yet you still love someone despite that, you do not love who that person is but what that person is.

All IMO, of course.

 

[WinterBorn]

Unconditional love is not based on the person seen as the object of that love. If there are no conditions, the love is not based on who that person is, their personality. Instead, it must be based simply on the fact of their existence. If a parent loves a child unconditionally, it is not because of who that child is as a person, it is because they are that person's child. It is an impersonal love.

If someone is a proud mass murderer, puppy torturer, and child rapist, if in any other person those qualities would make you consider them to be evil, yet you still love someone despite that, you do not love who that person is but what that person is.

All IMO, of course.

Absolutely right.

 

[Cecilie1200]

I read the claim in another thread that love is unconditional? Is it? Should it be?

My wife loves me, I have no doubt of this. But would she love me if I beat here, spent my days drinking, and we were in financial distress due to my irresponsibility? Absolutely not - since that virtually describes her ex-husband.

Even if we look at a puppy, if you kick the pup and abuse it, the dog will not love you. The love of a dog is at least based on the condition that you treat it decently.

All love is conditional. If one is a quality person, one has the right to expect quality in others. A bond is formed with those who are worthy of love, those who share values and goals in common with a person.

Ah, but what of a child you ask? Do we not unconditionally love our children? Obviously with 10's of millions of abortions each year we do not. But what of after they are born? For most of us, children are reflections of the values and ideals we instill into them, so the love we have for them is still a reflection of shared values and goals. Would a parent of three children still love a child who killed both of their siblings? Doubtful,.

My contention is that all love is conditional.

Actually, I would still love my child who killed my other two children. I wouldn't hesitate to assist in seeing that child incarcerated, but I would still visit him/her and do whatever I could to assist in rehabilitation.

My descendants (I say it that way, because it includes my grandchildren, as well) are the only people in the world I love unconditionally, however. My husband would not long outlive an incident of abusing me, and he knows it.

With the exception of parent-to-child, I don't think love SHOULD be unconditional. It should depend on one being lovable, while also accepting that no one is perfect. Unconditional love, I think, is synonymous with co-dependency.

 

[Cecilie1200]

love should be unconditional.

Why?

Would you love a urine soaked hobo?

Compassion is not love. I think we should show compassion, but love must be earned.

I would love him as a fellow human being. As an individual, very doubtful.