Should You Love Others Before Yourself?

[Foxfyre]

I was just thinking about some of the things that my man and I say to one another all the time and think should we really be saying it as do we even know the full meaning of it?


"Are you on the menu?" Has been something that has been used between us for years but now that I stop and think about it, even though it's been used in a joking matter we're not cannibals and my man (who has questioned me this more often) has recently started seeing my point.


The second one is "I love you more than I love myself." We've both used this phrase MANY times but what does it even mean? Do I even love him more than I love myself because if I did I don't think that I would be speaking up every time I feel like he's done something to upset me and just treat me however he wants to as I've put my happiness first in this relationship although his happiness means the world to me too.

Can't speak to the 'are you on the menu' as nobody I know uses that phrase.

But as an amateur Bible scholar, I have been advised that the Bible verse "love your neighbor as yourself' can also be translated from the ancient text as love yourself so that you can love your neighbor. In other words if we don't know how to be good to ourselves, how can we know how to be good to our neighbor? And the "I love you more than I love myself" I think is just one of those phrases some people use to emphasize how much they love somebody.

It is true only when we put ourselves at risk of personal harm in our effort to help or save somebody else.

 

[whitehall]

Go ahead and be selfish. God will understand.

 

[OhPleaseJustQuit]

is that right? Do you have a verse?

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Matthew 25:40

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’


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[Road Runner]

What did Jesus say? Love your neighbor as you love yourself? Let me make sure i have every word right. IF that is the case, then loving yourself is human or 'your default position'. But it still takes you to the same place. right?

That's why I think that "I love you as I love myself" sounds a whole lot better. Especially since we are commanded to love ourselves too as you put it.

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I think maybe it's possible and even positive to love one's child more than oneself.

St. Gianna Molla sacrificed her life for the life of her unborn child. She is the patron Saint of the Pro-life movement.

St. Gianna Beretta Molla - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online

I so admire St. Gianna for this, and it was a tough choice when I was deciding what Confirmation name to take when I became a Catholic. I ended up taking the other name.


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Yeah a parent's love for their child or children is a whole entirely different ballgame.

Go ahead and be selfish. God will understand.

How is it selfish for looking out for your happiness before you worry about anybody else's happiness with you?

 

[Foxfyre]

Should You Love Others Before Yourself?​

Usual crap given out by every Cultist Elite Group .

Benefits them and keeps the Cult Members quiet and guilty.

Hasn't ever worked for the Sheeple but they are so stupid they never notice .

I can find no place in the Bible in which Jesus or anybody else even suggested that we should demand/require that Tom, Dick or Harry or whomever take care of our neighbor. It is our responsibility alone. But if all people of faith take care of their neighbor in need, then all people in need will be taken care of. But further, there is nowhere in the Bible that suggests those in need have any right to demand that others meet that need. They can ask for it for sure. But they have no right to what others have unless what others have is provided voluntarily.

 

[Woodznutz]

is that right? Do you have a verse?

​

I've got two.

Matt 25:40

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

​

1 John 4:11-12

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

 

[Darkwind]

If you love yourself enough, you'll never need penicillin.

Just saying...

 

[The Sage of Main Street]

If you love yourself, you'll have love to give to others. If not, you won't. You can't give something that you don't have.

Only the Unwell Love Welfare

A desperate misfit who becomes a Liberal hates himself. His Influencers offer him a way to get self-esteem by loving predatory misfits, which finally makes him feel lovable if so many people are grateful for letting them mooch off him.

 

[The Sage of Main Street]

Two or three times a day is ok, but any more is excessive.

Autosexuals. Become an Entitled Victim Group.

 

[The Sage of Main Street]

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I think maybe it's possible and even positive to love one's child more than oneself.

St. Gianna Molla sacrificed her life for the life of her unborn child. She is the patron Saint of the Pro-life movement.

St. Gianna Beretta Molla - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online

I so admire St. Gianna for this, and it was a tough choice when I was deciding what Confirmation name to take when I became a Catholic. I ended up taking the other name.


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What Kind of God Are They Preaching?

As I've always pointed out, "saving the life of the 'mother'" is a solid contradiction of the Pro-Life position. So is "except in cases of rape or incest." That proves how viciously cruel the illusion that the fetus is a baby becomes. Whoever is behind this hypocritical scheme only wants power over others, even over those not in the congregation.

 

[Dean F]

Beware of

I was just thinking about some of the things that my man and I say to one another all the time and think should we really be saying it as do we even know the full meaning of it?


"Are you on the menu?" Has been something that has been used between us for years but now that I stop and think about it, even though it's been used in a joking matter we're not cannibals and my man (who has questioned me this more often) has recently started seeing my point.


The second one is "I love you more than I love myself." We've both used this phrase MANY times but what does it even mean? Do I even love him more than I love myself because if I did I don't think that I would be speaking up every time I feel like he's done something to upset me and just treat me however he wants to as I've put my happiness first in this relationship although his happiness means the world to me too.

Beware of false dichotomies. And pop psychology.

 

[Robert W]

"Are you on the menu?

I have been married twice and see that as my failure. But me or the wives said that.

 

[Dean F]

I'm not prejudiced. I hate everybody.

 

[JOSweetHeart]

If you love yourself, you'll have love to give to others. If not, you won't. You can't give something that you don't have.

I second this and if you love someone enough, you will put them before anyone else including yourself.

God bless you and who I love always!!!

Holly

 

[Dean F]

I have been married twice and see that as my failure. But me or the wives said that.

Do you mean you or your wife never said that?

 

[Robert W]

Do you mean you or your wife never said that?

Yes. I normally proofread my remarks. Again, me and my two wives never said that.

 

[Woodznutz]

I don't think that it is a moral imperitive to love others more than yourself.

But I know for a fact, that since I found a wife to love more than myself, and we had children for me to love more than that even, I have been much happier than when I was single and had no thoughts except 'what's in it for me?'

The 'sacrificial' love that you speak of transcends even agape.

 

[Woodznutz]

If you love yourself enough, you'll never need penicillin.

Just saying...

Now ya tell me.

 

[Calypso Jones]

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Matthew 25:40

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’


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oh thats interesting...;the least of These Brothers and Sisters OF MINE,'

 

[Foxfyre]

That's why I think that "I love you as I love myself" sounds a whole lot better. Especially since we are commanded to love ourselves too as you put it.



Yeah a parent's love for their child or children is a whole entirely different ballgame.



How is it selfish for looking out for your happiness before you worry about anybody else's happiness with you?

I second this and if you love someone enough, you will put them before anyone else including yourself.

God bless you and who I love always!!!

Holly

Generally that is true. Unless you feel their demands at your expense are unreasonable and unnecessary or your assistance would most likely be squandered. And that's when love yourself can take precedence.

Is it selfishness or lack of love that causes us to choose not to give to those who feel they should not have to show how they are using your help constructively/responsibly? Would your help not be better given to those who will use it for necessary help instead of purposes you would never have agreed to?

But who among us would not risk our own life or give a kidney to protect or defend or rescue our child, our spouse, our best friend? But would we do that for somebody we never met but who is in need somewhere in Europe or Africa or Asia? The intellectually honest among us would most likely say probably not. It is the responsibility of those in those countries to help the needy there and not our personal responsibility.

At the same time we might give generously to World Vision or Church World Service or a Mother Teresa who do amazing work to help as they can some of the world most poor/needy/desperate people. So that dichotomy continues.

And even if I despise somebody but would throw them a rope if they are drowning, I am demonstrating agape love.