Thursday, October 27, 2005

  • Love is something people crave.  Many want to feel needed and wanted and loved unconditionally.  When desiring love from a specific person, many want to possess all of the love a person has to give.  They are jealous and selfish and single-minded.  Many romantic lovers are this way.

    There are different loves we feel and express (or whatever the right verb is) - love for mankind, love for friends and family, love for partner, and love for God.  Or Affection, Friendship, Eros, and Agape/Charity/Godly Love.  We should submit all things to Charity.  My godfather is a selfish libertarian and my dad a conservative man with heart and money.  These people, and my husband, do not believe in a pure Altruism.  Deep down, we all have ulterior motives, even in Love.  Whether or not this is true, I will try to find the integral and the asymptote and strive toward Agape.  Lewis says that the three lower loves are not bad, but they are not enough:

    "This does not make them bad, for being less. A garden is a good thing but will only be different from a wilderness if it is pruned, mowed and weeded. Even so, these loves need the care of Charity love in order to be kept in their proper perspective, produce good fruit and remain sweet."

    Go http://www.lifegoeson.net/MonkeyShines/4loves.htm for more information.  I hope to read the book soon.

    I am working toward being less selfish, being more open, and loving all of Creation.  Of course I fail, and I'm not nearly on some pedestal to be admired for my attempts.  For me, it's important to testify to my intentions.  This medium is a tool to hold myself accountable to my aspirations, to the highest things. 

    I'll start with the little things - respecting all people and all things, removing all bigotry and malice and not projecting false motives onto people if they do something I don't like or don't understand.  There is a niche for policy making, but it is not mine.  Instead I'll strive to realize a role as editor, healer, helper, a role I've been somewhat reluctant to take. 

    What do YOU think about this kind of unselfish (or working towards unselfish) love?  About altruism?  How do you understand Agape?

Comments (3)

  • jerjonji

    i'm with you. i live each day trying to show love in all i do and making amends when i fail. i live by "love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and love your neighbor as your self." when i can accomplish that daily, i'll have figured it out!
  • douglasg610
    And the hippies think THEY invented "Free Love"...
  • aliashope
    Of course even though boys are silly and think that altruism is impossible(though I can't remember andrew's stance when the four of us have had this discussion, i'll have to double check), I feel that altruism and loving unconditionally are things that I strive for as well. Being a social work student, I saw so many people fail at it miserably and not even care and it killed me. I think that is partly why I'm moving on to greener pastures. I saw what social workers (in my view they should strive for the ideal you speak of) ACTUALLY did, and I didn't want to be a part of it.

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