Love must be sincere Romans 12;9

Yeheah

If anybody knew about love, it was the Romans.

And they really knew how to throw a party.

at least the lions thought so

what happened to love being unconditional

Very little love is absolutely unconditional.
Perhaps love felt for family; parents, sibling or children?

I thought my love for my X was unconditional, till a condition happened I did not expect.
What that taught me is that there is ALWAYS a condition that will test your love.
If you are able to overcome that condition, more power to you.
But...If you are wise and act in your own best interests, something is always conditional. Murder, sexual assault, child assault?

Being as this was posted in Religion Chat and inference was made to a book of the Christian Bible, The concept involves the Christian belief system.

I believe the answer the OT's needing already resides in the Bible.
Since I don't really study that book, I suggest they find their answer buy looking deeper into the book that outlines their behavior standards.

Unconditional love is about forgiveness and loving the person despite the action. Unconditional love doesn't mean you continue to be with that person if the behavior is bad, it just means you still love that person. Unconditional love sometimes says, "I love you enough to walk away".

I can't agree with that.
Unconditional is no conditions that do or could exist.
If you want to see an good example of unconditional love, look at your lifelong dog.
Another example is the love you can feel for your children.
As far as I am concerned, there is nothing my children could do or say that will break my love for them.

Unconditional love sometimes says, "I love you enough to walk away".

No it isn't. It might be respect or acceptance but it certainly isn't unconditional love. Personally, I don't even think its love at all.

That's okay, it's not required that you agree with me. I don't agree with a lot of what you've said either in this post... which is a first... and pretty cool. A good example of "I don't agree with you, but I still like you and consider you my friend" kind of thing. Virtual but still a friend.

The idea that if you leave it means you don't love the person is what keeps women or men in very abusive relationships. My idea of unconditional love used to be similar to what you're saying. I was loyal just like that dog... loving them regardless of the abuse they inflicted on me. Loving them and staying even though I was being beaten, ridiculed, having my life threatened, and being told how rotten and no good I was.

This was my father! I got the same from men later on... and did the same. Stayed... I loved them unconditionally! BS... that's not love. That's where my statement "Unconditional love sometimes says, "I love you enough to walk away" came from.

There are times when even though you love someone, you need to walk away. You love them enough to say "Stop".. allowing abuse to continue is not a loving act, towards yourself or the abuser. You can love someone unconditionally but because of how they are living, you choose not to follow that same path.

I believe a lot of people confuse unconditional love as meaning not placing any kind of conditions on the relationship. The relationship needs to have conditions... boundaries! The love does not. Big difference!

I understand what you're saying.

The idea that if you leave it means you don't love the person is what keeps women or men in very abusive relationships.
Abusive relationships is not love. Its control.
Leaving is a reaction to a condition.
Is the love really love or some type of Stockholm syndrome?

You can love someone unconditionally but because of how they are living, you choose not to follow that same path.
Following their path is acceptance not love. If the love was unconditional, following their path wouldn't matter.

I believe a lot of people confuse unconditional love as meaning not placing any kind of conditions on the relationship. The relationship needs to have conditions... boundaries!
I agree, that is true for many. I also agree all relationships have boundaries. Boundaries that effect love. So it is actually "conditional love".

I also think that many people don't actually understand what love is and what it isn't. This is indicated by so many people talking about "True Love". All love is true love or it wouldn't be love at all, its something else.

conditional
subject to one or more conditions or requirements being met; made or granted on certain terms.
synonyms: subject to, dependent on, contingent on, based on, determined by, controlled by, tied to, contingent, dependent, qualified, with reservations, limited, provisional, provisory

unconditional
not subject to any conditions.
synonyms: wholehearted, unqualified, unreserved, unlimited, unrestricted, unmitigated, unquestioning, complete, total, entire, full, absolute, out-and-out, unequivocal

Oh, BTW, we're good, its just a discussion. No Worries...

@ Tom... I understand what you're saying as well. And thank you for the validation that we're good, I appreciate that.

You've given a lot of food for thought, I think sometimes I confuse reality with what I envision the world to be. I see a world where there is unconditional love. I am capable of unconditional love... as is every other being on this Earth... and other planets as well (Dodo David)

Stepping outside my vision and seeing the reality of what is, at this moment, I agree that it is challenging to find it. We still live in a World where people attach conditions to whether or not they will love someone. To me, that's sad.

On the more positive side... It's something to strive for and I personally will continue to do so.

I believe unconditional love can and probably does exist.
However, on a dating site, many of the people are looking because their love was conditional and something or someone broke the conditions.

I believe conditional love isn't a 'bad' thing.
I also belive unconditional love is difficult as a reality.

Being that this is a Religion Chat forum, unconditional love is what is promised in religions. The fact that Hell and damnation is possible indicates that even that love is conditional.
So, even if God loves you, there is a condition (heathen) in which you will be damned. If there wasn't, everyone would automatically go to Heaven.

That's assuming of course that heaven and hell are places rather than states of mind and being. The latter is a choice... which goes along with the philosophy of "free will".

And now I think it's time for me to gracefully step away from this discussion!

You make good and valid points. The kind of food for thought that challenges the mind. :)

Love in the Old Testament...

ahab (or aheb) - Is used 208 times in the OT and translated in to such words as

Love (169 times)
Lover/Lovers (19 times)
Friend/Friends (12 times)
Beloved (5 times)
Like (1 time)
Lovely (1 time)
Loving (1 time)

This is the main one. It includes family love, love for another, and sexual love. It also includes the human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom. It is the act of being a friend, lover, participant. It can be lovely, lovable, lovers, just friends, or someone you just like. It is used for God's love for man, to individual men, to a people (Israel), and to righteousness; as well as the love for or toward God. It can also describe adulterers.

As this is the Primitive Root Word, other words on love will stem from this term. It is literally translated you-love.

ahabah - is used 40 times in the OT and translated into Love.

Such types of love include human love for a human object, of man toward man, of man toward himself, between man and woman. It also includes sexual desire and God's love for His people.

It comes from ahab (it's a Root word) and is literally translated as love or lovers.

dowd (or dod) - Is from an unused root word which means to boil. It is translated into...

Beloved (34 times)
Uncle (16 times)
Love/Loves (8 times)
Father's Brother (2 times)

It means beloved, love, loved one, uncle, and love in the Plural Abstract.

chashaq - Another Primitive Root Word that is used 11 times and is translated into...

Desire (3 times)
Set his Love (2 times)
Filleted (3 times)
Log (1 time)
Delight (1 time)
In Love (1 time)

Now, filleted does not mean it was cooked in butter sauce with a little lemon. Although the Apostles were fishermen (for the most part) this word has nothing to do with fish. The Etymology of the word tells me it is short for Fil (yeah, short), which means a thread. Now this word is the origin for the word File (in case you want to know how it arrived into English).

It means Attached or Connected to. If you look at all the instances it is used, it's meaning will become clear.

egeb - from agab which means to love sensually, dote (to be lavish or excessive in one's attention, fondness, or affection), or lover. It is used twice and is translated Love and Lovely, each once.

agab - Another Primitive Root Word is used 7 times and translated into Doted 6 times and Lovers once.

It means an inordinate affection or lust. Tactile love. Literally translated it is she-is-doting or ones-doting.

agabah - from agab it is used once and is translated, Inordinate Love. It can mean Lustfulness and is used in connection with prostitution.

rea (or reya) - Is used 188 times and is translated into such words as...

Neighbor 102
Friend 42
Another 23
Fellow 10
Companion 5
Other 2
Brother 1
Husband 1
Lovers 1
Neighbor (+ ben) 1

Literally translated as associate-of, it means friend, companion, fellow citizen, another person, and/or intimate friend.

rayah - comes from rea and is used 10 times. It is translated as My Love or Friends. It means Female companions and is literally translated shepherdess-of-me or dearests-of-me.

Love in the New Testament...

agapao - This seems to be the main one. That means, chances are, when you see the word love in the NT, it will be this one. It is used 142 times and is translated into...

Love 135
Beloved 7

It means love of persons, of things, and to be well pleased and/or content with a thing. Literally translated, it means Love.

In John 3:16 (I am sure we are all familiar with this verse) this term is used as an Aorist verb. This means that it's tense is past, present, and future all in one verb. It might read, God loved the world, God loves the world, and God will love the world.

agape - Used 116 times. it comes from Agapao and is translated into...

Love 86
Charity 27
Dear 1
Charitably (+ kata) 1

It means brotherly love, affection, good will, love, benevolence, and love feasts. Literally translated it means Love.

thelo (or ethelo) - from haireomai (which is obsolete), used 210 times and is translated into such words as...

Will/Would 159
Will/Would Have 16
Desire 13
Desirous 3
List 3
To Wil 2
Miscellaneous 4

It means to will, to have in mind, intend, to be resolved or determined, to purpose, to desire or wish, to love, to be fond of doing something, to take delight in, and/or have pleasure. Literally translated is-willing.

philadelphia - From philadelphos (fraternal:--love as brethren), is used 6 times and translated into...

Brotherly Love 3
Brotherly Kindness 2
Love of the Brethren 1

It means love of brothers or sisters, brotherly love. The early Christians called each other brethren, and expressed a brotherly love for each other.

philandros - From philos (actively, fond, i.e. friendly) + aner (fellow, husband, man, sir), is used one time as love their husbands. Titus 2, literally translated as fond of men.

philanthropia - From philos (actively, fond, i.e. friendly), is used twice, once as Kindness and once as Love Toward Man. It means the love of mankind, benevolence. Literally translated as FONDness-of-humanity.

phileo - From philos (actively, fond, i.e. friendly), is used 25 times and translated as...

Love 22
Kiss 3

It means to love, to approve of, to like, sanction, to welcome, to befriend, to show signs of love, to kiss, to be fond of doing, to be used to or accustomed to. Literally translated it is be-fond.



The words in the Bible illustrate just how the English word "love" falls short.

That WAY too much for my religious mind to handle. The first time I studied Romans I remarked to my husband that "this book is REALLY repetitive!"
and it still is, but now it makes sense.

I am not sure who you are talking to,

My point is that there is more to the word "love" from the Bible that most people realize.

But I can see how only a portion of the Scriptures can be bent to a person's will.