Re: (Un)conditional Love ?

this should be an interesting dialogue…  here's my two cents.

first, i think the word “sin” is highly subjective.  if it is true that the only person who needs to be loved unconditionally is the sinner who has no intention of repenting, then this begs the question:  what is the definition of sin?  who has the final say on what that definition is?

it is entirely possible that any one of us could be “sinning” and have no intention of repenting because we may not consider our sin to be a sin.  who's to say?  for those who have no interest in marriage but are part of a committed relationship and living together - do you think you are sinning?  i'd say no, you don't.  but ask someone who believes it IS a sin to be living together without being married, and they will say that YOU are the sinner with no intention of repenting.  it's all personal perception.

o.k. - that being said…  on to unconditional love.  i feel there is a distinction between unconditional love and unconditional acceptance.  i can love you unconditionally and still choose to vehemently disagree with your thoughts/actions, etc.  i can love you unconditionally and choose to not associate with you.  i don't believe that loving unconditionally means that i have to have you in my life and find a way to accept or condone all that you may do, say or think.

for those of you who have children…  do you love them unconditionally?  will a vegan father love his carniverous daughter less because she doesn't believe being a carnivore is a sin?  the mother of an unrepentant murderer who thinks they were justified in their action still loves her child but abhors and condemns the act of murder.  it is unconditional love without unconditional acceptance.

“If you want the universe to evolve through you, the last thing that you need is to be loved without conditions.”    I disagree…  we all need to be loved unconditionally, but we also need to have expectations of each other.  we need to understand that if we don't meet these expectations that there may be consequences - but i don't feel that one of those consequences should be that i stop loving you.

fenix