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From: dan@scgvaxd.UUCP (Dan Boskovich)
Newsgroups: net.religion.christian
Subject: Re: Arguments from Silence: Golden or just Yellow?
Message-ID: <290@scgvaxd.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 8-Apr-85 17:07:20 EST
Article-I.D.: scgvaxd.290
Posted: Mon Apr  8 17:07:20 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 9-Apr-85 21:04:11 EST
References: <771@pyuxd.UUCP> <1349@akgua.UUCP> <814@pyuxd.UUCP> <1988@sdcc6.UUCP> <5398@utzoo.UUCP>
Reply-To: dan@scgvaxd.UUCP (Dan Boskovich)
Organization: Hughes Aircraft Co., El Segundo, CA
Lines: 57
Summary: 

In article <5398@utzoo.UUCP> laura@utzoo.UUCP (Laura Creighton) writes:
>Reply to Paul Anderson:
>
>
>The command ``to love'' is also frought with difficulties, as Soren Kierkegaard
>repeatedly pointed out. If I meet a random stranger, and do not feel any
>love for him, what then? I can, as a matter of course, treat him with
>respect, or even treat him as if I loved him -- perhaps faking the emotion
>well enough that he would not even know that I do not love him. But still
>I might find that i do not love him. If love is a gift from God, is there
>anything I can do but wait and see if I can receive this gift? if I am not
>receiving it, does it mean that I am sinning in not loving my neighbours?
>
>There are people who claim to love everyone, but whose love seems pretty
>watered down to me -- compared to the love that I feel for the people I
>say that I love. I actually do not think that it is possible to feel this
>sort of profound love for everyone. But what sort of love dis Jesus mean?
>Moreover, what sort of actions are compatible with love? Did Jesus love
>the money changers he whipped out of the temple? as he was doing the
>whipping? If I got out a whip and set into my neighbours I would find it
>very hypocritical to call that love.
>
  The love that Christians are commanded to have on for another is not
  a feeling, not an emotion, but an action! The word love is the Greek
  word "Agape". This word always means action! Love is doing!
  Example: For God so loved the world He GAVE His Son...
  The concept here is action! Not a feeling or emotion! I am sure that most
  times God does not feel very good about us! But He loves us! When
  you love someone you always have their best interest at mind.
  The AGAPE love is unconditional, that is, not dependant on feelings or
  emotions! Even in the case of the money changers He was demonstrating
  His Love for His Father and them! Sometimes discipline is the best
  way to demonstrate ones love! Parents would agree?
  As a Christian, I can love those whom I would consider difficult to
  love, only with Gods help! (I'm sure others find me difficult to love)

>you see the difficulties? Right now, as far as i know, most people who
>call themselves Christians condemn certain actions which other people
>who called themselves Christians did as ``non-Christian''. No doubt those
>people would or do disagree. How can any Christian be sure that he is not
>practicing a false Christianity, despite having all the best intentions in
>the world?
>
>I have yet to find any acceptable solution. This question bothered Soren
>Kierkegaard a lot, but, by and large, I have not found that it has bothered
>other theologians and philosophers who have assumed that because they were
>sincere that they were also correctly understanding what God wants of them.
>This particular belief bothers me a great deal.
>
>Laura Creighton
>utzoo!laura

  As Peter told the jailer, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall
  be saved! To "believe" is to "act" accordingly! When one calls on
  Christ as Lord and Saviour, he is admitting the need for a saviour and
  making Christ and His teachings the center of his life and the motivating
  factor behind all actions.