Ask the Christian

[fr0d0]

We had this discussion before - there's no such thing as unconditional love. Love always has conditions.

Love has conditions that apply to love. God loves unconditionally, unless you are talking about something else... I seem to remember you wanting to refer to your own understanding of God > not compatable with the biblical God of Xtianity.

If you assert god is omnibenevolent or whatever then the first condition is, I must exist. If I don't exist, there is nothing to love. His affection needs to have a recipient.

So do you exist?

The second condition of that passion is that I must reciprocate it. God has to experience the same love, liking or affection back. If I don't respond, there is no relationship and thus love cannot be sustained or flourish. Period.

False.

You can love another and that love is not reciprocated. Sure. That doesn't cancel out the love given though.

Sure, you choose to reject it. Or you don't consider it.

Either way, you are not forced (notwithstanding your own imaginary concepts)

You've also pointed out in several threads before that god's "ardour" is such an intense feeling of love, so all-encompassing, that no man can hope to match or repay it. Man is mortal and perishable and cannot continue loving this deity when he is weary of it or dead and gone. There is no affinity or likeness between creator and creation here. Therefore no one can provide a required conditional reciprocation of this raw emotion, and ultimately god's love fails before it starts. El Finito. By your assertion man is, by his own nature, unable or unworthy to love god as god loves man.

There is no requirement for man to love God as God. They love him as humans, with their failings... hence the necessity for salvation. If men were gods then your point would stick. Unfortunately (besides Adrian) we are not gods.

God forces you??
Do you not have a choice then?

In answer to your questions on choice - Do you believe I'll be sent to hell or suffer consequences if I don't? If I suffer loss, then he is either directly or indirectly (if he set reality/nature this way) forcing me against my will to love and obey him, which isn't love at all.

I believe that you are subject to justice, yes. You are not forced because you choose to rebel.

You're hiding from the sun and complaining that you can't get a sun tan. It's the sun's fault because it's forcing you against your will to expose yourself to it if you want a sun tan.