How can a Christian love their neighbor as themself, if they don't love themselves? If a Christian hates himself, how can he love his neighbor? If a Christian treats himself poorly, how can he treat his neighbor well?
Love your neighbor as yourself
by lawrence 27 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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FlipThis
hmmmm...
I think my neighbor would find it odd with my hands down his pants... (as well as my wife/kids)
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Paralipomenon
Sorry, I read the title and immediately thought of the masturbation thread.
Ain't gonna happen. :p -
lawrence
So much for me trying to be serious for a change. No really folks - as JWs we all talked about "love of neighbor" but most of us were miserable toward self, hating self, and loathing most things.
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Sad emo
Good point lawrence.
This is something which I've wrestled with myself over the last couple of years, I realised I had such a self-hatred that no matter how much love I showed towards others, it would by some means become tainted with my feelings about myself.
Maybe its something to do with projecting things we don't like about ourselves onto those we meet and then 'punishing' them instead? Maybe its what Jesus was getting at when he said that its what comes out of a person which defiles him? Just thinking out loud here
I also think there is a fine balance which has to be found somewhere between loving yourself so much that you exclude everyone else - extreme narcissism, or maybe just sheer arrogance/pride, and 'loving' everyone else to the exclusion of yourself - doormat mentality.
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changeling
You can't give what you don't have.
changeling
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bigdreaux
yeah, and if you say you love yourself, you are viewed as stuck up. and i often do things for my neighbor i wouldn't do for myself, so, i dunno.
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nvrgnbk
I get ya, brother.
Excellent point!
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JH
99% of people love themselves more and don't care about their neighbor
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WTWizard
"In a sense", the Witlesses already do. They "love" themselves so much that they keep themselves going out in service no matter how hot or cold it gets (or how many bees they get stung with). They keep themselves in suits that are not comfortable all day long. They live in poverty because they do not want to educate themselves, and they have stagnant, miserable lives. And they "love" everyone else the same, since they want everyone to join them in their stagnant lives with no holidays or bright spots to look forward to or back at.