No doubt in my mind that Jesus loved people more than himself. Got him killed. Is it posible for people to live their lives doing that? Perhaps on some occasions a person can make some personal sacrifice however living is competitive and that involves loving one self at the very least equal to a fellow but not more. Anyway, is it possible to love your neighbor more and what did Jesus mean?
Love your neighbor MORE than yourself???!! Is that possible?
by Fisherman 14 Replies latest jw friends
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Satanus
From what i've read and heard from the field of psychology, if a person doesn't love himself, he cannot love somebody else. I would say, no, it's not possible.
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WTWizard
Whether or not it is possible, it is not advisable for any Watchtower Society to force anyone to. Let alone try to dictate to whom they are to give that love (the Tower wants people to love those to whom they are NOT attracted more than themselves and to refrain from loving those to whom they are drawn). To me, that is where they are fxxxed up.
Any organization that forces, or tries to force, people to love those who they are not drawn to and then sequesters them from those who they are drawn to is going to have a miserable time retaining members. They pulled that crap on me, and the result is one more apostate. They haven't a hope of gaining me back without physically dragging me back, just because they did that.
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Sad emo
As far as I know, he didn't tell you to love your neighbour more than yourself, he said to love them as you love yourself.
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Superfine Apostate
is it necessary?
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R.Crusoe
I would say that it's a great idea depending on who your neighbor is but that sort of thing is frowned on in some communities!
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Anti-Christ
It is possible but I don't recommend it. The love your neighbor more then yourself is not very logical. I don't think it practical either. Example. Let's say there is a big disaster and my neighbor does not have any water to get him trough the week. I have enough for a week and a half, just enough until I can receive rescue. Now if I love my neighbor MORE then myself I will give him a weeks worth of water then that will leave me less then a week. Now why would I do that? I would give him enough for he can survive but I won't put my life at risk. Now that's an extreme example. For day to day events I would apply the same principal. I go with the idea that I am as important then my neighbor so I can not "love" him more then myself and it depends also on the person, some don't deserve my help or "love".
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blondie
"love" is a relative term. I can't say that I love my abusive parents, but I no longer am driven and hurt by the hate I felt towards them. I have taken myself out of the danger zone though.
There are many ways to show love to our friends and nonabusive family and even strangers. It is a balancing act, being careful not to damage yourself emotionally.
You learn in Al-Anon about the dangers of being an enabler, helping the alcoholic, which damages you and them and is not truly "loving your neighbor."
Blondie
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the dreamer dreaming
Jesus said you must love your neighbor as yourself, but also said unless you hate yourself you cannot be his disciple-- so basically to love your neighbor means to hate him (^_^)
Luk 14:26
If any [man] come to me, and ***HATE*** not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.