Love is a principle, Not an emotion

A word from Shai & Irra:

L.O.V.E a four letter word so many people seem to misuse, and the only way a word can be misused is if a person doesn't know the meaning or misunderstood the meaning of that word. In today’s world the word LOVE is used too loosely, and constantly mistaken for lust and infatuation. So many people are falling in and out of “love” so easily and quickly that it’s becoming disgusting and out right sad. So Irra and I are here to give our opinion on what we feel True Love is instead of this false imitation people are quick to claim they have. I know this is going to go over many people’s heads but try to understand what is being said and broken down.


..:::Irra:::..

Love is a pretty tricky subject and it took me some time to really gather the desired response. You see, when I was younger I did't fully understand Love but as I got a bit older and somewhat wiser I had an inkling that love wasn't what the world made it out to be. The first time I read 1st Corinthians 13:1-13 I didn't recognize or understand these attributes as principles but I knew that was what love should look like. Reading God's definition of love helped me discern the faults in our carnal understanding of what love is or should be. Unlike what is advertised in the media, Love is not pain, it doesn't hurt (atleast it's not supposed to), it's not the tingly FEELING you get when you 1st set eyes on someone, Love is definitely not the closest thing to hate, in fact, they have no relation both are governed by two vastly different sets of principles, etc. All these worldly misconceptions are based solely on superficial, human emotions but it's deeper than that, muuuuuuch deeper.  Love is everything we are not which is why our expression of it is so imperfect and conditional. I would elaborate further but I feel Shai has hit the nail on the head, so I will pass the Mic to her but I will leave with this, one of my favorite quotes by Antoine De Saint-Exupery, "there is but one love but there are a thousand imitations". And God is that one love, we wouldn't know what Love looked like if weren't for him, we Love because he first loved us and he demonstrates this through Jesus who is to be our example.

:..::Shai::..:

LOVE is a principle not a feeling, words that were told to me by my parents years ago. Following that statement I read the words of Ellen G. White who said “True love is not merely a sentiment or an emotion. It is a living principle, a principle that is manifest in action. True love, wherever it exists, will control the life. Thus it is with the love of God. "God is love;" and in all His works, in all His dealings with mankind, His character is revealed.”Now let’s break down these words: Sentiment, Emotion, Living, Principle and Action.

Sentiment has 5 definitions:
1. an attitude toward something; regard; opinion.
2. a mental feeling; emotion: a sentimental (Notice opinion and mental, and emotion)

Emotion:
an effective state of consciousness in which joy, sorrow, fear, hate, or the like, is experienced, as distinguished from cognitive and volitional states of consciousness.
2. Any of the feelings of joy, sorrow, fear, hate, love, etc.
3. Any strong agitation of the feelings actuated by experiencing love, hate, fear, etc., and usually accompanied by certain physiological changes. (Notice Physiological changes & the word hate)

Living:
1.having life; being alive; not dead: living persons.
2. In actual existence or use; extant: living languages.
3. Active or thriving; vigorous; strong: a living faith.
4. Burning or glowing, as a coal. 5) Flowing freely, as water. ( Notice Active)

Principle:
1.an accepted or professed rule of action or conduct: a person of good moral principles.
2. A fundamental, primary, or general law or truth from which others are derived: the principles of modern physics. ( Notice Truth)

Action:
1.the process or state of acting or of being active,
2. Something done or performed; act; deed. Actions, habitual or usual acts; conduct:

The word opinion is used in the definition of sentiment and opinion is defined as a belief or judgment that falls short of absolute conviction. Also they used the word mental which is defined as of or pertaining to the mind, mental has 5 definitions and the third one really stood out which is providing care for persons with disordered minds, emotions, etc.: a mental hospital. So if sentiment is all these things including an opinion, and a mental feeling which is a feeling in the mind how can that be love? It isn't.

Emotions have been described as sorrow, joy, fear, hate, and love. Now if love was an emotion that means God who is love experiences these emotions toward us. In the bible it clearly states that God is a loving, merciful, caring and forgiving God, so how can love be an emotion that has anything to do with sorrow, fear, and hate, a.k.a Physiological changes. God doesn't love us today and hate us tomorrow; God’s love is unconditional no matter what we do. Love isn't an emotion.

Living is described as active, alive never dead. Which means it’s never dead.

As you read above the definition of principle utilizes the words, fundamental, primary, law and truth: In the Bible it reads God is the way, the truth and the light.God is love and through God’s love we see the truth of what true love consists of. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 and the principle of God’s love is that he loves us unconditionally meaning no matter what we have done God doesn't stop loving us. God’s love for us never dies nor changes.

"There is a difference between a God-fearing man and a man that believes in God"

..:::Irra:::..

So the other day me and Shai were having a casual conversation when she mentioned that one of her favorite male artists made a song that pretty much degrades women, referring to them as B*s and what not. She expressed how disappointed in him she was and how while making a song of that nature he emphasizes the fact that he's a "God-fearing" man -__- .... rigggghhht. Anywho, she followed up with the statement "there is a difference between a God-fearing man and a man that believes in God" *raises both hands and shouts Amen* I liked that so much I had to tweet it hehe :). Allow me to break that statement down a bit, just because a person believes in the God of the bible does not qualify them as God-fearing; It's not as person's so-called beliefs that characterizes them but their actions and their lifestyle. I can believe that Jesus died for my sins, the Ten Commandments and everything else the Christain faith/bible intels but if I don't live or atleast try to live my life in accordance with God's word then that's all I am, a believer. Now I'm not saying we all have to be perfect because it IS a struggle but at the same time certain standards are associated with the term God-fearing.

Just to get a better understanding I looked up a few words and their synonyms/antonyms starting with fear. Aside from the common definition that's tied to the negative emotion I came across this definition
     fear: reverential awe especially towards God
Then I decided to find the definition of reverential (reverent, reverence)
    reverence: 1. a feeling or attitude of deep respect tinged with awe; veneration
                      2. The outward manifestation of this feeling
                           syn: Devotion, Honor, LOVE, RESPECT
                           ant: disregard, disrespect, disdain, scorn
And lastly awe
   awe: An overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, fear etc produced by that which   is grand, sublime, extremely powerful or the like.
            syn: Regard, Esteem, Worship, RESPECT (there goes that respect again)
            ant: indifference
Take the the word "fear" in the phrase God-fearing and replace it with loving, respecting, honoring and I believe it paints a clearer picture. When you establish a close, non superficial relationship with God there are just some things you won't do out of love, respect and obedience. Now, I won't sit here and list all the things a God fearing man would/should and would not/should not do (I'd be sitting here forever) but I'm sure we all can tell the difference between the two, one honors God with their lifestyle, the other honors him with idle words.


I have much more to say on this issue but I'll just leave it as is ... Ciaou!

***Shai***

I can't recall the conversation that Irra and I had that lead to this topic due to the fact that when we talk, our conversation jump from one topic to another within minutes.  I do remember bringing up one of my favorite artist whom I had a ridiculous crush on for years only because I was so disappointed in him for the new song he released in which he referred to women as B*s.  Even though that's nothing new in the music industry I was more disappointed in the fact that he referred to himself  as a God fearing man, that's what rubbed me the wrong way. In my conversation with Irra I then stated that "there's a difference between a God fearing man and a man that believes in God."   When I hear God fearing the first thing that comes to mind is a man that is devoted to the Lord, he is not only talking the talk but walking the walk.  I feel as though the term God fearing is miss used as with many other words dealing with religion, I understand that no one is perfect a saying many people use to justify their mistakes but one that is also true but the word God fearing was created or should I say used to define and separate the differences between a man that follows God's lifestyle and a man that honors him with words.  I often hear different people state that they want a God fearing man/woman and others state they just want a man/woman that believes in God, that statement alone shows that a difference does exist and that those who are stating it knows the difference. I also payed attention to the type of people that made the two different statements, those who want a God fearing man/woman were those who are living a lifestyle according to God while the one's who stated they just want  a man/woman who believes in God are living a lifestyle of this world, has no relationship with God but believes in him. All in all there's a difference between a God fearing man and a man that believes in God.
B blesssed and stay positive...Muah