Why should we love God?

[firedragon]

No, I do not hate God, I just do not love God. I used to hate God but that was a long time ago, when I was emotional about my own suffering. Now I just have no feelings for God -- no hate, no love, just indifference. I cannot force myself to love a being I do not love. I have to have a reason to love God, as I said in the OP, and I don't see a reason.

As I said: "I am looking for a reason to love God, other than what the scriptures say about how good God is, and I am coming up empty-handed."

I am sure that believers who love God have a reason, but I do not share their sentiments.

Up to you TB.

 

[stvdv]

God never said "We should love God" in what I read, but...

5: O SON OF BEING! Love Me, that I may love thee. If thou lovest Me not, My love can in no wise reach thee. Know this, O servant.
The Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 4

With Scriptures I try to not read more into it than it says.

In short "it does not say you should", and that's good (you know why I guess). And thus another "plus" for Bahaullah

 

[Trailblazer]

You can change anything you want in your life, it is all within you.

That is completely unrealistic. That is as much as saying that humans have unbridled free will, but such is not the case.

Blaming God because your current situation sucks is not why God is waiting for you to come back.

I am not blaming God for my current situation. Did I say that in the OP, or are you just assuming that? I was talking about suffering in general, the suffering in the world.

Of course you can leave your situation, if your husband is the one holding you back, you can move to a different place ( dont need to divorce to live different place)
Your cats in the worsed situation could be replaced, in the best situation you could keep a few of them.

My husband can barely take care of himself when I am here. I would never leave him to care for himself alone. I would consider that selfish.

I would never leave my cats because they are what I love most in this world, what makes life worthwhile.

Dont you see that having to much attachments in your life to your current situation is what stopping you from having a better life?

To me it sound like you holding on to too many things in life.

No, that is not what it is at all. I think you are projecting your beliefs onto me.
Any suffering I have is from worry about my husband now, whether he is going to live or die. The material things I have do not hold me down, they are just there. I do not like this life but we have been married 37 years and I cannot just abandon him and let him die.

 

[Trailblazer]

With Scriptures I try to not read more into it than it says.

In short "it does not say you should", and that's good (you know why I guess). And thus another "plus" for Bahaullah

No, it does not say I should. The implication is that if I don't love God I won't feel love from God.
But what should that be the case?

 

[Spirit of Light]

That is completely unrealistic. That is as much as saying that humans have unbridled free will, but such is not the case.

I am not blaming God for my current situation. Did I say that in the OP, or are you just assuming that? I was talking about suffering in general, the suffering in the world.

My husband can barely take care of himself when I am here. I would never leave him to care for himself alone. I would consider that selfish.

I would never leave my cats because they are what I love most in this world, what makes life worthwhile.

No, that is not what it is at all. I think you are projecting your beliefs onto me.
Any suffering I have is from worry about my husband now, whether he is going to live or die. The material things I have do not hold me down, they are just there. I do not like this life but we have been married 37 years and I cannot just abandon him and let him die.

I did not say you should leave him, but you clearly need some form of help in your life due to his situation.

I have no more advice for you.

 

[Trailblazer]

and perhaps it doesn’t matter whether you love God, so much as whether God loves you, which I absolutely believe he does, since God is Love and you are one of his children.

That's right. God does not need my love so it does not matter if I love God.
And in spite of what I say, I know God loves everyone, He just has a funny way of showing it.

 

[RestlessSoul]

Happy Easter by the way.

The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.

 

[Trailblazer]

Maybe you haven't hit rock bottom yet. Some people have nothing and no one in this world. Where else do they turn?

I hit rock bottom in June 2014 and I have been climbing out of the hole ever since.
It has been up and down ever since but the general direction is up.

My husband has nobody but me in this world so I have to take care of him, and that is my biggest problem right now, but I will get through it somehow, and I know God is always there helping even if I don't see Him.

 

[Trailblazer]

@Trailblazer

You asking for advice or maybe you just rating...i don't know.

But what is clear is. YOU dont listen to anything others say. Do you find it strange your life sucks if you cant take advice and use it to benefit your self?

Did I ask for advice on my personal life? I did not ask for that. This thread is specifically about loving God and I was looking for feedback.

I said: I am looking for a reason to love God, other than what the scriptures say about how good God is, and I am coming up empty-handed.

I listen to everything people say about the subject at hand but I am not looking for advice about my life situation. If I want that kind of advice I will post a thread asking for that.

Did I say that my life sucks? I did not say that. I said I am worried about my husband. This is not about my life.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I hit rock bottom in June 2014 and I have been climbing out of the hole ever since.
It has been up and down ever since but the general direction is up.

My husband has nobody but me in this world so I have to take care of him, and that is my biggest problem right now, but I will get through it somehow, and I know God is always there helping even if I don't see Him.

Rock bottom = destitution.

des·ti·tu·tion
/ˌdestəˈt(y)o͞oSH(ə)n/
Learn to pronounce
noun
poverty so extreme that one lacks the means to provide for oneself.
"the family faced eviction and destitution"

That can also include not having family or friends or really anyone at all, including a spouse or a bunch of cats.

 

[Trailblazer]

Rock bottom = destitution.

des·ti·tu·tion
/ˌdestəˈt(y)o͞oSH(ə)n/
Learn to pronounce
noun
poverty so extreme that one lacks the means to provide for oneself.
"the family faced eviction and destitution"

That can also include not having family or friends or really anyone at all, including a spouse or a bunch of cats.

I understand, and I am not complaining about my life situation, I am just worried about my husband living or dying, and I am the only one who can help him because neither one of us has anyone else.

I know you have a much worse situation, but aside from my husband I have nobody else, and I mean nobody.

 

[Trailblazer]

I did not say you should leave him, but you clearly need some form of help in your life due to his situation.

I have no more advice for you.

I am getting all the possible help I can for myself and for him from the health care system.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I understand, and I am not complaining about my life situation, I am just worried about my husband living or dying, and I am the only one who can help him because neither one of us has anyone else.

I know you have a much worse situation, but aside from my husband I have nobody else, and I mean nobody.

Well, I certainly know about the fear of losing the only person you have in life. But I've already lost them and many others besides. I've lost everything - people, pets and possessions multiple times. You just get used to change, I guess.

 

[Trailblazer]

Well, I certainly know about the fear of losing the only person you have in life. But I've already lost them and many others besides. I've lost everything - people, pets and possessions multiple times. You just get used to change, I guess.

Sorry to hear that. I have lost so many cats I cannot even count them anymore.
I need to do what I can to help my husband because he needs help. That is all I can think about right now.

 

[stvdv]

No, it does not say I should

And that's very important, otherwise it would mean that God is kind of judgmental and emotional

The implication is that if I don't love God I won't feel love from God.

Yes, it's a plain clear verse.

But what should that be the case?

Should is not important in this verse
The verse just states a fact

We also don't ask "why we fall down when jumping off the Eiffel Tower".

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Sorry to hear that. I have lost so many cats I cannot even count them anymore.
I need to do what I can to help my husband because he needs help. That is all I can think about right now.

I've had cats for my whole life, thanks to my mom. She was a cat lady, too. I've had dozens of pets of various species die, run off or be stolen from me. Pets die like people do and I've known multiple people who have died.

Don't forget to think of yourself.

 

[stvdv]

1-3 are pretty accurate

Thanks for letting me know

although I am not sure about 4) because I don't know if I want to love God

Okay...then I won't tell.

I would rather love

Quite inconsistent with above quote, don't you think

but God does not need my love because God has no needs

So, then it's kind of obvious why to love God

so why should I love

Again inconsistent with above

Moreover, if God is so petty that I have to love Him in order for Him to love me, I have no interest in such a God

I would stay far away from such a God

Wish you the best...I'm gone for quite a while now

 

[Trailblazer]

Quite inconsistent with above quote, don't you think
Again inconsistent with above

What is inconsistent?

So, then it's kind of obvious why to love God

It is?

 

[1213]

The idea for this thread came from what I was discussing with @Truthseeker on another thread.

A verse in the Qur'an about a possible good outcome for people from all religions

Why is it always our fault if we don't love God enough? Why does that have to mean that we are in some way deficient? What did God ever do to prove His love to us? ...

For me the reasons are for example that He has given us life and this opportunity.

But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.
Mat. 5:44-45

I also believe He has given wisdom and good teachings, which to me are sign of love.

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach; and it will be given to him.
James 1:5

But, maybe this also depends on what loving God means. Bible says:

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. His commandments are not grievous.
1 John 5:3

I think His commandments are good, therefore I want to live by them.

 

[Kenny]

I do not believe that God became a man.
I believe that Jesus was a Manifestation of God, not God incarnate, and that God, the Eternal Essence, always remains hidden from us.

John 1:18 No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

1 John 4:12 No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.

John 5:37 And the Father who sent Me, He has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice t any time nor seen His form.

1 Timothy 6:16 who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.

We may differ in the theology... but I think the analogies still apply.

So we rejoice on this resurrection morning celebration in that now we have not lost anything either but we have gained everything.