Why would god be love?

[Sand Dancer]

This is a question that recently came up in another thread: Which type of meditation would suit you?

By "god" I mean "the divine" or "the supreme deity" or something along those lines.

I'll put my own thoughts in the next post, it would be great if you'd think first about your reply before reading mine.

Deities are generally ways to understand the world around us. With many things in the world being answered, reality usurps deity. There are still things we don't quite understand, such as exactly how the universe came to be, what it is about love and music that take us to another place. Those things can possibly be seen as given to us by deities.

 

[viole]

This is a question that recently came up in another thread: Which type of meditation would suit you?

By "god" I mean "the divine" or "the supreme deity" or something along those lines.

I'll put my own thoughts in the next post, it would be great if you'd think first about your reply before reading mine.

There is no logical reason to infer that, if God existed, that He is love. For what we know He might not care or just be pure Hate. Agape Hate, or whatever.

Actually, the fact that most humans seem to associate, by default, love with God, is just evidence, as if more was needed, that God is just the product of humans frailty and wishful thinking.

Ciao

- viole

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I'm no Hindu or polytheist but I do see a lot of truth in the view of this. The Absolute is definitely unrelenting but at the same time that very unrelenting, terrifying and even evil-in-appearance nature reveals itself to be very passionate like a spouse and nurturing like a mother sucking her infant - to the Universe.
Yet at the same time it has no need for us but we can't exist without it.

Yes, this is true. It is said that Kali's intense iconography scares off the spiritually immature as they cannot see past that to the loving Mother beyond. So the thinking is that devotees come to Kali when they are ready for moksha. She is often depicted making a "have no fear" gesture with one of her hands. I've always experienced her as very loving, too.

 

[Liu]

A God or Buddha ( divine being) look at humans like we do need help to enlighten to the truth, so they give us cultivation paths (spiritual teachings) to follow, but a lot of humans do not follow as it was intended to, and begin to make their own version of the scriptures, that make it difficult to cultivate to enlightenment. but when we as humans suffer it is not the fault of the God/Buddha it is our own fault

That makes sense - but I was referring to the divine as a whole, or to the supreme deity, not to a divine being among many.
And I'm not convinced that enlightenment necessarily leads to compassion.

IMO, it's because God is an invented creation that personifies what the believer considers to be virtuous and important... and most people consider love to be virtuous and important.

I'm afraid you are right that this is the source of that belief - the main reason why I was reluctant to create this thread. But considering the other replies, not all seem to be that arational.

The best representation of the Absolute is the goddess Kali, imo. She is fierce, as reality and nature are, but ultimately she is loving because she removes fear and grants liberation.

I also consider Kali a fairly good representation of the divine. I wouldn't say that the loving aspect is necessarily its ultimate aspect, though.

Your love relys on compassion to be omnipresent in order to have nirvana.

Ah, so you presuppose that the divine is in the state of nirvana, and that nirvana is a state of compassion.
Why would either be the case?

There will be an analysis of the teachings on the theme "God is Love"



compilation of Bhagavad Gita


Description of the Atman and How to Cognize It

............................
6:32. The one who sees manifestations of the Atman in everything and who has cognized through this the sameness of everything — both the pleasant and the unpleasant — such one is regarded as a perfect Yogi…

9:34. Fix your mind on Me, love Me, sacrifice to Me, revere Me! To Me will you finally come, being consumed by the Atman, if you have Me as your Highest Goal!

In relation to this subject, it is important to stress the importance of the work on the development of the spiritual heart, because higher spiritual achievements are not possible without this. It is inside the developed spiritual heart that the spiritual seeker can find the Atman and then cognize Paramatman — cognize Ishvara (the Creator).

Krishna said the following about this:

10:20. I am the Atman that resides in the hearts of all beings…

15:15. I reside in the hearts of all!…

18:61. Ishvara resides in the hearts of all beings…

How one can open and then develop the spiritual heart is described in our books and films listed at the end of this book.
.........................



Description of Ishvara

10:8. I am the Source of everything, everything originates from Me! Having understood this, the wise worship Me with great delight!

10:9. Directing their thoughts at Me, devoting their lives to Me, enlightening each other, always conversing about Me, they are happy and content!

10:10. To them — always full of love — I gift Buddhi Yoga, by means of which they attain Me.

........................................

11:47. … My supreme and eternal Form… is revealed only in Yoga, in Mergence with the Atman…

.........................................


8:14. … who think of Me constantly, having no thoughts about anything else — such steady Yogis… easily attain Me.

11:54. … Only love can contemplate Me in My innermost Essence and merge with Me!

11:55. The one who does everything (only) for Me, for whom I am the Supreme Goal, who loves Me, who is detached, devoid of enmity — such one comes to Me…

12:8. Fix your thoughts on Me, submerge yourself as a consciousness into Me — verily, then you will live in Me!

.........................................

18:55. By love one cognizes Me in My Essence: who I am and what I am in reality. Having cognized Me thus in My innermost Essence, one submerges into My Beingness!

18:65. Think always about Me, love Me, sacrifice yourself for My sake, seek refuge only in Me — and you will come to Me!…

6:15. The Yogi who has merged with the Atman and controls the mind enters the Highest Nirvana and abides there in Me.


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A more detailed analysis is here:
Krishna — The Bhagavad Gita

Thanks for that summary!
It seems to rather refer to the love of the devotee towards the deity.
Love towards my deity is a central aspect of my spirituality, but love is not a very central aspect of my deity.
Also, you are relying on scripture.

God is not only love, but this formula briefly describes the method of approaching man to God.
To become closer to God you need to become heartfelt love - to be filled with this state and live in it.

Some people seem to understand it that way, but that's not really the literal meaning of the phrase.

There is a simple explanation why God is Love.
Love can unite souls.
In love, you can feel the other soul as yourself.
This is the ideal state of consciousness.
Therefore, all the consciousnesses who have achieved perfection unite in one United God.
And then you can feel the whole world as yourself.

What about those parts of existence that have not achieved that state? Are they not part of that god?

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I wouldn't say that the loving aspect is necessarily its ultimate aspect, though.

I wouldn't, either. Just that it's part of it.

 

[1213]

Why would god be love?

First of all, god is a title, similar to king, but higher. Everyone has something as their god. That can be seen from what they really serve with their words and actions and also by what rules them. Most people seem to have fear as their god, fear rules many people. If love is the god, it will be seen in actions that are loving (caring).

I have understood love is spirit. It is like attitude that makes person do good things to others. It is care without conditions. If people would keep Love as their God, world would be a better place.

He who doesn't love doesn't know God, for God is love.
1 John 4:8

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.
John 4:24

 

[Spirit of Light]

That makes sense - but I was referring to the divine as a whole, or to the supreme deity, not to a divine being among many.
And I'm not convinced that enlightenment necessarily leads to compassion.

I do not see the divine as just one God in my understanding of the divine there are countless Gods Buddhas, Daos and so on. But we choose to follow only one of them at the time.
There can not be enlightenment if one has no compassion for all living beings Compassion is a deeper for of love but without attachments to any physical

 

[Liu]

I do not see the divine as just one God in my understanding of the divine there are countless Gods Buddhas, Daos and so on. But we choose to follow only one of them at the time.

No problem ^^ I thought "the divine" would be a clear enough term to specify that I mean one coherent something and not several beings, but English isn't my native language.

There can not be enlightenment if one has no compassion for all living beings Compassion is a deeper for of love but without attachments to any physical

Well, then I can not reach enlightenment I guess - my empathy faculties are quite limited.

First of all, god is a title, similar to king, but higher. Everyone has something as their god. That can be seen from what they really serve with their words and actions and also by what rules them. Most people seem to have fear as their god, fear rules many people. If love is the god, it will be seen in actions that are loving (caring).

As I wrote above, I'm not referring to a specific god but to what people consider to be the supreme god or the totality of the divine.

I wouldn't, either. Just that it's part of it.

Ah, then I had misunderstood your use of "ultimately" - thanks for clarifying.

 

[syo]

Because Love promotes dharma and makes good karma.

 

[robocop (actually)]

This is a question that recently came up in another thread: Which type of meditation would suit you?

By "god" I mean "the divine" or "the supreme deity" or something along those lines.

I'll put my own thoughts in the next post, it would be great if you'd think first about your reply before reading mine.

My philosophy shows that God is loving. I can't post my books here.

 

[MonkeyFire]

Ah, so you presuppose that the divine is in the state of nirvana, and that nirvana is a state of compassion.
Why would either be the case

You wouldn't want nirvana (ultimate pleasure)? As I said love relys on compassion for omnipresence, and that in order to be unceasingly happy.

 

[nPeace]

This is a question that recently came up in another thread: Which type of meditation would suit you?

By "god" I mean "the divine" or "the supreme deity" or something along those lines.

I'll put my own thoughts in the next post, it would be great if you'd think first about your reply before reading mine.

It's his essence.

The kind of meditation that "suits me"...
Psalm 1:1-3; 63:6; 77:12;

 

[whirlingmerc]

This is a question that recently came up in another thread: Which type of meditation would suit you?

By "god" I mean "the divine" or "the supreme deity" or something along those lines.

I'll put my own thoughts in the next post, it would be great if you'd think first about your reply before reading mine.

As a trinity of 3 persons God would have love, communication and community within the Godhood from one end of eternity to the other. That way love and majesty and power are attributes of God always.

In some views of Nirvana, love is extinguished. Not so with the Biblical God who has joys at his right hand forever.

 

[Shiranui117]

This is a question that recently came up in another thread: Which type of meditation would suit you?

By "god" I mean "the divine" or "the supreme deity" or something along those lines.

I'll put my own thoughts in the next post, it would be great if you'd think first about your reply before reading mine.

Because that is the context in which the truth of the Trinity and God's mercy is revealed to us--in the communion of love among the Persons of the Trinity and our invitation to join in that communion.

 

[r2d2009]

Some people seem to understand it that way, but that's not really the literal meaning of the phrase.

Of course, there are many options for understanding ...
But just the thought that if God is love, then the person himself also needs to turn into love - gives the direction of work on yourself.
The method is working with the spiritual heart.
God insists that it is important.

What about those parts of existence that have not achieved that state? Are they not part of that god?

All living things are always united with God.
But not everyone is aware of this.
To realize this you need to develop love and compassion, these are the steps to enlightenment.

 

[r2d2009]

Compilation from Agni Yoga Teachings

The Heart

The entire path of the psychoenergetical development of man is based on the development of the spiritual heart, because the highest spiritual achievements are realized by the energy of the consciousness expanded from the anahata chakra.

“… The heart should be understood as the only link between the visible and invisible worlds. … Only the thread of the heart leads one to the Infinity.” [2]

“Mergence with the Highest can be realized only through the kindled fire of the heart!” [2]

“In order to link the chain of the worlds (of the multidimensional space), one has to pay special attention to the heart. Only thus can we stay within the boundaries of… the growth of the spirit (i.e. the correct quantitative growth of the consciousness).” [2]

The spiritual heart is an organ of an individual consciousness that produces the emotions of love.

Emotions are states of consciousness. They are born not in the brain but in special structures of the organism — in the chakras.

By entering the anahata chakra, the consciousness enters the state of cordial love.

God is Love, therefore Mergence with Him is possible only if man transforms into Love and develops stability and power in this state.

“The heart is the link connecting the worlds, and only the heart can respond to the Heart of the Lord and the entire Hierarchy!” [2]

“… A consciousness that does not comprehend this can only mumble great words, but cannot apply them to life, because only a heart saturated with the Greatness of the Hierarchy can understand the entire greatness of the Cosmic Law.” [2]

“It is correct to say that love is a guiding, creative principle. This means that love must be conscious, (rightly) aspiring, and self-denying. … The heart filled with love is able and valiant and will expand until it encompasses (God).” [2]

“The love of the feat is not austere for those aflame in heart, but it frightens those who love their weaknesses and those who waver, embracing the illusionary ‘I’.

“The creative fire of the heart does not wander, it resolutely ascends by the steps of the Hierarchy to the Highest Light.

“Love is a guiding, creative principle.” [2]

Agni Yoga is the Path of fiery cordial love for God. It is a realization of the ideas of Bhakti Yoga.

Yet, we have to understand that one cannot develop the capability for the cordial love only by appealing to it or by means of psychoenergetical methods alone. Love is the result of the complex development of strong souls. And in order to gain such love, we have to form ourselves through usual earthly activity, through special esoteric practices, and what is most important — through intellectual work on ethical correction of ourselves.

------------------------------------------------------------

Read more:
Agni Yoga

 

[Liu]

You wouldn't want nirvana (ultimate pleasure)? As I said love relys on compassion for omnipresence, and that in order to be unceasingly happy.

I can kinda see why would one need compassion, or at least something similar, for omnipresence.
But why would being omnipresent make one unceasingly happy?
And why would love rely on compassion?

Of course, there are many options for understanding ...
But just the thought that if God is love, then the person himself also needs to turn into love - gives the direction of work on yourself.
The method is working with the spiritual heart.
God insists that it is important.

All living things are always united with God.
But not everyone is aware of this.
To realize this you need to develop love and compassion, these are the steps to enlightenment.

Love and compassion seem separate things to me, though.
Love is feeling that someone or something is awesome. Compassion is feeling bad when someone else is feeling bad and good when they are feeling good, independent of whether them feeling bad/good has direct consequences on oneself.
Or what would be your definitions?
And how does one develop compassion? And why should one want to? And I'm not entirely sure I understand why compassion would be necessary for enlightenment.

It's his essence.

The kind of meditation that "suits me"...
Psalm 1:1-3; 63:6; 77:12;

Why do you think it's his essence?
Those verses seem to be about love for God, not about God being love.

As a trinity of 3 persons God would have love, communication and community within the Godhood from one end of eternity to the other. That way love and majesty and power are attributes of God always.

In some views of Nirvana, love is extinguished. Not so with the Biblical God who has joys at his right hand forever.

Ah, so the 3 persons of God are in love with each other - that makes sense actually.

Because Love promotes dharma and makes good karma.

Ah, so because it is good for one's karma to love, this shows that love must be part of the underlying mechanism of reality, i.e. of the divine?

 

[MonkeyFire]

I can kinda see why would one need compassion, or at least something similar, for omnipresence.
But why would being omnipresent make one unceasingly happy?
And why would love rely on compassion?

Love is a good feeling
Compassion makes love omnipresent
"Omnipresent" love is omnipresently good

 

[Liu]

Love is a good feeling
Compassion makes love omnipresent
"Omnipresent" love is omnipresently good

Could you give a definition of compassion, because I don't really understand how compassion would make love omnipresent by my understanding of compassion.
But besides that this does make sense to me!

 

[MonkeyFire]

Could you give a definition of compassion, because I don't really understand how compassion would make love omnipresent by my understanding of compassion.
But besides that this does make sense to me!

Gods love, and care for hell, and for the suffering of the faithful.