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How would you respond to "You can't have true love without God"?

I'm sitting in church (still haven't come out to people) and the preacher is declaring that love is not real without God. My question is, How would you respond to "You can't have true love for people without God"?

Biblebeltskeptic 6 Sep 15
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114 comments (76 - 100)

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2

Level 7

You can only truly love a true Scotsman.

[facebook.com] Here's two for you

2

Level 7

I'd reply, "Sorry. I'm straight".

2

Level 8

Don't respond, quit going to church and being subjected to thier made up crap.

The church doesn't own anything, including love.

1of5 Level 8 Sep 15, 2019
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2

Level 8

You can't have true love with god.

2

Level 9

"Nonsense. I don't need an imagery being to love people. Love is in my heart."

1

Level 6

The truest love is godless. It springs from the heart of the person loving and has no need for the approval or the encouragement of some unseen, unknown deity. It seeks no reward, fears no punishment, it is love for the sake of love.

1

Level 5

I was going to say basically the same thing as all of the other comments. It is an indefensible comment and anyone who would make such a comment is not open-minded enough to listen to a response.

1

Level 4

I will say, I am my God, trust me on this one.

1

Level 8

The same way I did to the guy that asked me how one can be law abiding and caring of others without a deity. That it's my choice to not want to hurt other people It would be your choice to love....

1

Level 6

Prove it.

1

Level 8

Maybe he will be all three.... and i will just be watching.

@jacar : I am all for threesomes. Is HE going to join us as man or a woman?

1

Level 9

I'd say something like "If that's true, then it's too fucking bad that god doesn't exist, yeah?" It's amazing the horseshit that preachers can make up, isn't it? Maybe pathetic is a better way to describe it. On a personal note, you should come out. Free yourself so you can be yourself, you know?

I probably should.
1

Level 7

I always ask them what is love ?

Humanism is the exact same thing that they define as love, such as thinking and taking care of others or having empathy. But for some reason, their belief dictates that they need a god.

@jorj That’s a first !!! Lmao 😆

@jorj, @LetzGetReal I don’t let them use that old rational perspective, but I see you .
1

Level 8

I think that love stands on its own. It doesn't need any god.

1

Level 8

Time to leave and never go back....why listen to an insane liar controlling your crotch and ca$h ? Don't waste another breath with frauds. If your family goes, soon they will notice you are free to live your own life.....if they harass you to go back THEY ARE CULTISTS and if they threaten you with silence shunning and shouting....why would you take such abuse and want to argue with hate THAT IS HELLISH gawdly control THE OPPOSITE of free love....you have friends here so BE FREE FROM THEOCRACY

Thanks for your response. I'll consider that.
1

Level 8

First I would ask them to prove a god was real. They would have to give me objective evidence for a god.

Yes, I agree. But for some reason almost everyone I know believes it unquestionably! For them it's a sin to doubt even the Bible origins.

@Biblebeltskeptic Prior to coming out of the god loving fog did you not think like them too?

1

Level 6

“You can't have true love for people without God"? That is B.S. How do you feel about your kids? I betcha you love them more than you ever thought you could love anything.
This is just a scare tactic. Religions use scare tactics because they lack confidence in their belief. They must use fear to get people to believe that they will do good things to get to heaven. Ask yourself this question, do you do good things because you want to go to heaven or is it simply the right thing to do?
I can relate to your bio; I came from a very Italian Catholic family. At age 12, I realized I didn’t buy any of it. At age 40, I came out of the closet. I always felt very alone in my thinking. I don't feel that way anymore. Now I feel liberated. People like yourself, that figure this “secret” out on their own, are critical thinkers. We don’t need a story to help us figure out who we are. The bigger question is, what do you tell your children when they ask you how you feel about god?

I told my daughter the exact Truth when she was about 7 years old, she grew up an atheist like me.

Awesome response. I'm glad I'm not alone in this. So glad we have an online community of like-minded people! My child is still to young to understand concepts of a god. He parrots what teachers and grandparents teach him. And that is scary!

@Biblebeltskeptic When my kids ask me how I felt about god, I paused for a second and said, that was a good question, then I asked, how do you feel about god?
I didn’t want to force my beliefs on them, I wanted them to arrive at their own conclusion. Turns out 25 years later they are both atheists. Darn skeptics, where did they ever get that curious thinking from.?

@Triphid When my kids ask me how I felt about god, I paused for a second and said, that was a good question, then I asked, how do you feel about god?
I didn’t want to force my beliefs on them, I wanted them to arrive at their own conclusion. Turns out 25 years later they are both atheists. Darn skeptics, where did they ever get that curious thinking from.?

@Biblebeltskeptic I just found out about an hour ago that my nearly 6 year old has just been asking questions that have 'upset' ( would you believe it, UPSET by a 6 year old) asking questions of her, a very out-spoken Christian Teacher, at his Public School WHY she believes there is a God that she can't she or hear?"
When told by the Teacher he MUST apologise to her and God for saying such a thing, Henry just replied with, " Why, you told us to ask questions?"
Henry's Mum and Dad are both Atheists, his Grandfather is also as am I and wishing to seem boastful, Henry has been a very curious, outspoken and questioning child since not long after he really started to talk and understand what he was talking about.
Henry has been a fairly fluent reader since about 4 years of age simply because we all have encouraged and helped him learn to read, write and ask question of course.
The School Principal was called in by Henry's Teacher in an attempt to set a punishment for him, possibly Detention, but instead the Principal told the Teacher and the class that " By asking questions is how people actually learn and Teachers SHOULD always try to answer the questions put to them Honestly and Truthfully."

@Triphid Sounds like that teacher is the one that needs to learn.

@Vintenar I think she got that, though unexpectedly from the School Principal.
It looks like the 4 of us adults have created yet another Atheist in young Henry now.
1

Level 7

When you explore what they mean by "true" or "real" love you invariably come to a circular argument.

1

Level 3

he is probably referring to the greek there are two different meanings

sean Level 3 Sep 15, 2019
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He explained the different meaning of love: "Phileo", "Eros", and something else... "Phileo" was supposed to be the opitome of true love.
1

Level 5

I am not sure what love is.... I have used the word because most seem to know it. But most likely I would mean more and I don't mean love. Or do I... I have known no God. Nor unconditional love. Maybe it is because I seen levels and terms. The deep detail. No one word can show the other what I truly mean... But I do use them when quickness is needed.

Yes, the word "love" is overused. I think when Christians talk about love, it's defined as doing good things for another just because. But we really don't need God for that. We as homo sapiens have empathy and participate in humanism, for the most part.
1

Level 8

That is silly.

I ended a conversation with my brother, who's a Christian, with "Love ya, bro!" He said, "How can you love me? You're incapable of love". He told me he never wanted to talk to me again. I'm just sick of this kind of thinking!

@Biblebeltskeptic It seems that his God actually gets in the way of him loving. Ironic.

@Biblebeltskeptic I am very sorry. How horrible.
1

Level 7

“OK. Thanks”

1

Level 7

Odd. I have more love and respect for other humans... and animals...and insects... as an atheist than I ever did as a believer.

1

Level 8

Depends on the context of the dialog, but it would basically be that there's as much evidence to support that comment than there is that god even exists.

1

Level 7

Laugh in their face. I know rather rude. Depending on how close (emotionally) that person is to me, I would try to discuss it with them or just blow it off.

CS60 Level 7 Sep 15, 2019
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I would probably sort of snort, then turn away and give the person no more attention. But one might consider NOT attending church anymore. I can't even imagine going back into any Christian church again, unless maybe to see some 16th centure painting, as in Italy.
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