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I hear various people talk about the concept of unconditional love. They say that pets have unconditional love, or that God loves us unconditionally.

I have to wonder: is there even such a thing? And if there was such a thing, would we value it?

Isn't the very basis of love that the other entity loves you back, or at least treats you decently?

Assuming the shaky probability of a God, that love is certainly conditional: Believe in that God, or go to hell, literally.

Or, for that matter, what if someone loved you no matter what, even if you hated them? Wouldn't their love, unconditional as it was, be more of an annoyance than anything else?

Robotbuilder 7 Mar 6
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12 comments

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Just a guess here but I presume you do not have children. The love for my children could never be extinguished. No matter what. It is very unconditional. I imagine while there are plenty of examples of lousy parents, a solid chunk of them know of and are very familiar with unconditional love.

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I don’t believe that humans are capable of doing anything unconditionally. We place conditions on all aspects of our lives - it’s impossible not to. As for a god being unconditional, since humans made god there is no way (if you believe) that that god could offer uncondtional love. Lastly, love is also a construct that has conditions for each human. Love is not tangible and yet it is describable in the most confusing of terms. Love is blind. Love is unconditional. Love is friendship. Instead of working on loving, one should first work on defining what each instance of “love” means.

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GODS UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. This is one of the greatest contradictions of the bibles teachings. His way of showing this love, particularly to the billions of people living on earth [ before he created it ] and never had the chance to become " Saved " are all cast into the lake of fire to cook forever.....Charming thought !..........The Christian houlocast.............

1

I don't believe in literally unconditional love. Kick and torture your dog for a bit, and it will turn on you (and it should). Love has standards, and expectations, and one of those expectations is reciprocity.

I believe in RELATIVELY unconditional love, the sort of long-term / permanent commitment that spouses SHOULD have for each other, and parents for children, to a lesser extent between siblings, etc. Even that should have standards.

I had one of those mothers who believed (wrongly) that I walked on water and could do no wrong or ever be anything but the bee's knees. After awhile I understood that her praise didn't mean anything because it wasn't based in my actual accomplishments or her actual standards. I would have appreciated some constructive criticism, frankly. Her fawning over me was more about her wanting to avoid conflict or discomfort than in how I was doing. I never knew how the heck I was doing, because I was always doing great according to her.

Now I loved my mother (unconditionally!) and I miss her, and I was probably the perfect, compliant child for a mother like that; she would have been a terrible match for some little shit always looking to break the rules. And I certainly never had to doubt her love for me. It's just that I felt like it was a little uninformed, and I never had much of a sense of accomplishment as a result.

My wife is not blind to my weaknesses, and I am a better man for her not pandering to my bullshit. Hopefully she's a better woman for me not pandering to hers. I am loyal (to a fault) and my wife would have to abuse me quite a bit for me to end the relationship, but the possibility that she COULD do that means my love for her is only RELATIVELY unconditional.

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Yah what Crimson67 said. Unconditional love is for my children

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I do beleive there is unconditional love. Its not conditional on someone loving you back -or it wouldnt be unconditional obvs
it may or may not be annoying to somebody but that doesnt really come into it

my idea of it is how I love my children. I cannot imagine a situation or circumstance where I would not love them and want and do the best for them.

1

Truthfully, I don't know that I believe in the concept of unconditional love.
The closest I think it may come to is the love dogs have for most humans.
Even though a lot of humans don't deserve it.

0

From a logical stand point there's no such thing as unconditional love because there's a condition for everything. Even if that condition is existence!

But seriously I think it exists and people tend to suffer for it. Unrequited love for a friend for instance. You love them but not the other way around, but you suffer the pain because you still want them to be happy. It's not perfectly unconditional but its close.

Of course, it's not healthy. I think unconditional love in any circumstance is probably unhealthy for the person doing the loving. Even parent child relationships. There's always a sacrifice for the person loving. Even if it's small and even if they're willing there is an element of sacrifice. Not saying people shouldn't love their kids but I think every parent has had to give up something.

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THANK YOU!!!! NO, there is no such thing. This is half the problem with people not understanding boundaries. We are taught to allow everything and everyone. I have rejected the notion of unconditional for a long time. Not even the god they believe in has unconditional love. It's a terrifying relationship with an imaginary man who has a torture chamber if you don't do it right.

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God does not love you unconditionally. If he did he would not send you to hell. Avoid the sermon here where the believer says you send yourself to hell. Pah leese!
Actually I do not believe in unconditional love. I find love to be more like a commitment. More like a decision. Passion and lust fade away but true love is commited love. Even so, it has conditions.

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Love always has conditions. At least between a manand a woman.

0

Love is fickle. But then again, so are humans.

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