The Parenthetical Greatest Commandment = Love Yourself!

[St. SteVen]

What do you say? (forum topic link below)

Does questioning Christianity lead to Atheism? (depends)

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[MatthewG]

Proverbs 19:8​

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New Living Translation​

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8 To acquire wisdom is to love yourself;
people who cherish understanding will prosper.

Proverbs 19:8

Young's Literal Translation

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8 Whoso is getting heart is loving his soul, He is keeping understanding to find good.

 

[Lambano]

Disagree. People usually make excuses for themselves. They rationalize. I don't reckon that to be forgiveness.

Forgiveness requires one to first recognize their guilt, and then absolve.

That's another good subject. What is forgiveness?

The Greek word used in the Bible literally means "to pass over" the offense. Forgiveness is totally the prerogative of the one offended; it may or may not be contingent on the offender recognizing they were in the wrong and/or providing restitution.

One of the authors I ran across put it this way: "Forgiveness" is resolving that the offense will not break the relationship. Which does not mean that actions don't have consequences within the relationship; they do. It just means that the offense will not be a barrier to continuing or reestablishing the relationship. A related term is "reconciliation", which is the restoration of a busted relationship and requires willingness on both sides.

(Relevant to your very poignant observation about the biblical connection between loving your neighbor and vengeance: When I see those vignettes in murder documentaries where one of the relatives of the victim forgives the murderer, it rarely means they're willing to have a continuing relationship with the SOB. Instead, forgiveness means they're letting go of the hatred and desire for revenge.)

Getting back to the topic at hand, self-love: Yes, some people do intentionally sabotage their own lives. That helps pay for their psychiatrist's Lexus. I suppose they can totally break off the relationship with themselves. Perhaps that's what happened to a friend of mine whose struggles with himself ended in a very public self-homicide.

 

[St. SteVen]

"The Parenthetical Greatest Commandment = Love Yourself!"

Interesting. I'm sure those many here who reject the Christian Bible "love themselves".

I think you are missing the point. But...
- Why do you suppose that non-Christians are better at loving themselves than Christians?
- Is their something about Christianity that drives self-loathing?

/ cc: @Lambano @O'Darby @Wick Stick

 

[St. SteVen]

Did a Bible search to see what I could find for "love yourself".
Several things came up. Here's an interesting one. Which could be applicable in many ways.

Leviticus 19:34 NIV
The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born.
Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.

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[St. SteVen]

Quite a few references (9) came up in a search for "love your neighbor as yourself".

Bible search results​

1. Leviticus 19:18
   “‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people,
   but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.
   
   
2. Matthew 19:19
   honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’”
   
   
3. Matthew 22:39
   And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
   
   
4. Mark 12:31
   The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
   
   
5. Mark 12:33
   To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength,
   and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
   
   
6. Luke 10:27
   He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul
   and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
   
   
7. Romans 13:9
   The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,”
   “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command:
   “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
   
   
8. Galatians 5:14
   For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
   
   
9. James 2:8
   If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.

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[Jack]

1. Galatians 5:14
   For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

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BINGO!

 

[Wick Stick]

- Is their something about Christianity that drives self-loathing?

Certainly. From Sunday School up they teach us that the default state of man is that we are all wretched sinners.

 

[St. SteVen]

Certainly. From Sunday School up they teach us that the default state of man is that we are all wretched sinners.

Exactly.
What sort of adult life would we expect from a child whose parents raised them that way?
Very destructive upbringing.

No wonder the church is in trouble. Many Christians have left with no plans to ever return.
Can't say I blame them.

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