Love one another

[rainyday]

Prompted by Swamptoad's signature, a question for everyone:

What does love one another mean to you?

"Love one another" is the Christian wording of the sentiment, but love for others is a teaching across many religions. I've also heard many agnostics and atheists express it as a personal code as well. I'd like to hear whether this is something you strive for and if so, your interpretation of it. If it doesn't apply to you, feel free to comment too.

Smart-ass comments are WELCOME too, especially if they lend levity (but hold the jabs please). I'd really, really like to see this thread not end up in Hyde Park. Please.

[TheSadeianLinguist]

I think it's a good personal code to live by. We frequently don't allow ourselves any sense of mysticism in love or romance or beauty. If you find yourself transfixed in a moment of absolute peace and inner-outer symmetry, well, you're insane by society's rules, or a hippie, or something else unflattering.

Best rule for getting along with the human race: Be good family.

[Mini]

"Respect the respectable, condemn the damnable, and fuck those who are difficult to label."

That's my motto.

[Michelle]

"What does love one another mean to you?"

Three Dog Night - "Love One Another" - summer between junior and senior year of high school (1970, I believe) - slow dancing at a Houghton Lake bowling alley lounge with some gorgeous guy from Saginaw whose name I didn't know. The song was playing on a juke box.

[Miss Vickie]

To me it means to wish each other well, to want the very best for everyone, regardless of whether you get along with them or even really like them as people.

[rainyday]

Originally Posted by Miss Vickie

To me it means to wish each other well, to want the very best for everyone, regardless of whether you get along with them or even really like them as people.

I think my interpretation is close to this, with the addition of lending a helping hand when needed. And also forgiving. I think the giving of time and money are the easy parts. The wishing good for the people we dislike or who dislike us and forgiving is much harder for me. I've always really looked in awe at people who are able to say, forgive the murderer of their child. I don't know if I could. When people are able to forgive like that though, I think amazing things come of it.

(I also think there's more to that night's story that Michelle's not telling us )

[Sandie S-R]

Instead of the phrase "love one another", I prefer the word "Namaste".

It means, "the God in me honors the God in you".

[Chimpi]

This is what I've gathered on what I consider a subject of this nature (sorry, the right words are not at my fingertips):

Children react much better, much more pleasantly, and progress much further with positive reinforcement. The result is the growth of a beautiful person. The way I see it is, if the child is raised on a Happy family resume, the result can be magnificent: Intelligence, Kindness, and Grace. Although, there are always exceptions to the rule.

I would like to assume that it is the same with Teenagers and Adults. Obviously teenagers are always troublemakers, and have much to learn. There is nothing wrong to give positive feedback to a person that you see fit. I make it a personal duty to do so on a regular basis, whatever the outcome. Anger and resentment come about from either no feedback or negative feedback (that I have personally experienced). The result is a much more deprived person.

Very generic way to view it, but to me, "Love one another" means a personal duty to let others know how you feel. The more positive the feedback, the better the response and attitude. Afterall, look at Jesus. How many people believe in and follow Jesus?

[Miss Vickie]

Originally Posted by Sandie S-R

Instead of the phrase "love one another", I prefer the word "Namaste".

It means, "the God in me honors the God in you".

Oh, Sandie, I love that...

[rainyday]

Chimpi, I would never have thought of it that way, but I can very much see that fitting. I love all these different takes on it. Thank you all for sharing.

Originally Posted by Sandie S-R

Instead of the phrase "love one another", I prefer the word "Namaste".
It means, "the God in me honors the God in you".

Sandie, you made me curious where this originates so I went and looked it up. Sounds like there are gestures that sometimes go along with it. This is part of what Wikipedia says. I like.

In other words, it recognizes the equality of all, and pays honor to the sacredness and interconnection of all, as well as to the source of that interconnection.

[Michelle]

All right, I'm thinking it wasn't Three Dog Night who sang that song. "Come on people, got to smile on your brother, got to love one another, right now" - anyone know the group? Anyone recall the tune? It was either 1970 or 1971 and was a HUGE hit and now I can't get it out of my head.

Jane? You're my age. Do you remember?

[swamptoad]

Love one another

my interpretation ---->

Sharing many things "good-natured" whether you know that other person well or not.

Share your laughs, smiles, cries.

Share your caring, warm, benevolent thoughts.

Sharing your opinions but doing so out of love.

Michelle, the song which you are thinking about is "Get Together" from The Youngbloods (Chet Powers wrote it.)

I liked reading everybody's thoughts on my signature. Cool! Love all this thoughtfulness. Lots of great thinkers!

Thanks for starting the thread rainyday.

[ripley]

I love everyone's answers. Great thread, rainybow!

[Friday]

Love One Another is the refrain in a song by Todd Rundgren called Love Is The Answer that I really like, but I think the one you're looking for Michelle is The Youngbloods. Thank you Google.

[BBW Betty]

Love one another....

I'm so glad SadeianLinguist posted her idea about being good family, and also Sandie about seeing God in each other. We need to recognize each other as fellow humans, deserving all the good things we each want for ourselves.

I think that Love One Another means to treat others how we want to be treated. Accept differences, and care for the person next door as much as the people around the world. In spite of differences in religions, know that God created us all--"and God don't make no junk!!"

Originally Posted by Chimpi

...Children react much better, much more pleasantly, and progress much further with positive reinforcement....

This poem hung on the wall of my younger brother's room for many years:

Children Learn What They Live
Dorothy Law Nolte

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.

[TheSadeianLinguist]

Wonderful post, SW, but I can't rep right now.

Chimpi, I don't know if you're already familiar with it, but check out "attachment parenting" if you haven't already. It's a different way of rearing with love and logic instead of nagging, yelling, and hitting.

[Sandie S-R]

Originally Posted by rainyday

....
Sandie, you made me curious where this originates so I went and looked it up. Sounds like there are gestures that sometimes go along with it. This is part of what Wikipedia says. I like.

Hey Rainy!!!

I seem to recall that "Namaste" is a Hindu (Hindi) word. When said to someone, you hold your hands together (as if in prayer), and bow your head in honor to the one you are greating with "Namaste".

In many years of studying Religion and philosphy, it is one of the sweetest and most loving comments that I think I have ever learned. When Charlie was about 5 they taught it to the little kids at our church. I thought it was such a good thing to teach children. That we are all one, and we should honor that which connects us all, and each other.

[HappyFatChick]

Michelle- I think that song is "Get Together" by the Youngbloods.
I could be wrong...

[rainyday]

Sauce, that poem was in our house too when I was growing up, except it hung in my mom's sewing/laundry room. That's the room she usually escaped to when we the three of us drove her to the brink, and now I'm thinking it might be no coincidence that that's where that reminder was placed lol.

Sandie, Wikipedia listed a bunch of additional translations to that word. They all say the same thing, but they're individually beautiful too:

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

In a religious context this word can be taken to mean any of these:

* The Spirit in me meets the same Spirit in you
* I greet that place where you and I are one.
* I salute the divine in you
* I salute the Light of God in you.
* I bring together my body and soul, focusing my divine potential, and bow to the same potential within you.
* I bow to the divine in you.
* I recognize that within each of us is a place where Divinity dwells, and when we are in that place, we are One.

P.S. to Michelle: Did you get yet that it's the Youngbloods?

[Paul Fannin]

Originally Posted by rainyday

Prompted by Swamptoad's signature, a question for everyone:

What does love one another mean to you?

"Love one another" is the Christian wording of the sentiment, but love for others is a teaching across many religions. I've also heard many agnostics and atheists express it as a personal code as well. I'd like to hear whether this is something you strive for and if so, your interpretation of it. If it doesn't apply to you, feel free to comment too.

Smart-ass comments are WELCOME too, especially if they lend levity (but hold the jabs please). I'd really, really like to see this thread not end up in Hyde Park. Please.

When asked the whereabouts of his brother, the villainous Cain answered with the chilling response, "Am I my brother's keeper?"

In the meridian of time the same being who asked Cain regarding his slain brother said, "As I have loved you, love one another."

On another occasion, the Master said, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these, my bretheren, ye have done it unto me."

The Lord did not answer Cain his treacherous question, "Am I my brother's keeper?" But as we wend our way through this life, we may humbly ask ourselves the same question. The answer comes to me as a resounding, "Yes!"

Paul

[Donna]

* I salute the divine in you

That's the Pagan interpretation I am used to. Amazing how one word can communicate so much, though, isn't it? If I remember my bible correctly, 'Love One Another' was what Jesus commanded on the Sermon on the Mount. Love and respect for your fellow man seems to cut across all religious barriers. For me personally, it's about kindness, respect and service. Help out when I can and let the Universe take over when I can't.

Love one another means that we must stick together and take the time to care about someone other than yourself.
It is hard to love your fello man at times, but it doesn't mean that you still shouldn't.
Frankly, I don't have an enemy because I rarely meet anyone that I don't like. But there are some that don't want that love because they have lost those feelings and aren't willing to open up and feel love anymore. They are the ones that need it the most or have never had love in their life.

[4honor]

"Dear Friends, let us love one another, for love comes from G-d. Everyone who loves has been born of G-d and knows G-d. Whoever does not love does not know G-d because G-d is love." I John 4:7

"... He has given us this command: Whoever loves G-d must also love his brother." I John 4:21

"love is patient
love is kind
it does not envy
it does not boast
it is not proud
it is not rude
it is not self seeking
it is not easily angered
it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil
It rejoices with the truth.
It always protects.
It always trusts.
It always hopes.
It always perserveres.
Love never fails." ~ I Corinthians 13: 4-8

I do believe in the words of the Bible. I also seek to become more like Christ. He was no shrinking violet. He threw the hypocrites out of the temple, he called the adulturous woman to go and sin no more. He called it like it was, but offered compassion at the same time. He took the time to develop a relationship with the outcasts of the day. He healed the sick and raised the dead and he took the time to CRY (John 11:35) with his friends who had lost a loved one.

I have been given a guideline in the Bible (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth). Just because I know what is right and wrong does not mean I am allowed to go judge someone else. That is between them and their Maker.

I am called to LOVE ONE ANOTHER. I was even given the definitions of love by which to measure my own behavior. Simple to understand, but complicated to carry out.

[rainyday]

Pauly, Doodles, 4Honor, thank you for posting. You all have illustrated it in ways I wasn't expecting, like the Cain and Abel story, and they're wonderful. Donna, I think it's no accident that despite lots of differences this is a constant. Interesting to hear that word is part of Paganism too.

Originally Posted by 4honor

He was no shrinking violet.

I'm especially glad you posted that part, 4honor. Just personally.