Is it better to love your children conditionally or unconditionally? Why?
-
Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.
Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:- Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
- Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
- Access to private conversations with other members.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!
Should You Love Your Children Conditionally or Unconditionally?
- Thread starter Sunstone
- Start date
sandandfoam
Veteran Member
I love my kids unconditionally. They know it. They don't get punished as such. Of course I'd like to think my way is the best for them - but I don't know.
I'm sure in another 5 or 10 years they won't hold back in informing me of my shortcomings.
I'm sure in another 5 or 10 years they won't hold back in informing me of my shortcomings.
MSizer
MSizer
I agree with the posts so far. Unfortunately I think there are times in some sad cases where parents don't have the means to help a child (young or adult). Just last week a woman was murdered not too far from here by her 20 yr old son. Her husband found her in his home, and he said that their son had been troubled by mental illness for years. I hope that continued research into mental illnesses will eventually be able to prevent such sad cases. While we do unfortunately need to protect people from the potential threat this man places on society, I don't think he doesn't deserve to be loved. Therefore, I think the father is faced with the terrible reality that his son must be controlled by incarceration until better means to relieve the mental illness are available. Sad. Again, this doesn't mean the 20 yr old doesn't deserve to be loved, it only means we aren't able to help him yet the way he needs it.
Just_me_Mike
Well-Known Member
I believe we should unconditionally love everyone in the world, our children included.
That does not mean that we will associate with everyone, because there are those that do things that go against what an individual might believe in. So in that case we just avoid them, but still love them at the same time.
Love is the unifying bond that holds everyone together, even if there are those that don't understand that at this point. For those that do understand it, unconditional love is paramount. If we lose this love, we make room for hate and all the goodies that go along with not loving someone.
Make sense?
That does not mean that we will associate with everyone, because there are those that do things that go against what an individual might believe in. So in that case we just avoid them, but still love them at the same time.
Love is the unifying bond that holds everyone together, even if there are those that don't understand that at this point. For those that do understand it, unconditional love is paramount. If we lose this love, we make room for hate and all the goodies that go along with not loving someone.
Make sense?
You should love everyone unconditionally.
.lava
Veteran Member
Kilgore Trout
Misanthropic Humanist
If my child murdered my wife I would no longer love that child. I find it hard to believe that anyone could love anyone else completely unconditionally.
What if your child tied you up and tortured you? What if your child killed your whole family?
What if your child tied you up and tortured you? What if your child killed your whole family?
.lava
Veteran Member
loving unconditionally does not mean applauding everything single thing they do.
why would a child do that? i believe a parent would try to find a cure for violent behavour instead of taking revenge, torturing him back, hating him...
.
Kilgore Trout
Misanthropic Humanist
I thought it simply meant unconditionally loving them regardless of everything they do or don't do.
.lava
Veteran Member
IMO no
love and acceptance are two different things. how could a mother teach her child between right and wrong if she accepted everything kid does?.
But does unconditional love imply unconditional acceptance of someone's actions or lack of actions?
Kilgore Trout
Misanthropic Humanist
MSizer
MSizer
Yeah, exactly. I certainly don't think you should be always "happy" about everything your child does - obviously not. But I think (I hope anyway) we do have the capacity to love unconditionally, which means looking past anger and maintaining rational judgement so that you and your child can benefit most. Of course sometimes that includes handing him/her over to the police, which I'm sure sucks big, but I don't think you can't still love him/her.
I agree. You love your child, not necessarily your child's actions. Same with anyone else, you love them, not what they do.
No. You can love someone even though you do not accept something that they do. I love my dog unconditionally, but I don't like it when he eats his own or another dogs p00p. Does not change my opinion or love of him, but I will still try to shew him away from the p00p!