Augustine and love composition

April 13, 2000

Seminar 021

How can Augustine determine love?

Augustine states continuously that having been not yet in love, unfortunately he in love with take pleasure in. This affirmation doesnt appear sensible to me. We dont believe that someone may be in love with a thing, if he or she will not understand what like is.

I was not yet in appreciate, but I had been in love with like, and in the very interesting depth of my own need disliked myself because of not more keenly feeling the necessity. (pg. 35) How can Augustine hate himself if this individual doesnt really know what loves seem like? I think a whole lot of Augustines statements regarding love are interesting. Augustine has some extremely good details about appreciate, but this individual contradicts him self also.

Is Augustine saying this individual wasnt in love or perhaps he doesnt understand take pleasure in? Both of these transactions make me speculate how can this individual be in like with like, if he isnt in love.

After saying this, Augustine continues to support his affirmation by talking regarding friendship. Is a friendship Augustine mentions lustful or truly about love? Thus We polluted the stream of friendship with all the filth of unclean desire and sullied its limpidity with the terrible of lust. (pg.

35) Obviously Augustine is letting the concept of love change straight to lust. He discusses unclean desires, but he says he would like to be expending courtly. Probably Augustine provides the wrong thought about love. Love is when you proper care deeply regarding someone and will do anything for them.

Contemplating sexual needs and physical attractions are defining lustful ideas. Is usually Augustine discussing different kinds of love?

Augustine states that he wants to always be forgiven for the file corruption error of his soul therefore he can like God once again. He likewise states whatsoever pleases you, you should take pleasure in Him who created it. If materials things please you then reward God on their behalf, but reverse your love upon Him who manufactured them.

(pg. 60) He proceeds this thought by stating we should appreciate God intended for he created the world minus God we wouldnt be able to love whatever in this world. This individual also claims that Goodness made the world and couldnt leave. And so is Augustine implying that if somebody makes anything and abandons it, that she or he shouldnt be loved?

I think Augustine is suggesting that only individuals who create some thing and stay around must be loved.

I agree with Augustine relating to this. If God would of created the universe and left, I would of thought he created the universe by mistake. By simply sticking around or admitting to creating the world, I feel as though God is ready and willing to handle whatever situations that may arrive His way. Augustine explains to sinners to come back to their heart and abide to God.

Is Augustine saying that The almighty doesnt make evil? Or is this individual saying that sinners learn to love evil and evil gets control their hearts? If Goodness created every thing, didnt he create bad as well? I do think God created the devil, who had been banned coming from Gods empire, and he began preaching against Gods phrase. If Goodness created the satan and the satan created evil, then Goodness created bad. I don’t think The almighty directly developed evil, nevertheless indirectly through the devil. Goodness realized that wicked isnt great so selection the devil quit his empire.

Augustine begins to talk about just how his marital life was set up. Great hard work was made to get me personally married. My spouse and i proposed, the lady was assured me. (pg.

102) He continually state that his mother desired him to get married. Is definitely Augustine really in love with her? I never think therefore , if having been truly crazy about her this individual wouldnt will need his mother to decide on marital life. I think Augustine really cared for about this girl, but was staying influenced to marry her by his mother. This individual goes on to describe how the woman wanted him to show her a eyesight for their foreseeable future marriage.

It seems in my experience as if the lady isnt everything that sure about their love. I believe she is showing Augustine this, to see if this individual truly loves her with all his center and to see if hes all set to get married.

Augustine brings up the idea about receiving personal glory when ones liked. Augustine is stating that individuals love to be praised.

Is this kind of love selfish? I believe it can be selfish. In the event that not self-centered, I wouldnt define it as true love. True love does something out of your kindness of the heart, you dont anticipate any party favors in return. The report of mens jaws and actions known to men, bring with them a most perilous temptation in the love of praise, which usually goes round almost begging for comments and piles them on with our own personal glory.

(pg. 205) I understand this affirmation to mean that people are enticed to be cherished because individuals who are loved are usually praised.

In general once i read Religion I thought that Augustine had a lot of interesting thoughts. I wouldnt agree with 50 % of them working with love.

I think this individual brings a few important suggestions about lust and the attraction of being lauded. Augustine sees that many other adversities come along with like. Love isnt an easy level for people to pass through, but when were ready to take pleasure in we should not be afraid to love. We wouldnt phone Augustine uninformed when he talks about love.

In all fact I think the several stages he has been through make him wise with regards to love. He wasnt capable of love using his center, but Augustine understood what it took to have the ability to love seriously. I think Augustine defines appreciate as a condition of being to give every one of yourself to another individual. Regardless of the person, whether the God, a substantial other, or a certain thing.

Love is a mental, religious, and physical state that makes us a much better person in the end. Book Studies

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