Trust Theists to Make It All about Lust...

[Kylyssa]

Today, I put up an editorial entitled Without God, How Can an Atheist Feel Love?

I sort of figured I'd get one or two goofy comments but, geez, I've gotten a series of private messages and emails telling me that, no, what I describe has nothing to do with love, that's just lust and that emotions are aspects of the soul.  And the editorial hasn't even been up that long!  They weren't mean emails or PMs, just polite "I'll pray for you" and "you're wrong, that's just lust" kind of things but I've gotten five messages and one similar comment in less than four hours.  I put the editorial up at about one o'clock this afternoon.

[i_am_i]

I don't think Christians can understand love at all, considering that they're taught that human beings are such terrible, sinful creatures.

I reject the notion that there's anything supernatural about love, or about anything else for that matter.

And when Christians get all in a lather about sexual lust I just write that off to them being jealous because people are, after all, people. Sour grapes, in other words.

Imagine living all your life without ever experiencing sexual lust or, even worse, when you do experience it you decide that it must be the work of Satan.

To me that's pretty sick.

[Tanker]

I don't suppose they give examples on how they differeniate lust and love in Atheists?

[i_am_i]

I don't suppose they give examples on how they differeniate lust and love in Atheists?

Love is when you pray before having sex. Sex is about making babies. If it's not about making babies then it's sinful lust.

[Will]

I just had a thought. Maybe at the end of your articles, you can write "I reserve the right to post private messages sent to me, so if you're going to say something to me, be prepared to defend it in public. It'll help keep people honest and utilize the social contract.", that way these angry, judgmental people will have to defend their smug comments to everyone.

[Kylyssa]

I just had a thought. Maybe at the end of your articles, you can write "I reserve the right to post private messages sent to me, so if you're going to say something to me, be prepared to defend it in public. It'll help keep people honest and utilize the social contract.", that way these angry, judgmental people will have to defend their smug comments to everyone.

That's a great idea.  Surprisingly, the private messages/emails I've gotten on this editorial have been polite.  I've gotten (not counting replies from those I replied to) eleven more, all reasonably polite.  

But such a disclaimer is a great idea - I'll figure out a wording that won't make it sound like polite people need worry about their private messages or emails getting shared as I rather enjoy many of the emails and messages I get.

[karadan]

What is wrong with lust anyway? I quite like it.

[Kylyssa]

What is wrong with lust anyway? I quite like it.

I quite like it, too.  It is, however, annoying when theists categorize non-woo attempts to explain love as lust.  I'm a firm believer that lust plays a big part in romantic love but I think it has nothing to do with love of children or siblings, etc.