Kant speaks of the biblical passage referring that we should “love our neighbors” in his writing. I am sure this has brought forth many protests from Christians over the years. Kant says that it isn’t possible to love your neighbors because love is something we’re unable to control. He says there is practical love which is easier to control but honestly I’m not sure he goes anywhere with that portion of the argument.
I don’t believe that the bible is completely literal. I believe that the bible is a composition of stories, fables, or whatever you choose to call them. The ideas represented in the bible were ultimately written by humans whether divinely inspired or not and many of the stories are up to eight hundred years old. For instance, the story of creation; the seven days could easily be representative of the millions of years required to create the universe. The people of the time weren’t able to understand the scientific foundation to the creationism story so it was essentially watered down to suit them.
In this same sense, I believe that the bible means to treat your neighbors in a practical sense with love as you would your family. It is a sort of “do unto others as you’d have them do unto you” thing; it just takes it to the next level necessarily to further explain the extent to which you should treat them. The final result is all that matters to society.

I don't know... I bet floppyhat could love his neighbor.

Idiots interpreting the bible leads to bad kool aid.

man jesus is soooo bad ass.

In all seriousness, if you want a "beleivers" opinion here... i beleive exactly what COsbourne just said. the bible is mostly a guide to live life by with examples instead of pictures. I dont take everything literally and surprise... King has it right too. People get it mixed up when they dont use common sense and missinterpret ideas to suit a personal cause. It has been described as "a love story not a dictators memiours(sp?)

I think I was right too. Jesus was a fucking badass.

HES JUST YOUR HERO cause he could turn water into wine and you could hang with a dude like that ...except he was black :wiggle:

Ohh I forgot about the water into wine thing. What a fucking badass.

For instance, the story of creation; the seven days could easily be representative of the millions of years required to create the universe. The people of the time weren’t able to understand the scientific foundation to the creationism story so it was essentially watered down to suit them.

The story of creation follows the structure of Hebrew Poetry- perhaps it was never meant to be taken literally? Have you researched or studied Biblical interpretation? Notions of interpreting a passage based upon it's intended audience, the social/historical context of the writings, the form of the writing, etc? Many who interpret the Bible never waste time with this- both followers and dissidents alike.

Kant would be wrong to suggest that love is something we cannot control- if it is an emotion, we regularly demand that people control emotion- that's why road rage is not an excuse for beating the sh*t out of someone who cuts you off. If love is an action, it is an action of choice, and like all our choices, it is under our control.

More importantly is that love your neighbour came after love the Lord thy God. The whole of the law is based upon this- so all morality is hinged upon love God, love man. The two are inseparable- but note which was mentioned first.

Hrm, for Kant to say "Love is uncontrollable" leads me to belive that he did not know what love is :)

Love is not a fluttery fealing in your heart, or some other member of your body.

Love waits patiently; it acts kindly. Love does not envy [or, is not jealous]; love does not boast; it does not become haughty. It does not behave disgracefully; it does not seek its own [things]; it is not provoked [or, irritated]; it does not keep a record of evil. It does not rejoice over unrighteousness, but it rejoices with the truth. It puts up with all [things], believes all, hopes [or, confidently expects] all, endures all.

Love never fails.


(1 Corinthians 13:~ ALT)

As well, in Matthew 5:43, it is written (one of the places where that line "love thy neighbor" comes from):

"You* heard that it was said, 'You will love your neighbor,' and you will hate your enemy, [Lev. 19:18] but _I_ say to you*, be loving your* enemies; be blessing the ones cursing you*; be doing good to the ones hating you*, and be praying on behalf of the ones mistreating you* and persecuting you*, in order that you* shall become [or, prove to be] sons [and daughters] of your Father, the [One] in {the} heavens, because He causes His sun to rise on evil [ones] and good [ones], and He sends rain on righteous [ones] and unrighteous [ones].

"For, if you* love the ones loving you*, what reward do you* have? Even the tax collectors do the same, do they not? "And if you* greet [fig., are friendly towards] your* friends only, what more do you* do [than others]? Even the tax collectors do so, do they not? "Therefore, _you*_ will be perfect, just as your* Father, the [One] in the heavens, is perfect.

One of the other places where "Love thy neighbor" comes up, is in Luke 10, 25 through 37, commonly reffered to as the story of the "Good Samaritan"

And look! A certain lawyer stood up, testing Him and saying, "Teacher, [by] having done what, will I inherit eternal life?" (26) But He said to him, "What has been written in the Law? How do you read [it]?" (27) Then answering, he said, "'You will love the LORD your God with your whole heart [fig., your entire inner self] and with your whole soul and with your whole strength and with your whole understanding,' and 'your neighbor as yourself.'" [Deut 6:5; Lev 19:18] (28) Then He said to him, "You answered correctly. Do this and you will live." (29) But that one wanting to be justifying himself [or, to be declaring himself righteous], said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" (30) Then Jesus having taken up [the word] [fig., Jesus replying], said, "A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and encountered robbers, who having both stripped him and having inflicted wounds, they went away, having left [him] as it turned out half dead. (31) "Now by a coincidence, a certain priest was going down on that road, and having seen him, he passed by on the opposite side [of the road]. (32) "Then likewise also a Levite having been at the place, having come and seen, passed by on the opposite side. (33) "But a certain Samaritan, being on a journey, came by him, and having seen him, he was moved with compassion. (34) "And having approached, he bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then having placed him on his own beast [of burden], he brought him to an inn and took care of him. (35) "And on the next day, when he departed, having taken out two denarii [i.e., two days' wages], he gave [them] to the innkeeper and said to him, 'Take care of him, and whatever you spend besides, in my coming again, _I_ will pay back to you.' (36) "So which of these three do you suppose to have become a neighbor of the one having fallen among the robbers?" (37) Then he said, "The one having done the mercy with him [fig., having shown him mercy]." Then Jesus said to him, "Be going, and _you_ be doing likewise." (ALT)


The "Love Thy Neighbor" is not only in the NT, but is from the Torah, as referenced above "[a few places in Lev chapter 19]"

Lev 19:17 You shall not hate your brother in your heart; you shall certainly reprove your neighbor, and not allow sin on him.

Lev 19:18 You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people; but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am Jehovah.

(LITV)