““The first and most The first and most important question any important question any person can ask is: How person can ask is: How can I become a more can I become a more loving human being?”loving human being?”

~ Sam Keen, ~ Sam Keen, Philosopher & Philosopher &

TheologianTheologian

““People are looking for People are looking for romantic love to serve romantic love to serve

the function that religion the function that religion served for their served for their

predecessors – to give predecessors – to give life a sense of meaning life a sense of meaning

and purpose.”and purpose.”

~~ Ayala Malach Pines, Ayala Malach Pines, PsychologistPsychologist

““Little of what is Little of what is expected of people can expected of people can be appreciated until we be appreciated until we

realize that the realize that the commands to love God commands to love God and our and our neighbourneighbour are are

basic. Love is not to be basic. Love is not to be treated as peripheral.”treated as peripheral.”

~ Leon Morris, ~ Leon Morris, TheologianTheologian

““True love will lead True love will lead the beloved to the the beloved to the

best possible path. best possible path. And that will mean And that will mean that from time to that from time to time disciplinary time disciplinary measures will be measures will be

taken.”taken.”

~ Leon Morris, ~ Leon Morris, TheologianTheologian

““Pure love is unconditional. Pure love is unconditional. There aren’t any strings There aren’t any strings attached to pure love, no attached to pure love, no conditions that have to be conditions that have to be lived up to. Pure love is lived up to. Pure love is

given because the person given because the person ‘is’, because the person ‘is’, because the person

exists. The only exists. The only qualification for receiving qualification for receiving true love is to ‘be’. That true love is to ‘be’. That means that I cannot earn means that I cannot earn

love. The only way I could love. The only way I could be disqualified as a be disqualified as a

candidate for love is to candidate for love is to cease to ‘be’.”cease to ‘be’.”

~ Rich Buhler, Counselor~ Rich Buhler, Counselor

““The sharp rise in the The sharp rise in the divorce rate in the past two divorce rate in the past two decades is linked, at least in decades is linked, at least in

part, to the growing part, to the growing importance of intense importance of intense

positive emotional positive emotional experiences (e.g., romantic experiences (e.g., romantic

love) in people’s lives, love) in people’s lives, experiences that may be experiences that may be

particularly difficult to particularly difficult to sustain over time.”sustain over time.”

~ Simpson, Campbell, & ~ Simpson, Campbell, & Berscheid, Research Berscheid, Research

PsychologistsPsychologists

““When two people are under When two people are under the influence of the most the influence of the most

violent, most insane, most violent, most insane, most delusive, and most transient delusive, and most transient

of passions, they are of passions, they are required to swear that they required to swear that they will remain in that excited, will remain in that excited, abnormal, and exhausting abnormal, and exhausting

condition continuously until condition continuously until death do them part.”death do them part.”

~ George Bernard Shaw~ George Bernard Shaw

““Passionate love is in Passionate love is in may ways an altered may ways an altered

state of state of consciousness. … In consciousness. … In many states today, many states today,

there are laws that a there are laws that a person must not be in person must not be in

an intoxicated an intoxicated condition when condition when marrying. … But marrying. … But

passionate love is a passionate love is a kind of intoxication.”kind of intoxication.”

~ Roy Baumeister, ~ Roy Baumeister, PsychologistPsychologist

“ “The rule for all of us is The rule for all of us is perfectly simple. Do not perfectly simple. Do not

waste time bothering waste time bothering whether you ‘love’ your whether you ‘love’ your

neighbour; act as if you did. neighbour; act as if you did. As soon as we do this we As soon as we do this we

find one of the great secrets. find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will you loved someone, you will presently come to love him.”presently come to love him.”

~ C. S. Lewis, Philosopher~ C. S. Lewis, Philosopher

““Love is as love does.”Love is as love does.”

~ Eric Fromm, ~ Eric Fromm, Psychoanalyst Psychoanalyst

““Love, in the Christian Love, in the Christian sense, does not mean an sense, does not mean an emotion. It is a state not emotion. It is a state not of the feelings but of the of the feelings but of the will; that state of the will will; that state of the will which we have naturally which we have naturally

about ourselves, and about ourselves, and must learn to have about must learn to have about

other people.”other people.”~ C. S. Lewis, Philosopher~ C. S. Lewis, Philosopher

““A new command I give you: A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love loved you, so you must love

one another. By this everyone one another. By this everyone will know that you are my will know that you are my disciples, if you love one disciples, if you love one

another.”another.”~ John 13:34-35 (TNIV)~ John 13:34-35 (TNIV)

““Love is anything done for Love is anything done for a person because of who a person because of who

that person is.”that person is.”

~ Rich Buhler, Counselor~ Rich Buhler, Counselor

Our Definition:

Love is the will to extend one’s self for the purpose of actively honouring the value of a person.

Our Definition:

Love is the will to extend one’s self for the purpose of actively honouring the value of a person.

““Love, then is a form of work Love, then is a form of work or a form of courage. … or a form of courage. …

If an act is not one of work If an act is not one of work or courage, then it is not or courage, then it is not

an act of love. an act of love. There are no exceptions.”There are no exceptions.”

~ M. Scott Peck, Psychiatrist~ M. Scott Peck, Psychiatrist

The entire law is fulfilled in The entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: keeping this one command:

"Love your neighbor as "Love your neighbor as yourself."yourself."

~ Galatians 5:14 (TNIV)~ Galatians 5:14 (TNIV)

Husbands ought to love their Husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He wives as their own bodies. He

who loves his wife loves himself. who loves his wife loves himself. After all, people have never hated After all, people have never hated

their own bodies, but they feed their own bodies, but they feed and care for them, just as Christ and care for them, just as Christ

does the church – for we are does the church – for we are members of his body.members of his body.

~ Ephesians 5:28-30 (TNIV)~ Ephesians 5:28-30 (TNIV)

““The first obligation of a The first obligation of a genuinely loving person will genuinely loving person will

always be to his or her marital always be to his or her marital and parental relationships.”and parental relationships.”

~ M. Scott Peck, Psychiatrist~ M. Scott Peck, Psychiatrist

Romance-Based Romance-Based VS. VS. Arranged Arranged MarriagesMarriages

““It is when a couple falls out of It is when a couple falls out of love that they may begin to love that they may begin to

really love.”really love.”

~ M. Scott Peck, Psychiatrist~ M. Scott Peck, Psychiatrist

““Partners who adore each other are Partners who adore each other are prophets. With time they shape the prophets. With time they shape the relationship according to their own relationship according to their own

vision. … Use the power of self-vision. … Use the power of self-fulfilling prophecies. Treat your fulfilling prophecies. Treat your

(potential) partners as if they were (potential) partners as if they were exactly what you want them to be – exactly what you want them to be –

sexy, exciting, attractive. Your sexy, exciting, attractive. Your behaviour will help bring out those behaviour will help bring out those

traits in them.”traits in them.”

~ Ayala Malach Pines, Psychologist~ Ayala Malach Pines, Psychologist

With the tongue we praise With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human with it we curse human beings, who have been beings, who have been made in God's likeness.made in God's likeness.

~ James 3:9 (TNIV)~ James 3:9 (TNIV)

So in everything, do to So in everything, do to others what you would others what you would

have them do to you, for have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and this sums up the Law and

the Prophets.the Prophets.

~ Matthew 7:12 (TNIV)~ Matthew 7:12 (TNIV)