Which tree are you standing under?

We governed ourselves through a social contract (silver rule) or by compassion and love (golden rule). Which one rules you? If you are like most people, love is just an abstract concept that is hard to define.

If love is the thread that holds the golden rule together, what is the thread that holds love together? Love has many interpretations but does it share a common root within every relationships? How do we uphold the golden rule when we don't even have a universal definition of love?

When offering a definition of love, many people will not address what love is, but rather what love does and what love feels like. In other words, people tend to offer the result of love but fail to explain the substance of love. Much like defining rain, people will limit their answer to 'it feels wet' and 'it makes plants grow.' Seldom do we hear a meteorological explanation of rain. We are looking for a causal answer to love and not the effectual explanation. Love is the cause, and emotions along with actions are its effects. Love must have a common thread between one relation to another. What is it?

A good place to start is by analyzing love's nemesis – its evil counterpart; hate. Is it not ironic that hate is much easier to define than love? What does that say about us?

“If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed.” `Albert Einstein

Hatred fears, it destroys, it deceives, it plots evil, it exploits, it frets, it's self-promoting, it's selfish, it's unsure, it's impatient, it's partial, it's power hungry, it's heartless, it's unforgiving, it's chaotic, it's deadly, it's faultfinding, and its dishonourable. A person with hate is governed through the 'social contract' system in which the fear of punishment and the want for rewards keeps the individual in check. Albert Einstein, arguably one of this planet most brilliant mind in history stated that “If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed.”

Since love is hatred's adversary then we can reason that love holds diametric traits from hate:

Love has faith, it co-operates, it edifies, it forgives, it's honourable, it's courageous, it's steadfast, it's self-sacrificial, it's peaceful, it's compassionate, it's honourable, it's has integrity, it's patience, it's impartial, it's inspiriting, it's relentless, and it enjoys life. A person with genuine love is governed by the 'golden rule', where the individual benefits from altruistic acts of benevolence. “Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.” ~Mother Teresa

Short Definition of Love
Love is a contract to continuously edify everyone.

Longer Version
Love is an agreement of faith to honourably commit to the well-being and edification of every person with impartiality and with perseverance. It recognizes and respect all life.

“Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.” ~Mother Teresa

Ultimately there are two ways to keep this world in check; the letter of the law (rules) or the spirit of the law (love). Which tree will you eat from?

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SHORT EXCERPTS ARE PERMITTED

The Golden and Silver Rule

The 'Golden Rule' promotes edification through a spiritual state, while social contract (the Silver Rule) advocates mutual well-being through the letter of the law.

The Golden and Silver Rule (Copyright Tricotomas)

In other words, law and punishment drives the silver rule while love kindles the 'Golden Rule' . You must be aware of the contrast of good and evil while working within the parameter of the silver contract (social contract). It can be argued that the infamous Adam and Eve originally walked in the Spirit with God and were not aware of this contrast of good and evil, until the moment they chose to surrender to the forbidden diametric knowledge. Their action condemned them into a state of social contract forgoing the 'Golden Rule' principal. If you live outside the principal of golden rule (true love), then you exist in fear and mistrust of others. You require a social contract to govern your world. Therefore one can look at the silver rule as a default setting. Fear of punishment is what keeps the populace in check.

“Man would indeeded be in a poor way if he had to be restrained [only] by fear of punishment ...” ~Einstein

Legal contract in general is an attempt to maintain the public's interest by deterring selfish acts. Adam and Eve were swayed into this snare and consequently 'fell' into a self-sabotage state of reward and punishment. Punishment breeds fear and drives the social contract into existence. The moment control through fear is removed from the equation you will unquestionably incite pandemonium. A planet without laws would be chaotic but only because people don't understand the golden rule. Yes everything would be resolved if everyone were disciples of the 'Golden Rule'.

This rule is fortified with love promoting stability and peace. It flourishes on the principal that 'one should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself.' But let us not forget the first part of the golden rule; First love God with all your heart, strenght, and soul. Everybody serves a god. Whether it is drugs, sex, work or capital 'G' God, everyone submits their lives to something. Now is your 'something' promoting love, edification of others, and life. Or is it advocating self-interest and division. Every time one fails to forgive, one fails to love. Unforgiveness seeks retribution as a viable solution.The 'Golden Rule' has no room for retribution because hate and self-interest are never promoted. Also true-love will always right itself. The 'Golden Rule' elaborates the need to love yourself and then others. You must therefore be grounded in the single domain of love. People make appropriate and edifying choices through the highest standard of goodwill. The 'Golden Rule' dwells in true-love and stands on its own. It intuitively operates in edification.

Think about it for a moment. Would it be possible for you to physically hurt your love ones? Do you require a written law to warn you of the pending consequence you would face if you decide to harm your love ones? I'm not referring about your neighbour or another person. I'm asking you and you alone. Of course not! It is not in you to see this evil take place, therefore your thoughts remains steadfast in love. No social contract is needed here. On the other hand social contract is founded on good and evil, or reward and punishment principal. The followers of this principal must not only be aware of the antagonistic dual but must also labour in conforming to regulations. This will be the consequences of my choices. Ifyou walk in the 'Golden Rule' there can be no consequences to imagine because the thought of harming or doing wrong are alien to you. The opportunity to return to the Golden Rule is always available; remember the father accepted his prodigal son with open arms.

Walk in the truth and love.

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(Ammended from an earlier post)
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God's Love Superseded His Creation.

Love, the most misunderstood concept of them all. As previously noted, love is not an emotion but the cause of affections. It was the event that prompted you in extending your grace to someone in the first place. It was generated by your deep conviction regardless of the affections that were inevitably produced after-the-fact.

The recipient of your love would have acknowledge your generosity through emotions and actions, but they are clearly after the cause.

It has been often said that love must
have superseded God's creation.

Love is rooted in your moral beliefs. It is offered equally (or should be) amongst each person. It does not come in a variety of flavours as many subscribe to. Rather it is responsible for a myriad of affections that were rationalized and emotionalized by your thoughts and subsequently demonstrated by your actions. But the inescapable truth remains; your value of compassion initialized the entourage of affections and actions.

Imagine a severe storm headed over your town. I'm quite sure that you will concur that a storm is neither an emotion or an action but a weather phenomenon. However this event will produce an entourage of emotions and actions experienced by every individual. Everyone is different and will have their own perception of the storm. Love works the same way. Your inner-being applies its golden rule upon your people. This sets a chain reaction of emotions and actions offered up by each recipient. You can control your outgoing message of love but you cannot control how it is going to be interpreted. Once love has been properly deployed, peace will follow.

How do we define love? Your definition will dictate the quality of relationship you have. Is true-love about giving and taking? And is the 'golden rule' functional? The answers may surprise you. Will continue the love message on the next blog.

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Emotional Wave and the Intellectual flatline.

PART ONE (understanding love series)

On a Crest of an Emotion  Everyone has experienced emotional up and downs. But what are the mechanism that are involve to create such dynamic feelings. Are there any advantages? Well intense emotions adds to the experience and contributes tto memory retention, good or bad.  But high intensity emotions (super-inflated or super-deflated) are volatile and uncontrollable.

Balance between emotions and intellectual reasoning is required. Remember that all events are based on your sensory perception.

"Changing your perception changes your  actions."

The Experience Process (Stimuli to action)

1. Perception of stimuli (event); your senses perceives an outside stimuli (any event) that benefits or challenges your physical, mental well-being, as well as your moral beliefs that are anchored in your sub-conscious or spiritual being.
2. Evaluate; your brain quickly assess the level of importance your sensory array has placed on the current event or stimuli. No matter how trivial an event may seem, your senses inevitably categorize them in two groups; accept or reject.
3. Determination is made (accept or reject); the brain (reticular activating system - ras) prioritized all signals pushing the critical impulses to the front of the line. One can look at the sorting process as neural impulse triage. 
4. Emotional response; a specific emotion is then deployed with a level of intensity appropriate to the stimuli at hand (in healthy individuals). If the event is trivial then the sensory output will be less significant to an event that is critical. Subsequently a trivial stimuli will summon very little response from the individual, while critical event is a serious call to action.
5. Action; emotion has prompted action. The level of action is determined by the intensity of your emotion, which was influenced by the stimuli. Therefore any course of action is influenced by the intensity of an emotion and the acceptance or rejection of the stimuli (event).
6. Result; depending on whether the decision was made to accept or reject the event in the first place; the individual faces several possible results. The person has achieved or failed to absorb the desired stimuli. The individual has achieved or failed to reject stimuli.
 

Acceptive and Rejective Emotions
Pleasant emotions influences person into acceptance of event or stimuli, while unpleasant emotions are signals to reject the stimuli. However both acceptive and rejective emotions are beneficial in short term use. However any long-term emotions can be detrimental. For example horror (a rejective emotion) is beneficial in situations of danger. It advises you to reject, to fight or flee. While long-term horror leads to maladaptive behaviour. It inhibits one from taking any appropriate actions.
Intense experiences brings intense emotions and quick reactions

 It is your perception that will influence and dictate your emotions and consequently your actions (Your Results). Change the interpretation or its intensity of your emotions and you change your actions. If something made you angry then you may resort to violence. But if you don't let the stimuli (event) lead to uncontrolled anger you then you have succeeded in changing your perception and your action. Changing your perception changes your actions. Never make a crucial decision while in an highly emotional state. Over reaction is not only possible but highly probable.actions

Now with respect to love...
Love is a stimuli that dwells in your core values. It is not an emotion but leads to emotions and actions.

Will continue with this series on my next post.

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No part of this website or the related files may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means (electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the site owner. SHORT EXCERPTS ARE PERMITTED

The Top 10 Misconception About Love

Here's a list of the more popular misconception of love.

NO.  10  You must earn love. False. True love is freely given.

NO.  9  Love grows. False. Love may increase in numbers but not in intensity towards a person. It is the affections and actions that grows. Love is neither of those attributes but is the cause of the effectual emotions.

NO. 8  Love comes in many flavours. False. Love is a moral standard. It should be the same across the board. It is love's entourage of affections that come in many colours.

NO. 7  Love fails. False. You are responsible for  the implementation of the moral standard. The standard of love is entirely executable. Giving is in your hand.

 

NO. 6  Love is limited to our inner-circle. False. True love is non-bias. It freely offers a gift of edification and forgiveness to everyone.

NO. 5  Love is physical. False. Again love is a deep inner-core value. It is a subconscious order. Physical contact is an effectual action caused by love. Love is the event and the rest is the result.

NO. 4  Love has fear. False. Fear threatens, true love does not. Love is an act of faith. Faith is an expectation of a beneficial outcome. True love does not torment.

NO. 3  Love gives and takes. False. Love is unselfish. It only gives. It does not wait for a return. If everyone worked within this parameter then everyone would be giving, consequently everyone would be receiving.

NO. 2  The bible has different types of love. False. There are many different words translated as love. But only the word 'Agape' refers to the real love. The other words are love's effect.

NO. 1.  Love is an emotion. False, false, and false. If you don't take any of the above items to heart then take this one only. Emotions are constantly changing moment to moment in reaction to a stimuli. They come and go like the wind. Unfortunately some people experience this type of false love. Love is intended to be steadfast.

Love is the cause or the event that propagates emotions and actions.

BONUS

NO. 0  Valentine should be celebrated everyday!!!! TRUE. Love is everyday.

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No part of this website or the related files may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means (electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the site owner. SHORT EXCERPTS ARE PERMITTED

Understanding The Golden Rule

So do you think you understand the golden rule? Is it just about loving your neighbour as you love yourself? Have we been tainting one of the oldest principal of  our earth? Many religious and moral

Poster found on Scarborough Missions website

groups subscribe to the golden rule but the teaching has long been seen by many as being 'fluff' wrapped in a whimsical package. In other words, it sounds good but it is not practical or applicable. The first question that arises from the 'Golden Rule' is how can we know what a stranger likes or dislike? Consequently how can we know when we have transgressed against him or her? What is acceptable to you may not be acceptable for another. Different cultures brings different morals. Secondly, what if the person does not love himself. How can he love another? What if the person as grown accustom to pain and hate. How would the 'Golden Rule' look to him in contrast to someone who has lived a life relatively delightful and compassionate? In order for the 'Golden Rule' to be universal there must be some common ground. How can we dare to push forward with the rule of love without a definition of love? After all, love is the cornerstone of the "Golden Rule'.

                      

DEFINITION OF LOVE

Love is act of faith to honourably commit to the well-being, edification, and dignity, of every person without partiality and without termination. True love recognises the individual as well as the group.

EXPLANATION

Act of Faith:                    When entering into any relationship (professional or personal) one can never have all the answers about the partner. Trust is build on evidence but faith is based on hope. We enter with beneficial expectation in acceptance that we don't know everything about our partner but agree to co-operate. It is not possible to be fully aware of our partner.

Honourably Commit:       A productive and mutually beneficial pursuit.

Well-Being:                      In this definition the term is limited to physical health.

Edification:                       In this definition the term is limited to emotional and mental health.

Dignity:                            In this definition the term refers to morals and spiritual health but can have a physical application.. It is use to signify that a being has an unconditional right to respect and ethical treatment.

Every person:                    Every person - all!

Without partiality:              Every individual is equal under love and benefit from the golden rule without any discrimination whether it is race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability.  There is no exception.

Without termination:         Love never fails. Forgiveness is always assured. But integrity requires reproof at times. (Reproof without love is hateful criticism).

(continues, continues, continues, continues, continues, continues, continues, continues, continues,continues, continues, continues)

Love Is Much More

There lies many misconceptions with love.

What is Trichotomy? The Animal in Us / Part 9

As promised, I will now examined each segment of the trichotomy with greater details. The first 'In" of the threefold is called Intuition. In my last blog I had listed numerous traits for every segment. Today, however I will focus on the right side of the table - the physical.

Survival / Self Preservation	Survival is limited to oneself or self-interest (kin)
5 Senses	See - hear -smell - taste - feel ( neurological-network) Instinctive
Pleasure / Pain Driven	Top and bottom - no in between. Safe or unsafe. Good or bad. Fight or flight.
Fear	Short-term fear (reacting and not contemplative) Primitive emotion - not a true emotion. All animals have this type of fear. However contemplative fear is another story.
Singularity	All about "ME"
Self-Reliant	Seek no assistance. Managing on their own
Independent	Tends to lead and　rebel
Personalize	Leaves his/her signature of life on everything. Everything must be about him. Ego-centric to perfectionism
Disassociates	Recluse / Hermit - seek no socialization.
Self-Serving	Serves one cause - himself.
Animal	Primitive creature

Without the mental or the spiritual, we are reduced to a primitive creature. We must be properly balance in the trichotomy but as humans we experience pitfalls from time to time. This does not negate responsibility of our actions.

What is Trichotomy? - Copies and Shadows of Things to Come / Part 2

Body, Soul, and Spirit

In my last blog I introduced the threefold nature of man through both a humanistic and Christian perspective. I cited Dr Carl Jung’s work on the human psyche and referred to Apostle Paul’s biblical passage regarding men’s body, soul, and spirit. Although there exist fundamental differences between both men, they agree on a higher order of intelligence deep within us. They also believed that the human psyche is divided in three parts.

Now why should one care about the function of their psyche and even less, how many parts it incorporates? Well if I told you that love and emotions are found in two different parts of the psyche, wouldn’t that suggest that love is not an emotion? In fact love is the cause or the stimuli, while emotions are some of its effects. (Be sure to view my earlier series on love and emotions.)

How can you function within love if your understanding of love is skewed and limited?

What if many other human traits that you thought you had a handle on wasn’t so? One would be lead to conclude that their interpersonal skills may not be fully realized and that their self esteem may be in need of the real love. You may have been living with a faded perception of life. It’s time to take hold of those vibrant colours of life that everyone deserves to experience and more importantly - share.

The Pattern - Copies and Shadows of Things to Come.

The bible incorporates all manners of teaching methods to assist the people and the readers in grasping the full aspect of the particuliar story being conveyed. Metaphors are heavily used through out the scriptures. A metaphor is often the force that drives a message effectiveness and understanding. The user attempts to bridge two ideas that appears to be unrelated. Subsequently metaphors provide a way in understanding an abstract concept. Trichotomy is no exception.