Miss Mango

Im not sure it exists. I think you can come close to it, but purely unconditional?

My mom truly believes that it exists. Im not yet sure if I do, but I dont have children. I think that theyd be the only people ever to really be loved unconditionally.

Kahn

Yes, it does exist.

It's a matter of choice and making the decision to love someone without any conditions, but yes, it is very possible.

__________________
Attention everyone: We have another potential asshole in the area !

You don't have bad luck, the reason bad things happen to you is because you're a dumbass !!

Dinner $50
Drinks $30
Motel $40

Finding out she swallows -
PRICELESS!!!

highthief

Have a kid or two and see what happens ...

__________________
Si vis pacem parabellum.

Kahn

Not sure if this was directed at me or not .. but I have three, just for the record

__________________
Attention everyone: We have another potential asshole in the area !

You don't have bad luck, the reason bad things happen to you is because you're a dumbass !!

Dinner $50
Drinks $30
Motel $40

Finding out she swallows -
PRICELESS!!!

Bear Cub

In a familial sense, I believe there is.

In a relationship sense, I don't believe so. While certain scenarios are likely to never happen, I just don't feel that there is NO circumstance possible in which a person would not feel any resentment whatsoever towards his/her S.O.

UKking

unconditional means it's impossible for them to do something that'd make you not love them, right?

Huh, but now that I think about it, I guess I could subscribe to the idea, depending on how I'd define love... But I'm sure no one wants me blathering about that.

Willravel

Of course it does. That doesn't mean that you can't leave someone who you love that isn't the right person for you, of course. I've loved wonderful women unconditionally and horrible women. I stay with the former.

Charlatan

For my kids, I believe I have unconditional love. Unconditional like is another thing. I could conceive of a time where I don't like my kids but I would still love them.

That aside, I don't think I can truly have unconditional love for anyone else, even my wife (with whom I am very much in love).

__________________
"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke

Kahn

If my wife were to stop doing the things I like and start doing the things I don't, I'd still love her. We'd have issues and it's not unthinkable those issues could equate into the end of our relationship. So I guess in that sense, there are conditions to our love for one another.

How fortunate for the both of us that we fit so well together and can't imagine one of us doing anything differently than what we do now to mess with that balance. Thusly, given the "conditions" of our relationship, our personal preferences, and our habits with each other and so forth, I'd say I do love my wife .. unconditionally .. with conditions.

As for your own children, you love them unconditionally, as any normal parent would. I suppose the alternative there is, they get taken away because you're a bad parent.

__________________
Attention everyone: We have another potential asshole in the area !

You don't have bad luck, the reason bad things happen to you is because you're a dumbass !!

Dinner $50
Drinks $30
Motel $40

Finding out she swallows -
PRICELESS!!!

highthief

To the OP.

__________________
Si vis pacem parabellum.

jewels

I do. Naturally, I love my children unconditionally. But I do love my man unconditionally as well.

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We are always more anxious to be distinguished for a talent which we do not possess, than to be praised for the fifteen which we do possess.
Mark Twain

Seer666

No. Anyone, including the people you least expect, can make you hate them. No matter who it is, there is always a line. Some people just have more leeway then others.

__________________
Bad spellers of the world untie!!!

I am the one you warned me of

I seem to have misplaced the bullet with your name on it, but I have a whole box addressed to occupant.

roachboy

i like to think it exists.

__________________
a gramophone its corrugated trumpet silver handle
spinning dog. such faithfulness it hear

it make you sick.

-kamau brathwaite

Jinn

I absolutely don't think it exists.

I have a really hard time believing that everyone who has (imo) niavely claimed there is something as unconditional love has truly considered all the "conditions."

What about having sex with strangers and giving you an STD because of it? Molesting your children?

I couldn't love someone who did either of these things.

__________________
"I'm typing on a computer of science, which is being sent by science wires to a little science server where you can access it. I'm not typing on a computer of philosophy or religion or whatever other thing you think can be used to understand the universe because they're a poor substitute in the role of understanding the universe which exists independent from ourselves." - Willravel

girldetective

I believe unconditional love exists under some conditions.

__________________
As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons...be cheerful; strive for happiness - Desiderata

jewels

Do you think that someone who could do this is loving their mate unconditionally? I think it exists only when it's between two parties, not as a one-sided deal.

__________________
We are always more anxious to be distinguished for a talent which we do not possess, than to be praised for the fifteen which we do possess.
Mark Twain

Jinn

It's entirely possible. People who think they love each other "unconditionally" hurt each other like this every day, deliberately and otherwise.

And I think that two-sided "unconditional love" is even more unlikely.

All love has "conditions", however far-fetched you might think them.

__________________
"I'm typing on a computer of science, which is being sent by science wires to a little science server where you can access it. I'm not typing on a computer of philosophy or religion or whatever other thing you think can be used to understand the universe because they're a poor substitute in the role of understanding the universe which exists independent from ourselves." - Willravel

jewels

Please 'splain that. I don't agree.

__________________
We are always more anxious to be distinguished for a talent which we do not possess, than to be praised for the fifteen which we do possess.
Mark Twain

Jinn

You would still love your SO if they anally raped your grandmother, sodomized and killed your child, and burned your house down with your child's corpse inside?

It's an extreme example, but you can see that there ARE conditions to your loving them. It's only a simple mental exercise away from finding realistic conditions which could make you no longer love the person.

__________________
"I'm typing on a computer of science, which is being sent by science wires to a little science server where you can access it. I'm not typing on a computer of philosophy or religion or whatever other thing you think can be used to understand the universe because they're a poor substitute in the role of understanding the universe which exists independent from ourselves." - Willravel

jewels

I understood that in your (and others') previous posts. What I don't understand is why you think that two people are incapable of loving one another unconditionally.

I never said that everyone is capable, but it exists.

If you are married, I would hope that neither one of you will rape anyone's grandmother or molest children. Wouldn't you be loving one another unconditionally, were those scenarios not to creep into your life?

__________________
We are always more anxious to be distinguished for a talent which we do not possess, than to be praised for the fifteen which we do possess.
Mark Twain

Jinn

You're right, in retrospect. I'm not capable of unconditional love. I suppose others could, potentially, be capable. I unwittingly narrowed the field of possibilities to the field of possibilities I am capable of. Others are certainly capable of things I'm not, and to imply otherwise would be rather silly.

Thank you for pointing that out.

__________________
"I'm typing on a computer of science, which is being sent by science wires to a little science server where you can access it. I'm not typing on a computer of philosophy or religion or whatever other thing you think can be used to understand the universe because they're a poor substitute in the role of understanding the universe which exists independent from ourselves." - Willravel

jewels

Am I misreading you, or is the implication that anyone capable of loving someone unconditionally is willing to overlook abuse, violent tendencies, adultery, etc? I'm attempting to understand why people think it's not possible, but I haven't heard anything specific, other than what you said, JK.

__________________
We are always more anxious to be distinguished for a talent which we do not possess, than to be praised for the fifteen which we do possess.
Mark Twain

snowy

Yes, there is. I love and am loved in return unconditionally by my parents, my best friends, my significant other, and two little children. I might not LIKE those people sometimes, but I ALWAYS love them.

Jinn, yes, there is always a straw that breaks the camel's back, but I think the scenarios you suggested are a bit extreme and unlikely. No one I love unconditionally would ever think of harming another person--and I suppose that is one of the reasons I can trust them with my love.

__________________
If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Jinn

Nope, that's what I was implying. The reason it is not possible for me to love unconditionally is I am not willing to overlook abuse, violent tendencies and adultery in terms of my "love." I may forgive them, but love I can turn off at will. Someone who IS capable of loving unconditionally (not me), would, I think, have to be able to overlook those things, or be unable to stop loving someone after they've been grievously harmed.

__________________
"I'm typing on a computer of science, which is being sent by science wires to a little science server where you can access it. I'm not typing on a computer of philosophy or religion or whatever other thing you think can be used to understand the universe because they're a poor substitute in the role of understanding the universe which exists independent from ourselves." - Willravel

jewels

I would never overlook those things.

I am capable of unconditionally loving someone that loves me the same way, but I carefully choose who I give that love to.

__________________
We are always more anxious to be distinguished for a talent which we do not possess, than to be praised for the fifteen which we do possess.
Mark Twain

abaya

Jinn, what about your children? To me, I really think that is the only form of completely unconditional love, no matter what kind of heinous crimes against humanity that they commit.

Otherwise, I agree with you. There is always a line that can be crossed, in any relationship/friendship, that has the potential to rescind the mutual contract of love between two people.

__________________
And think not you can direct the course of Love;
for Love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.
--Khalil Gibran

tisonlyi

I'd say unconditional love is a beautiful illusion, which can be initiated, maintained and nurtured from whatever beginning until death if, and only if, one or both parties do nothing to screw it/each other over.

One child kills another, for example... but that's unreasonably extreme. Many relationships between parent and child go off the rails - some even become patholigical hatred - for somewhat petty reasons.

So, yes, the intense love that people describe as unconditional exists, but, no, nothing in this life is unconditional.

IMO

__________________
"I do not agree that the dog in a manger has the final right to the manger even though he may have lain there for a very long time. I do not admit that right. I do not admit for instance, that a great wrong has been done to the Red Indians of America or the black people of Australia. I do not admit that a wrong has been done to these people by the fact that a stronger race, a higher-grade race, a more worldly wise race to put it that way, has come in and taken their place." - Winston Churchill, 1937 --{ORLY?}--

Lasereth

Having an identical twin brother is about as close as I will get to it.

Jinn

I could come up with some hairbrained theory, but for once I'm going to say that I don't have any spawn, so I'm not qualified to say what kind of love I would have regarding them. I think you're right, but who knows..

__________________
"I'm typing on a computer of science, which is being sent by science wires to a little science server where you can access it. I'm not typing on a computer of philosophy or religion or whatever other thing you think can be used to understand the universe because they're a poor substitute in the role of understanding the universe which exists independent from ourselves." - Willravel