Is love the root of all evil?

Question

Is love the root of all evil?

I'm sure many of you have heard the saying "Love of Money is the root of all evil" but I don't necessarily agree with it. So as follows, this is my thesis on the root of evil.

Within Love, there are the capacities to do good or evil. Love leads to either good or evil. Yes, love provides a necessity for all human life, but it also provides a motive for doing evil. Love can drive a man to kill, steal, and cheat. Out of love come emotions of Jealousy, greed, and lust. All emotions, good or bad, seem to stem from some form of love. Even though, love can drive people to do great things, it can also do the opposite.

Agree or disagree? What are your thoughts on this matter?

7 minutes ago - 3 days left to answer.

Answer 1

...no...greed and power...disagree...

Answer 2

no

Answer 3

Well if you are going to use the Bible for quoting then quote all the things said about love and lets start here.....

19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Its not love that drives people to evil, its acts of sinful nature...

LOVE is the opposite of that. And people really shouldn't use that as an excuse for their shortcomings.

Love Hopes and Endures All



Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails…(1 Corinthians 13: 4-8).

Don't use the Bible to prove your "theories"....

Love doesn't provoke or incite to jealousy.

If that happened that was the persons insufficient mind and sinful nature.

Its interesting, a long time ago I heard a speech that said.. " THERE IS NO MORE SIN"....

Now I heard that in a religious setting ABOUT 15-20 years ago where the point was made because there were more and more people pushing the "no one is going to tell me what to do" syndrome.

Kids to parents

Adults to God.

People to their bosses and schools.

Now just this past year I HEARD those exact words, 15-20 years LATER right out of some peoples mouths. Word for word

THERE IS NO SIN...They lied to you, they lie to you.

Isn't that interesting that that source I had and was a bit skeptical of has a whole LARGE religious group of people touting that sin is a myth to control others?

Interesting prophesying. Interesting prediction.

Cause at the time I hadn't heard of that or people feeling that way.. Now I hear it almost on a daily basis.

Nope you are wrong LOVE is not the root of all evil.. That would make GOD who IS LOVE the root of all evil, and that would mean it was a mistake for you to be here. And its NOT.

You are worth the love.

Love is stronger than death. Or Evil.

Answer 4

You could call a grain of sand the "root of all evil" if you narrowly defined what you mean by that "grain of sand."

Love, by comparison, is a very "big" word.  One on-line dictionary gives 9 meanings in its basic form and gives 24 variations.1  Using your same arguments we can say that since the Sun is the source of all energy and life then the Sun is the "root of all evil."  (Or possibly the "big bang" or the universe, or existence itself is the "root of all evil.")  From one perspective, I can't argue, because if there was nothing then possibly there would not be "evil."  But then there would not be this question either.  But, from the literary point of view we might say it is a non sequitur2: something that does not [necessarily] follow.  From a legalistic perspective we might say that love is not the proximal cause of evil.  (the nearest cause)3

We speak of motherly love and the love between a brother and sister.  We may only whisper of Platonic love or homosexual love.  I have seen love as a euphemism for passion, desire, and attachment.  (Hence the Buddhist quote above and it also seems to be what you primarily focus your attention upon in your question.)  

I have heard "human" love described as nothing more than a "quid pro quo" (a bargain, this for that) when it is compared to divine love which is giving without expectation for return.  This last definition might be compared to devotion.  Is a mothers love for her child the root of all evil?  Are you suggesting that selfless devotion without passion is the "root of all evil?"  If we take what some might consider the very highest and place it as the ultimate basis for the very lowest than what hope can we have for anything in-between?  (Does this rational propose to end all existence like those who advocate anarchy as a solution to government evils?)

But if only one definition of "love" is not the root of all evil then perhaps you will have to more narrowly define what you consider "love."  It is a dangerous job.  You are very close to "throwing out the ...newborn... with the wash" and discarding something that is essential for your very life and existence.  ("Love" defined like the Star Wars, "The Force.")

When a smart carpenter takes a measurement he considers for an instant if the measurement is also reasonable.  Does it fit everything else he is measuring, is it likely?  Likewise, I would consider your "argument" very clever, but totally lacking in beauty.  It is not satisfying.  It is an empty promise.  It deserves a nod and a smile.  And maybe a few more words:

It reminds me of the argument that "police" are "pigs."  Up until the time when this became an "in" phrase police were "upholders" of "law and order."  "Law and order" was a good thing because WWII, atom bombs and events since were fairly chaotic.  The police were the guys who helped Sally get home from school as he walked his beat around the block.  Then comes "free love", Vietnam, and protests.  "Stoned" came to mean something other than the Biblical capital punishment.  "Law and order" seemed less attractive to some.  The ones who were the representatives of that "law and order" were compared to an unsuspecting farm animal that had a dirty image.  "Law and order" i.e.  "the establishment" became by association that poor, little, dirty, fat, farm animal.  Since that time they have simply become tax collectors ... but that is another story.  

It is an "argument" that suggests a change in opinion or perspective.  But its terms are overly broad and loosely defined.  When sufficiently defined it may be best described in other terms entirely.

Comparing "love" to "evil" attempts to give "love" a bad rap.  I think it will survive.  (Some may suggest it must if we are to ...) or maybe it attempts to elevate evil to a godly stature, but there are many computer fantasy games that have already tried to do that also.

In the vernacular of that by-gone age, "What are you smokin man?"

Answer 5

No money is it makes people do some strange things.

Answer 6

Your statements / think rationality is misguided. If I love evil or love to hate or love to kill, love defines my emotional state NOT the root of the issue. Regardless, you are miss quoting. The quote is " Money is the root of all evil."

Answer 7

I disagree.  Love, good, and evil are not as cut-and-dry as you would like them to be.  Sure, love can lead to both good and evil, but so can toothpicks.  To say love is the root of ALL evils is a bit overboard.

Your argument actually reminds me of the Buddhist belief that attachment is the root of all "evil".  Love and attachment are such non-specific words that you can make them fit whatever you want.

Answer 8

Absolutely agree, and for suggesting an ideal in a way that hadn't occurred to me, you get a star.

As a result of our ability to reason, humans experience desires.  We desire to attain some things and to avoid others.  Whether by careful, conscious will or instinctive, spontanteous reflect, we act to satisfy our desires.

Also as a result of our reasoning ability, we place values upon things.  Our valuations result in some things being desired by some and avoided by others.  Our desires also express themselves with varying degrees of intensity.  The spectrum from love to hate is determined by that intensity coupled with the actions we choose to achieve our goals.

The definition of evil or good is also itself a result of our rational valuations.  I have yet to see an argument that convinced me of any notion of absolute good or evil.

So yes.  Love is the root of all evil.  Placed more generally desire, values and action all combine to result in the things that we call evil.

Answer 9

I think a better question is "Are humans the root of all evil?".

Humans are the root of all evil.

End of story.

Answer 10

no, religion is.

Answer 11

I agree with you but I would change one thing.

Love of self is the root of all evil. Love of others is the path to eternity.

Answer 12

Love is so much God's nature...the very core or essence of our being should be love for God and love for others....I believe our prisons and jails would be a lot less filled and our world would be a safer place to live if a true love for God and love for others were in the heart of every human being...so love can not be root cause of evil.

Answer 13

I also believe love is both good or evil. As you said, it can drive people to kill, steal, or cheat. But it also can help people to improve and become better people.  

Answer 14

yeah i agree with you

u know why? look at this tree(human):

love is the root

life is the stem

right hand branches are the good

left hand branchesare the evils

Without root there will be no stem;without love of living we won't live

and as long as we live we do right and wrong(as long as the tree is growing new branches apear)

so love is the root of all evils(and goods)

Am i right?

Answer 15

Ex girlfriends are the root of all evil.

By that i mean the spawn.

Answer 16

love= obsession + action=evil