Re: [JOYnet] Re: [Joynet] Falling in love before mariage is wrong

2003-02-20 Thread Jennifer
Hello all Joyful people,

It's nice to see so many joynetters talking on Love, which is a foundation
of human relationship.  Love starts with an emotion, it is directly
connected with heart.  We love with our hearts not with our minds.  Our
heart is involved first when we fall in love and with our minds we make a
commitment.

I agree perfectly with Ravi, Christopher and Godwin.  We shud learn the way
God loves us unconditionally.  We are human beings and our emotions are
always at play.  God did not create robots but Human beings who have free
will. Nowehere is it mentioned that 2 people getting married cannot or shud
not be in love with each other before marriage.

Yes I call it rightly falling in love.  It's an act of humility which only
Love can bring. It definitely starts with an attraction (physical,
intellectual, etc) but doesn't continue to remain.  By falling I mean when
you start knowing the person you are in love you tend to know also how
different the person is from you and then you encounter lot of falls even as
u try to adjust, but important thereafter is rising where the mind gets
involved.  How can one define the rise without experiencing the fall.  It's
like how can you love the light if you don't know what is dark.  Jesus says
Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies then will it bear
much greater fruit.  I remember here the Love of Jesus, for He loved us so
much he felled down three times for the sake of our love but He stood up and
died (again fallen) but then was risen.   Love is definitely an emotion but
Christ asks us to take one step ahead, He teaches us to make Love our
decision.  Christ made a decision to die to fulfil the love towards His
Father and His Love for us. Thats why we should involve Christ.

The modern world has changed the definition of Love - made it more physical,
sexual.  But we shud understand the definition of Love in the words of God.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son to die for us.  There
are so many who say that I love you so much I can die for you and there are
many who have done it.  But so different both the contexts are - The first
one is God's love which is saving whereas the other is selfish.  We cannot
deny the fact that by nature we also are selfish.  There are very few who
die to self everyday to make their partner happy.  This is called
sacrificial love which Christ teaches us.  Love without sacrifice is mere
words without any meaning.  (eg. Love of Abraham to God)

For me Love is an emotion which is natural and allowed by God (Rachael 
Jacob, etc).  What is important is to know whether to cultivate this emotion
or no.  Before falling in love you cannot ask God whether I shud love this
guy or know.  God has made each and every one a free person  our loving God
respects our freedom.  But on our part as His loving children, we have to
surrender the person whom we like to Him and ask whether His will is there
or no.  After all God wants us to give us eternal joy not momentary
happiness.  And our Lord who knows what is the best for us will guide us.
Who can understand Love other than God who is Love personified.

Many also say that most of the love marriages fail.  I don't completely
disagree.  But how many arranged marriages are successful?  Instead of
blaming the criteria of marriage, important to get to know the root cause of
marriage failures.  I cannot comment on the marriages being broken in other
religions.  When a Christian marriage breaks, then there can be only a
spiritual reason.  I can say this with confidence because it is the word of
God that says what God unites, let no man divide.  But it is not said in the
Bible what God unites, let satan not divide.he he but it's surely not a
joke.  This was a revelation that God has given me which I wud like to share
with you all.  Many Christian marriages are broken because Christ is not
present as a third important partner in a marriage.  And why this happens
because where there is sin, there God cannot come.  The marriage couple gets
so involved in the other preparations (reception, clothes, music,
entertainment of guests, etc.) that they forget the most important thing and
that is the sacrament of CONFESSION.   When we are preparing for Sacrament
of Matrimony, we so easily forget that Christ is also going to be our
partner may it be love marriage or arranged marriage and thus instead of
Christ, the third partner is non other than the evil one.  Where satan is
there, there only division and destruction is, how can such marriages be
successful.  Every couple getting married should prepare oneself well by
confessing all their sins and coming before the Lord with pure heart, mind,
body and soul.  Such couples are blessed with the presence of Christ who is
an active partner in marriage and though many ups and downs come in
marriage, Christ will let them through.  Because He is the common person out
of all the differences Who will bind them together.  And He is also 

[JOYnet] Re: [Joynet] Falling in love before mariage is wrong

2003-02-20 Thread Binu Asokan
Hi all,

Too good. Christopher, Godwin and Mary aunty, I truly enjoyed ur mails,
and I feel the joy which I normally experience when truth is revealed by 
God.

I personally know some examples of people who took decision (I suppose 
mature decision) to get married, got approval of parents of both sides, and 
later on, for some reason or the other (where even these 2 parties can't be 
blamed) could not marry. What I could make out from this is that let us not 
haste to take decisions on matters which are really important in our lives. 
Of cource marriage, and falling (or as someone has put, standing up) in 
love. We must ask God's guidance to choose, as we all agreed, and most 
importantly, guidance in how to proceed, once we get a GO AHEAD from God.

When we are fallen in love, I suppose we tend to make a surrendering prayer 
like this

God, I belive that this is the one you have chosen for me. I believe it coz 
I am getting that joy and peace with him/her that I have never experienced 
with anyone else. Lord, if this is not the chosen, you still have time to 
choose him/her.for nothing is impossible to You. My Lord, pls don't let 
me down, I trust in you

That's why we must stand up in love. We must believe that we are secure, our 
life is secure, my future is secure in God's hands. His choice is the best 
for you and me.

Love

Binu Asokan
Mumbai



From: Christopher D'Souza [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: JoYNet [EMAIL PROTECTED]
CC: Wilson Thomas [EMAIL PROTECTED], PRADEEP GEORGE 
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [JOYnet] Re: [Joynet]  Falling in love before mariage is wrong
Date: Thu, 20 Feb 2003 00:17:23 -0600

Dear JYs

I am not yet married, but would like to share my views ...I am assuming 
that we are
speaking of falling in love in the context of looking for a marriage 
partner ...

If I decide based on emotional assent, is it falling in love? If I make my 
decision
after intellectual consent, am I avoiding the pitfalls of 'falling in 
love'?
(Wo)Man is an integrated whole...comprising body, mind and spirit.   If 
acting on
emotions alone is wrong, then merely consenting with one's intellect could 
also be
wrong.
To expect only the intellectual part of me (or my that of my parents)to 
consent and
expect not a stir from my emotions is to stoically deny that God has given 
me an
endocrine system as he has given me a digestive or nervous system. To be 
swayed
only by emotional highs without using my mental faculties is to make a 
decision as
reliable as the shifting sands.  What is needed is a balance of all our 
faculties -
in this way we make a decision of a human being fully alive in the glory of 
God (St
Ireneaus). It is like...my mind says 'Compatible, good family, suitable 
educated,
sipritual , a JY  :-)  etc..  My feelings say 'Wow, it feels good , happy 
to be
around with him, her., lots of peace..etc. My will says 'Im going ahead 
and making
the decision'..This may not happen in every case but we need to 
remember  that
we are human beings holding a divine treasure and not  purely spirit in 
nature ..

What is most important is that we find the partner of God's choosing...the 
one in
this perfect will for us.

To me the question of falling in love is not the main one...It is how 
prepared I am
; spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically to receive the person God 
has
chosen for me..an then, if I do fall in love with her/him, I am falling in 
love
with the one God has chosenwho can question that?  .Irrespective of how 
I meet
her/him - courtship varies across cultures and God is 'broadminded' (to put 
it in
human terms)  enough to allow for such variations   -  whether I fall in 
love or
not, God needs to be at the center of my decision making if I want to have 
a
successful marriage.. Of course, we need to be careful to avoid lust and 
sexual
aberrations etc and the examples of selfish and lustful encounters that we 
have in
most movies
The biblical examples ( Isaac and Rebecca Gen 24; Jacob and Rachel Gen 29; 
Ruth and
Boaz Ruth 2 ; Tobias and Sarah Tob 7 ) do not happen in the same 
stereotyped
fashion... they all happen differently..BUT , the common thread that runs 
thru is
that all of them lived in the will of God. And that made finding their 
partner
easier.

So, rather than take a radical stance on falling in love, there seems to be 
a much
broader perspective, where all the faculties of the individual are involved 
in
choosing a partner after much prayer and seeking after the will of God..

Love and prayers,
Christopher
Chennai, India



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[JOYnet] Re: [Joynet] Falling in love before mariage is wrong

2003-02-19 Thread Wilson Thomas
Pradeep,

You are absolutely wrong. Falling in love before marriage is wrong, either
for flesh, or for whatever divine relation we call it. I can show you
hundreds of youngsters believing in these and get cheated. The right for
God is not the right we choose, but He choose. He choose not as we think,
but through OTHER right persons in right time.  If we choose like modern
society, we will be changing it every now and then. That is where the
Spirit of the World will guide us through. Please dont get cheated...  If
we are lacking love in our life, don't borrow it from the street, but get it
abundantly from Jesus.

If you think that a girl is chosen for you, get married first with the
permission of your guardians and Church. Then love her with whole your
heart. Anything outside that is adultery. If not, we don't need such a
divine sacrament called marriage. ONLY by this sacrament two flesh becomes
one.

Praise the Lord

Wilson Thomas
Singapore
- Original Message -
From: PRADEEP GEORGE [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: JoYNet [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Sunday, February 16, 2003 10:53 PM
Subject: [JOYnet] RE::Valentine's day..is it ok to fall in love ?


 I think there is nothing wrong in falling love with some one.

 But
 young people are so much encouraged and pressurized to somehow fall in
  love even at the risk of making a wrong decision and regretting it till
 the
  end of our lives . 

 This is not  the  right   ..no doubt...
 Love is divine.But only for the sake of saying  i too have an  affiar
is
 not the right way 

 Ofcourse there is some one whom Jesus  has   selected for  all of  us from
 the very beginning.And he will  reveal whom it is   at the  right time.We
 need not ry to know  it before that , I think.

 We can (and we should) pray for  the person whom God have selected  for us
 from eternity .FOr that we need not know who it  is...

 We had a preist , who taught us to pray for our future life partner. that
 was  during  the catechism classes in our tenth standard.
  I belive  it is the right way  and i do remember his words  during all
pray
 times.

 Finally ,deepak has asked for advice from married people in the
group.Anyway
 I am not falling into that category.Still just wanted to tell my views on
 this matter.

 regards and prayers

 pradeep george
 thrissur.





 - Original Message -
 From: deepak [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 Sent: Sunday, February 16, 2003 9:51 AM
 Subject: [JOYnet] Valentine's day..is it ok to fall in love ?


  Dear Bros  sis
  i have a question for all of u . do u think it is alright
for
  young people to fall in love ?.be coz of this situation now ..valentines
 day
  is so commerciallised that it would seem a tragedy to have no one with u
 on
  Feb 14 th ..no one to give a card ..etc...
  so now young people are so much encouraged and pressurized to somehow
fall
 in
  love even at the risk of making a wrong decision and regretting it till
 the
  end of our lives . so Guys what do u suggest ???
  what would Jesus want us to do in such a situatu\ion ...would jesus like
 us to
  fall in love with some one?..is there some one Jesus selected for us in
 the
  very begining ..if there is how will we know?...what are the factors
which
 any
  young person should rethink if he or she find herself  to be attraced to
 wards
  someone?
  i really don't know how many young people are in this group but i
 certainly
  know there are many married people in this group ..think u can enlighten
 us
  with your experience?
  luv deepak
  trivandrum  india



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Re: [JOYnet] Re: [Joynet] Falling in love before mariage is wrong

2003-02-19 Thread Christopher D'Souza
Dear JYs

I am not yet married, but would like to share my views ...I am assuming that we are
speaking of falling in love in the context of looking for a marriage partner ...

If I decide based on emotional assent, is it falling in love? If I make my decision
after intellectual consent, am I avoiding the pitfalls of 'falling in love'?
(Wo)Man is an integrated whole...comprising body, mind and spirit.   If acting on
emotions alone is wrong, then merely consenting with one's intellect could also be
wrong.
To expect only the intellectual part of me (or my that of my parents)to consent and
expect not a stir from my emotions is to stoically deny that God has given me an
endocrine system as he has given me a digestive or nervous system. To be swayed
only by emotional highs without using my mental faculties is to make a decision as
reliable as the shifting sands.  What is needed is a balance of all our faculties -
in this way we make a decision of a human being fully alive in the glory of God (St
Ireneaus). It is like...my mind says 'Compatible, good family, suitable educated,
sipritual , a JY  :-)  etc..  My feelings say 'Wow, it feels good , happy to be
around with him, her., lots of peace..etc. My will says 'Im going ahead and making
the decision'..This may not happen in every case but we need to remember  that
we are human beings holding a divine treasure and not  purely spirit in nature ..

What is most important is that we find the partner of God's choosing...the one in
this perfect will for us.

To me the question of falling in love is not the main one...It is how prepared I am
; spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically to receive the person God has
chosen for me..an then, if I do fall in love with her/him, I am falling in love
with the one God has chosenwho can question that?  .Irrespective of how I meet
her/him - courtship varies across cultures and God is 'broadminded' (to put it in
human terms)  enough to allow for such variations   -  whether I fall in love or
not, God needs to be at the center of my decision making if I want to have a
successful marriage.. Of course, we need to be careful to avoid lust and sexual
aberrations etc and the examples of selfish and lustful encounters that we have in
most movies
The biblical examples ( Isaac and Rebecca Gen 24; Jacob and Rachel Gen 29; Ruth and
Boaz Ruth 2 ; Tobias and Sarah Tob 7 ) do not happen in the same stereotyped
fashion... they all happen differently..BUT , the common thread that runs thru is
that all of them lived in the will of God. And that made finding their partner
easier.

So, rather than take a radical stance on falling in love, there seems to be a much
broader perspective, where all the faculties of the individual are involved in
choosing a partner after much prayer and seeking after the will of God..

Love and prayers,
Christopher
Chennai, India

Wilson Thomas wrote:

 Pradeep,

 You are absolutely wrong. Falling in love before marriage is wrong, either
 for flesh, or for whatever divine relation we call it. I can show you
 hundreds of youngsters believing in these and get cheated. The right for
 God is not the right we choose, but He choose. He choose not as we think,
 but through OTHER right persons in right time.  If we choose like modern
 society, we will be changing it every now and then. That is where the
 Spirit of the World will guide us through. Please dont get cheated...  If
 we are lacking love in our life, don't borrow it from the street, but get it
 abundantly from Jesus.

 If you think that a girl is chosen for you, get married first with the
 permission of your guardians and Church. Then love her with whole your
 heart. Anything outside that is adultery. If not, we don't need such a
 divine sacrament called marriage. ONLY by this sacrament two flesh becomes
 one.

 Praise the Lord

 Wilson Thomas
 Singapore
 - Original Message -
 From: PRADEEP GEORGE [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 To: JoYNet [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 Sent: Sunday, February 16, 2003 10:53 PM
 Subject: [JOYnet] RE::Valentine's day..is it ok to fall in love ?

  I think there is nothing wrong in falling love with some one.
 
  But
  young people are so much encouraged and pressurized to somehow fall in
   love even at the risk of making a wrong decision and regretting it till
  the
   end of our lives . 
 
  This is not  the  right   ..no doubt...
  Love is divine.But only for the sake of saying  i too have an  affiar
 is
  not the right way 
 
  Ofcourse there is some one whom Jesus  has   selected for  all of  us from
  the very beginning.And he will  reveal whom it is   at the  right time.We
  need not ry to know  it before that , I think.
 
  We can (and we should) pray for  the person whom God have selected  for us
  from eternity .FOr that we need not know who it  is...
 
  We had a preist , who taught us to pray for our future life partner. that
  was  during  the catechism classes in our tenth standard.
   I belive  it is the right way  and i do