The Highest Form of Non-Theist Love: Love of Body

Dennis McCallum, in a sermon on Thessalonians, said, "The ultimate statement of love that a non-theist can make is 'I love your body.'" I believe that statement is true, and I believe there is much at stake in the reality of that statement.

If a person is a non-theist (atheist, agnostic, or other variety), he or she must believe that there is no reason for anyone to exist, that everyone is the result of a mistake, that nothing in anyone is eternal, and that existence ends when a person dies. There is no soul because there is no evolutionary reason to have one. Period. Any wavering on that fact and the believer is not a true non-theist. Therefore, the concept of love can be only for the here and now. "I love your body" at its most shallow means casual sexuality and at its deepest means, "I love your existence." Even if an atheist loves someone for who he/she is on the inside, it is still just the body. Even if an atheist loves someone for the kindness he/she shows, it's still just the body. Even loving someone for being "as messed up as I am" is still loving him/her for the body.  A person's mind, personality, viewpoints. To an atheist, these can only be connected to the body. There is no sacrifice to this love except masochism. There is no commitment without ulterior motive. There is no security except Stockholm syndrome. To acknowledge the soul is to acknowledge an existence that is higher and deeper than this plane on which we live. A non-theist cannot love anything more than the flesh and blood of another person. 

I hope that breaks your heart as it does mine.

I hope every human, theist or not, can see what is at stake with this kind of love. There is something in all our hearts that yearns to be loved for more than just our mortal coil. We may have no problem giving that kind of shallow love, but we definitely hate receiving it. We may accept and commit with liberality every sin and form of debauchery this world has to offer, but we always hate betrayal. Loving someone for his/her mere present existence is the very epitome of betrayal because it is love that doesn't last. Our bodies decay. Our minds change. Our kindness is inconsistent. Our messy lives will eventually repel the ones who were attracted. If these are the only reasons for which we are loved, then we will not be loved forever. 

If love isn't meant to last, then why do we want so badly for it to last?

There is a God and He loves you. Forever.