Saint Teresa of Avila Eros Gape En Her Poetry Term Paper

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Saint Teresa of Avila - Eros, Agape en her poetry

The subject of love continues to raise heated debates when in discussion. Scholars and theologians differ on the process of expressing love. There are different forms of love as most writers and speakers in the literature indicate. Above all, there is the love that God shares with His people, and the love that people express towards each other. These two have a cordial difference as revealed in many expressions by exemplified literatures and persons studying human relations. It is common to find arguments on the way these different angles of love exist, and procedures to reveal they exist, and the process of projecting them to the recipients (Ward 22). Love is a vast subject when discussed openly and draws many mixed attentions and opinions. It is also difficult to discuss as it has several different meanings in the English language. Therefore, to understand the role of each form of love and its expression, a person needs to understand what it entails.

God's love and codified eroticism

The statement that 'God is love' is remarkably common in the Christian faith. They are so obvious that they became innocuous. The love that God prescribes for His people is special. It is love that never tires, love that surpasses human ability (Agape: What Is It?: Learning to Love 17). According to the Holy Scriptures, God predicts himself as an object of love. He is the whole setting of love. For instances, in review of the Bible, Paul the writer of many letters, in his writings to Corinthians, he exemplifies the love that God expects of his people. It talks of the quality of love that God expresses to his creation. Love with the features of being patient, kind, not selfish, peaceful, forgiving and never rude, haughty or unjust. Paul, in the scripture, writes of a love that is an ending, all other commands encompassed in the love of God. This is the strength and the level of understanding that refers to the subject of Agape love.

Eroticism is from the word Eros, which describes the 'sexual love' better described as the love between beings of the same kind (Ludy & Leslie 11). The Greek word Eros, in its basic form refers to desire. Therefore, this love of Eros entangles the desires that these beings have towards each other. Eroticism refers to the state of sexual arousal or the anticipation of the same. It is an insistent sexual impulse that desires satisfaction. The desire involves a pattern of thoughts, with philosophically contemplated aesthetics of expressing that sexual desire. It is sensual and romantic. The Eros love is dependent on various factors. These include the personal sexual morality, the culture and timing of the existence of the person. For instance, it the ancient times, expression of the erotic love was not as it is in the modern days. Additionally, the objects of arousal also vary. However, it is significant to note that, the expression of this desire is not only to the beautiful body. The erotic love is a strong desire to engage with the person, to have a cordial relation that has no boundaries. It incorporates the understanding of the other.

The understanding of the erotic love exposes the aspect of an external and invading force that overwhelms the physical body. It is moving and carries the sexual desire to levels of affliction. The erotic love as depicted is at least jealous, and alerts distrust among the rivals. It brings in the perspective of possessing the object of love. Sexual love can turn cruel and full of anger, and it excites in vice. It is not just, as it expresses a deep discrimination between those that are beautiful and the ugly. It is disadvantageous as it expresses the discrimination between the strong and weak and the young and old. Erotic love is remarkably jealous and cannot rejoice when the rival gives good things (Marion 37). This is the reason; a person can cause murder to the object of love. This show the dangers that people expose themselves to when they confess and possess the erotic love. When embarking on that path, it is much threat to the social order; hence, lovers present themselves as furtive. They conceal their true feelings, especially when they envision that the world could refuse to accept that attachment.

In comparison of the Agape love and the erotic love, the projection of the erotic love is different and almost opposite to the Agape love. The erotic love directs itself towards the embodiment subject.

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In this line of thought, then it is wrong to indicate that the erotic love directs itself towards the physical features of the body. The idea that the erotic love is an embodiment between the objects of love then creates the room for a discussion. In this line of thought, the solution to the desires of erotic love is not the gratification of those desires, but the retaining of the same. It is not a struggle to overcome the desire, but rather to keep its focus so that it bears successful fruits. In the embodiment of the lovers, the love reproduces itself as happens when there is a child involved. Thus, the redemption of the erotic love desires lies in the heart of the social order (Ward 52). Social order defines the process of expressing this arousal, and its connection to the traditional beliefs and practices. For instance, the traditional religions passive the sexual union as a mere rite of passage that involves the society and leads to an existential change of those co-joined. This union ends into the spiritual realm when the joining happens in the religious lines and possess the blessing to lift that love from the, usual appetite to a greater spiritual union between souls. This correlation between the love of God and the erotic love indicates the cross-border aspect of the definition of erotic love from the perspective of Agape love.

Love and border crossing - the mystical paradigm

It is a mystical paradigm to understand the love of God and the relationship that a person experiences. The description of the love of God is that it is unconditional (Ludy & Leslie 27). He does not need the performance of a person to express His love. However, in the relations of erotic love and other forms of love, it is only conditional love that dominates the interactions among the people. The love of God surpasses the understanding limits of beings. It is not dependent on the activities that humans engage to please Him. On the other hand, the Genesis account of creation portrays that erotic love is an original blessing of creation. It states that, after finding that Adam had no suitable partner among the creatures created, it was then that he made Eve out of the rib of Adam. This has various connotations in practice of love. In his expression, Adam said that Eve was a flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone. This indicates acceptance of the other person. As is the case, erotic love also involves the acceptance of the other party. Then the command to be fruitful and multiply gave way to the fulfillment of the erotic desire. This is the origin of the erotic fulfillment of love, and it is the basis of the marriage institution in religion.

It is clear from the beginning of humanity, through creation there is a love shared between God and man, and between beings themselves. The Agape love and erotic love border along the lines of Gods infallible plan for humanity. Erotic love existed from creation, and its purpose was for human to become fruitful (Ludy & Leslie 81). However, the developments in the modern world are propagating erotic love as the fulfillment of the sexual desires that humans experience. The current society propagates the promotion of sexual arousal through various media and activities. For instance, the model of dressing is successfully turning seductive. The images propagated in the social media along other channels are promoting the fulfillment of sexual desires. The movies people watch, videos, and the internet continue to propagate images of arousal. This is causing confusion into the subject of erotic love. Additionally, many young people who do not even understand the essence of erotic love continue to experience the fulfillment of erotic desires. This is a challenge to the society, as people are doing overboard things in the name of erotic love. Cross border, activities are affecting the relations between people who ought to experience pure erotic love. The confusion in matters of this love also affects the relations between the people and their God. The relational love between human and God remains the greatest and strongest love, as it is unconditional. It is eternal and self-sustaining.

Saint Teresa of Avila and Spanish mysticism

Teresa was a mystical reformer and writer, born in Spain in the early days of civilization. She entered the Carmelite convent when….....

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