Do you have to love family?

To start you guys off;

Yes

1. Your mother went through a lot of pain during your birth.
   
2. Your parents (unless you're an orphan, etc) spent thousands of dollars raising you.
   
3. They gave up their time to satisfy you.

No

1. What if your parents abused you?
   
2. What if your parents are overly protective?
   
3. What if you can't live your life due to conditions at home?

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Yes.

Family is the backbone of life. Without family, you couldn't stand on your own.

 

Not necessarily. I'm sure you've heard the saying, 'you can't pick your family, but you can pick your friends.' Your family may not love you or badly mistreat you. They may have completely different morals or lifestyles. In most situations (not abusive families for example), I think people should at least appreciate what their family has given to them and given up for them.

I think most people love their family deep down no matter what they have been through or what they don't like about each other. This of course disregards situations of abuse, neglect, etc.

 

No, I don't have to do, at all. My family could love me with all their heart, it doesn't mean I'm going to not love them. You don't HAVE to do most things in life.

 

Being required to love someone isn't love... love should come naturally... well... let's say affection should come naturally. You don't have to love anyone, or anything. We choose to because it benefits us.

 

I hate my family. They hate who I am and who I love. How can I love someone who doesn't accept me?

 

Sit down and talk with them, it may not work as I tried this with my father yet he's still an arrogant dick. But it worked with my mother.

 

Even if you say you don't love your family deep down inside you really do because at the end of the day, Family's family.

About the no for the being over protective part - Some people learn great lessons from their family being over protective you just may not realize it till your older.

 

Yes.

The reason being is that I was always taught that you must love family, no matter what the circumstance could be. Now on the other hand, you don't have to like them. Just as long as you love them.

 

1. She chose to, knowing that she might not get that gratitude she expected.
2. They chose to, knowing that they might not be paid back in full.
3. They chose to, knowing that they would not get that time back.

1. Love for such so-called parents should not even exist.
2. They need to learn to give the least bit of responsibility.
3. Can't always get what you want.

 

You don't HAVE to love everyone, I didn't pick my parents but I unconditionally love them for raising me as well as they can and for their time and money put into me and my family.

 

Not that this is PS & A, but I agree, you should try to sit down and talk to them. If worst comes to worst, I had a friend that when she turned 18 she never talked to her parents ever again. All her life they showed her a fake relationship, just struggling to stay together so that her life wouldn't be maliciously effected. On her 18th birthday everything erupted..and she hasn't talked to her parents since that day. Now she has a government job and her life is fantastic. I suppose she has her friends, and that is her family.

Best of luck to you.

Would you two agree that while you may not need to love them, you should at least appreciate them?

 

If only humanity as a whole could be as strong-minded as you...

Unfortunately this is not true, and people stay a part of abusive environments because they feel there is an obligation to love..it's actually quite depressing and I wish it was not so.

 

You dont have to 'love' anyone, but however irrational it may seem most peoples actions can be explained by 'love'

 

One issue I see with looking at love from a moral angle stems from love itself. Love is an emotion and thus it may be the case that you can control whether or not you love someone or something or it may be the case that you can not. If you feel as if you should love your parents, but you believe that you can not control love, and you do not love your parents, there is nothing you can do. So, lets assume you can control who you love, at least to some extent. In this situation, everything that Sythe has stated comes into play and the conclusion is that you do not HAVE to love your parents nor is it immoral to not love your parents.

 

I understand what you're saying Sythe. If Parent(s) do for their children in their best interest. Then why can't we return the favor? I know logically we don't have to or not bind to.. but... I "feels" bad not to love parents who do all they can for their children.

 

depends on your definition of family. it is always good to have some sort of family to be there for you and support you. this doesnt have to mean your mom or dad or other blood related relatives. family is whoever you choose it to be.