Religious motifs : Overview. Search. About religious motifs
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Love, self, the other
The "neighbour" is a core element of christianity. Unselfishness in relation to other people is accentuated:
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.
Matthew 22,37-39
Being a central concept of christianity it marks the difference from the religion of the Old Testament, that law; commands and not least prohibitions, are replaced or supplemented by love.
Example :
The tale has not been translated (by Hersholt) and is therefore quoted in Danish. Further information and links.
Først naar vi gaae fra Dybet op og søge Landets Kyster,
Os smitter eders glubske Sind, vi æde da vor Næste,
Som fordum eders Adelsmænd og de catholske Præste.
Døe maae og skal Du, det er vist, selv om Du Guld kan græde,
Thi ret paa canibalsk Maneer hist oppe I os æde.
Ha! Hævn er sød. – Vi har en Flod som bruser frem med Torden,
Den kaldes Lethe her til Lands og kommer ned fra Jorden;
Der skal Du ned, hver Draabe der har Himmelen forbandet,
Tidt har den næsten druknet os, som dog er vant til Vandet!« –
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