describing the love between good friends or
a boyfriend and girlfriend. Sex definitely an
activity that people enjoy together but philia
doesn’t have to be in reference to just that.
Storge - This word is in reference to natural
affection. A good example of natural
affection is the affection of a parent for
its offspring. It is almost exclusively used in
ancient and modern Greek in reference to
relationships within a family.
Agape. Upon reading the above quote from
Matthew instantly sections from Liber Librae:
sub figura XXX are brought to mind. These
are as follows:
Agape - Finally, the word in question.
Agape is used in modern Greek to refer
to unconditional love. In ancient Greek it
had a slightly different usage. It was used in
reference in the ancient world to a deeper
affection or “true love.” This could be in
reference to how you would feel toward a
spouse or a child as well as anyone that
you would hold in high regard. It fell into use
amongst the early Christians who saw it easily
fitting with the idea of love for God. This of
course would have to be unconditional. It is
used in many passages in the Greek Bible.
A great example of the Christian use of the
word is this quote from Matthew 5:43-48:
“43. Ye have heard that it hath been
said, THOU SHALT LOVE (Agape) THY
NEIGHBOUR, AND HATE THINE ENEMY.
44. But I say unto you, Love (Agape) your
enemies, bless them that curse you, do good
to them that hate you, and pray for them
which despitefully use you, and persecute
you;
45. That ye may be the children of you Father
which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise
on the evil and on the good, and sendeth
rain on the just and on the unjust.
46. For if ye love them which love you, what
reward have ye? Do not even the publicans
the same?
47. And if ye salute your brethren only, what
do ye more than others? Do not even the
publicans so?
48. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your
Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
“11. Do good unto others for its own sake,
not for reward, not for gratitude from them,
not for sympathy. If thou art generous, thou
wilt not long for thine ears to be tickled by
expressions of gratitude.”
“6.Be not hasty to condemn others; how
knowest thou that in their place, thou couldst
have resisted the temptation? And even were
it so, why shouldest thou despise one who is
weaker than thyself?”
Both the quote above from the New
Testament as well as the above quotes
from The Book of the Balances we can see
a use in Christianity as well as Thelema for
Unconditional Love. This can be seen as a
sacrificial thing but also to be bigger than
yourself you must love unconditionally. Even
love those that would be your “enemy”. It is
easy to love your brother; it is much harder to
love your enemy. This brings us to Liber II: The
Message of the Master Therion.
“Lo, while in The Book of the Law is much of
Love, there is no word of Sentimentality. Hate
itself is almost like Love! “As brothers fight ye!”...”
Now that we understand in what contexts
this word has been used in the past and how
that relates to Thelema, it is essential now to
try and define how we as Thelemites view the
word and what it means to our tradition. This
involves the uses previously presented by
past systems as has been demo