When the soon-to-be-ex TBM wife uttered that little nugget last night during a "conversation" we were having, I quickly pulled this rejoinder out of my ass:

1. Do you love God? (Her answer: Of course, yes.)
2. Do you believe God loves you? (Her answer: Yes, always.)
3. Do you believe God's love for His children is conditional in any way?

*blank stare*

Dear in headlights.

Kind of underhanded, using logic and all, but all's fair in love and war. Maybe not war.

Could be she was just puzzled as to what point you were trying to make and why.

And as long as we're discussing the mythical attributes of a mythical being, god can love your spouse and love conditionally. There is nothing logically impossible about that. Except for there being a god with all these impossibly infinite attributes.

Brother of Jerry,
There was absolutely nothing ambiguous about the discussion, or the topic(s) thereof: we had been discussing, at least in a preliminary fashion, the terms of our separation and pending divorce. I confessed to her that there have been many, many times in the past several months that I wanted to throw myself at her feet, beg her forgiveness for "breaking her heart," and I would begin writing the tithing checks again. I love her...and it is unconditional. However, when I pointed out that it was my belief that her "love" for me was NOT unconditional, she then muttered the line "Everything Is Conditional." This prompted my spontaneous utterances that lead to her "deer in the headlights" look. And, yes...that goes for family members, "friends" of many years, etc... as well: If somebody wakes up and realizes the sham that is tscc, prepare to be alone...VERY alone.

-edz

A very interesting thing is that if, on one's deathbed one rejects TSCC, despite ninety years of serving TSCC, you are LOST.
This is the conundrum of Christian groups which take the position that if one has been awful throughout his life, a deathbed acceptance - bingo - he wins.

BTW, the mormon conditional love applies within families, even love for one's children is conditional in Moism.

My understanding of God is of a forgiving God.