Does the bible say anything "good" about "the heart"?

Is the heart good, evil, or neutral?

The heart is a beautiful thing capable of much goodness.	0.0%	[ 0 ]
The heart is wicked and needs to be made pure.	30.0%	[ 3 ]
The heart is neutral and it depends on which way you allow it to be swayed	50.0%	[ 5 ]
I don't really know much about it..	20.0%	[ 2 ]
Total Votes:			[ 10 ]

[Mea quidem sententia]

I agree with the late Julian Jaynes that terms like "heart" and "reins" and all sorts of other bodily organs were taken literally at the time they were said. They would experience sensations like how you feel the need to defecate when you're worried, or when you're infatuated, you experience "butterflies in your stomach". Maybe your heart races during this time, or during stress, or it may not race, but feel like a weight is upon your chest when you're in deep sorrow.

Many might not like this if they believe their god is incorporeal, when we know that there are events, which grieves Yahweh's heart . . . er, mind. Of course, with various authors, you end up with symbolism, and this muddles what is not to be considered symbolism. Why, if we're all to take various things symbolically in the Bible, we should save ourselves the trouble and consider Yahweh a symbolism.

Um, anyway, the heart can be treated as good or evil, depending on the context. Softening someone's heart likely would mean they're humbled or they're cowardly. In the German language, "eisenherz" means "iron heart", but is translated "valiant".

[The Applesauce Crusader]

MistressOfTheShadows

The Applesauce Crusader

The Legendary Guest

My heart pumps blood. That's what it's meant to do.

My heart pumps applesauce. That's what it's meant to do.

ORLY? Mine pumps purple peanutbutter. j/k but seriously folks, I was hoping for like... I dunno like a real answer. stare

purple peanut butter.... genius.

[The Applesauce Crusader]

Lightning the Lulu

The Applesauce Crusader

The Legendary Guest

My heart pumps blood. That's what it's meant to do.

My heart pumps applesauce. That's what it's meant to do.

I'll bet your heart does pump applesauce, now that I think about it. wink

..... applesauce.

[VeganIncubus]

Don't know if the Bible knows much about anatomy. Seeing as how it says people are made of dirt....

[The disciple_Leon Camero]

Mist wellressOfTheShadows

I know there is a part i n the bible that says "the heart is wicked and deceitful, who can know it?" but what does that really mean and are there other verses that contradict that and show virtues and goodness like love, compassion, kindness, and discernment coming from the heart? If there are, I'd like to know some just to prove a point, because I believe from my own personal experiences with myself, other people, and my observations that the heart is neither all wicked or all virtuous and is actual a neutral thing that in some ways is like fire: it can hurt and destroy or bring warmth and purity depending on if it is used for good or evil, how well it is controlled and whether or not proper discernment is used. Also, I've found that it can also be a source of "healing" but if it is truly wicked and I use it to do such a thing as relieve physical &/or emotional pain and suffering, does that make me a witch?

The heart is physical, and the idea about love kindness and joy as such is spiritual. The heart carries waves of emotions and hatred and can easily be twisted. If you had a crush before and that crush "broke" your heart. You've basically placed your heart in his hands and he broke it. This is deceitful. The spirit contains a different concept. It's not coherent to the heart in anyway. However, it can change a wicked heart of stone, into a heart of flesh. Meaning, from deceitful, to pure, by the holy spirit.

The heart never truly knows what it wants. It causes bipolar disorder and can create schizo disorder as well. The real problem is, you don't know the heart. So no, you're not.

[The disciple_Leon Camero]

The Applesauce Crusader

Lightning the Lulu

The Applesauce Crusader

The Legendary Guest

My heart pumps blood. That's what it's meant to do.

My heart pumps applesauce. That's what it's meant to do.

I'll bet your heart does pump applesauce, now that I think about it. wink

..... applesauce.

How do you cut applesauce? Since you're a crusader.

[King Shining Heaven]

As I can tell, there are positive and negatives

The Bible speaks of the importance of protecting your heart (Proverbs 4:23, Phillipians 4:7)

It speaks of the value of a pure heart (Psalm 24:4, Matthew 5:8, Psalm 19:14)

It praises allowing God into your heart (Psalm 51:10, Proverbs 3:5, Psalm 9:1)

It also chastises the hard-hearted (Mark 6:52)

[The Applesauce Crusader]

The disciple_Leon Camero

The Applesauce Crusader

Lightning the Lulu

The Applesauce Crusader

The Legendary Guest

My heart pumps blood. That's what it's meant to do.

My heart pumps applesauce. That's what it's meant to do.

I'll bet your heart does pump applesauce, now that I think about it. wink

..... applesauce.

How do you cut applesauce? Since you're a crusader.

With an applesauce sword.

[anonymous attributes]

MistressOfTheShadows

I know there is a part in the bible that says "the heart is wicked and deceitful, who can know it?" but what does that really mean and are there other verses that contradict that and show virtues and goodness like love, compassion, kindness, and discernment coming from the heart? If there are, I'd like to know some just to prove a point, because I believe from my own personal experiences with myself, other people, and my observations that the heart is neither all wicked or all virtuous and is actual a neutral thing that in some ways is like fire: it can hurt and destroy or bring warmth and purity depending on if it is used for good or evil, how well it is controlled and whether or not proper discernment is used. Also, I've found that it can also be a source of "healing" but if it is truly wicked and I use it to do such a thing as relieve physical &/or emotional pain and suffering, does that make me a witch?

Love is from God, not man.

[AliKat1988]

I agree with what a few others have said-the heart was considered the mind back in that time. Although I am not religious, my understanding is that when the bible describes people as wicked and sinful, it is an emphasis on human imperfections and tendency to screw up. It is not supposed to mean every thought or feeling people have is wrong, but that people need to call their immoral ideas/actions into question, and know they will be held accountable.