(Un)Conditional?

Is God's love truly unconditional? This is one of those things I never completely understood and probably still don't. I have however heard it used as an argument for and against Christianity. (I.e.; Christians saying that God's love is unconditional and non-Christians claiming it isn't.) In both cases it is a claim meant to bolster their point of view on God.

Now, I'm sure most or all of us have heard it said that God's love is unconditional (whether you believe in God or not) and often we (as Christians) assume that is true, but 5 minutes with a strong atheist can seriously wound that certainty. Why? Because it is more complex than either side would give it credit. So I hold some confusion on this topic still, not the kind of confusion that breaks a faith mind you, but just an unanswered question...is God's love conditional or not?

Thinking about it, it's not a question of earning as much as accepting. So right off, I discount all efforts in terms of earning. (We simply cannot earn such a thing.) That leaves us with accepting and therein lies the possibility of a condition. If we were talking about salvation I could say that yes it is conditional, it requires belief and along with belief come certain deep down changes which move a person to repentance. Still, that is not the real topic. The real topic is love.

So does God require anything from us before He loves us? Not that I can think of, no. However, God does not like the wickedness in men and (rightly so) condemns us for it. So then does He or does He not love us, if we do evil by choice and he hates evil? I still favor that God's love is unconditional and freely given and here's why. In my experience, limited as it is, you can still love a person and not approve of their actions. You can still love a person and hold a heated argument with them at the same time. You can still love someone and weep over them at the same time. Love does not hinge on things being perfectly in line, but is a constant state, certainly in Gods case as He is always consistent. I'm not dismissing the existance of evil but I am seperating it. Love doesn't require approval. I know this is a weak argument, hence the original question, but it seems to me a valid one none-the-less. Love does not require something from its target to continue to carry on a loving state or manner. It is then without condition, no?

In the end though, whether what I have written is correct or not, (as a worst-case-scenario) I would rather have God in my life by observing His conditions than not at all, especially when you look at what the conditions are and what the alternative to God is! These are just some of my thoughts; comments are welcome as I do not have the answer.