LOVE your ENEMIES: where Jesus goes wrong

Terry

Matthew 5:44 "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

Luke 6:35 "But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return

The most radical teaching attributed to Jesus has implications if followed.

An invading hoarde of Mongols would not be resisted.

A christian husband would not only allow his wife and daughters to be raped; he would be compelled to forgive the rapist, pray for him and offer

him any other daughters he had.

Luke 6:29 "Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either.

Luke 6:30 "Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.

A child in school who is bullied would invite more bullying rather than fight back.

Any burglar could walk away with your possessions, any enemy nation could claim all your technology for its own.

But, this isn't what happens in Christian nations is it? No. Jesus' words are admired but not followed because they are entirely lunatic, leading

as the do to self-destruction in the face of certain enemies!

Instead, Christianity has turned a blind eye and given lip-service to Jesus clear admonition not to resist evil. Christians own guns, go to war,

practice self-defense and villify their enemies for their evil.

Who is wrong? Is it Jesus? Would following his teachings allow blood thirsty tyrants to rule the world, sadists to dominate the oppressed without

recourse and the weak to be enslaved or obliterated on whim?

Where is the MORALITY in not identifying EVIL and prosecuting it to the full measure of the law? What is the ethical basis for praying for a rapist or

child molester?

Is LOVE YOUR ENEMIES where Jesus goes wrong?

Some Tutsis say they have "forgiven" the Hutus who murdered their loved ones. I cannot help but sense the fear they have for these murderers. I think it is easier to forgive than confront the fear they have for these people.

Some parents have chosen to "forgive" the murderer of their child. I think it is extremely difficult to confront the hatred that would naturally occur after such a loss.

Sometimes rape victims choose to "forgive" their attacker. Perhaps they choose to forgive because dealing with the anger that naturally follows is too much for them to bear.

In instances like these the victim says, "it is the right thing to do" and that they heal by reaching out to these criminals. I don't buy it. That is a completely unnatural response. I don't think an emotionally healthy individual would even contemplate it.

It is best in most situations not to react to violence with violence. To take that even further and totally "forgive" the perpetrator of heinous crime requires an extraordinary amount of self-effacement.

I don't see the compatibility in Jesus commandment to love yourself and love your enemies.

agonus

"loving your enemies" isn't necessarily synonymous with abandoning all forms of self-defense... love is also compatible with justice, which Jesus preached as well

cult classic

Agonus - Jesus did encourage abandoning self defense - remember turn the other cheek?

One has to come up with all sorts of loopholes to make this command work in the real world. If we take what Jesus said at value, christians don't obey it very well because it doesn't make sense.

cyberjesus

So what do you propose?

agonus

i don't know that "turn the other cheek" necessarily has to be taken literally in every circumstance... i think the point was not to seek vengeance in general

agonus

cyberjesus, i think your avatar answers your own question, heh heh

agonus

COME WITH ME IF YOU WANT TO LIVE

chrisjoel

unfortunately when the good samaritan was all finished getting the crap kicked outta him is when Jebus "decided to show up" and help him out...but what if he had of showed up during the shit kicking, would jesus have busted a 2 x 4 over their heads? its all very convienient

Terry

"loving your enemies" isn't necessarily synonymous with abandoning all forms of self-defense... love is also compatible with justice, which Jesus preached as well

Justice is getting what you deserve and not getting what you don't.

A rapist doesn't deserve "love". On what basis would he?

What did the Tibetan Monks do to defend themselves when the Communists invaded? The Dali Lama fled. The monks were slaughtered.

LOVE your ENEMIES: where Jesus goes wrong

Share this