Lightkeeper
Well-Known Member
What do you think is the deepest meaning and importance of loving your enemies?
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Loving Your Enemies
- Thread starter Lightkeeper
- Start date
Scott1
Well-Known Member
1825 Christ died out of love for us, while we were still "enemies." The Lord asks us to love as he does, even our enemies, to make ourselves the neighbor of those farthest away, and to love children and the poor as Christ himself.
2844 Christian prayer extends to the forgiveness of enemies, transfiguring the disciple by configuring him to his Master. Forgiveness is a high-point of Christian prayer; only hearts attuned to God's compassion can receive the gift of prayer. Forgiveness also bears witness that, in our world, love is stronger than sin. The martyrs of yesterday and today bear this witness to Jesus. Forgiveness is the fundamental condition of the reconciliation of the children of God with their Father and of men with one another.
1932 The duty of making oneself a neighbor to others and actively serving them becomes even more urgent when it involves the disadvantaged, in whatever area this may be. "As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me."38
1933 This same duty extends to those who think or act differently from us. The teaching of Christ goes so far as to require the forgiveness of offenses. He extends the commandment of love, which is that of the New Law, to all enemies.39 Liberation in the spirit of the Gospel is incompatible with hatred of one's enemy as a person, but not with hatred of the evil that he does as an enemy.
2844 Christian prayer extends to the forgiveness of enemies, transfiguring the disciple by configuring him to his Master. Forgiveness is a high-point of Christian prayer; only hearts attuned to God's compassion can receive the gift of prayer. Forgiveness also bears witness that, in our world, love is stronger than sin. The martyrs of yesterday and today bear this witness to Jesus. Forgiveness is the fundamental condition of the reconciliation of the children of God with their Father and of men with one another.
1932 The duty of making oneself a neighbor to others and actively serving them becomes even more urgent when it involves the disadvantaged, in whatever area this may be. "As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me."38
1933 This same duty extends to those who think or act differently from us. The teaching of Christ goes so far as to require the forgiveness of offenses. He extends the commandment of love, which is that of the New Law, to all enemies.39 Liberation in the spirit of the Gospel is incompatible with hatred of one's enemy as a person, but not with hatred of the evil that he does as an enemy.
Lightkeeper
Well-Known Member
On another level, you may be projecting onto someone else and they have become your enemy. If you see yourself in your enemy and pull back your projection you are loving and forgiving yourself. Knowing your enemy is knowing yourself. I believe this was Christ's main message and leads to finding the Christ within.
Hope
Princesinha
I think you hit on a good point, Lightkeeper. I think, too, that we need to look at our definition of love. Loving your enemy does not mean having warm, fuzzy feelings for them, or even liking them. The love Christ was talking about was not an emotional love--it was an act of one's will. We may not be able to help whether we like someone or not, but we can choose to love them--through our actions and attitude toward them. And it's this kind of love that breaks down barriers--it's the kind of love Christ exemplified. As Christ said--anyone can love those who are good and 'deserve' love, but loving those who don't deserve it requires something far greater.
trishtrish10
Active Member
society classifies people as good or bad. all that infers is good people are our friends and bad people are our enemies. i have made many friends out of enemies by not retaliating against them and loving them instead.
Green Gaia
Veteran Member
Our enemies are our greatest teachers, cherish them and wish them well.
trishtrish10
Active Member
when someone sins against u they are your enemy. forgiveness is the best policy not retalliation and revenge.
EventHorizon997
New Member
"Loving" your enemy in any traditional sense of the word "love" is a blatantly irrational policy that will only result in self-destruction. Are you suggesting that it is a good idea, for example, for a United States citizen to go over to Iraq and support international terrorists??? I doubt this is the case. I think what you are referring to when you say "love your enemy" is not so much "love" in the tradional sense of the word, but rather a sneaky and dishonest way to say "convert your enemy to what you beleive is right"; the word "love" is used only as Orwellian double-speak, a way to hide what is truely a ploy at moral imposition.
Melody
Well-Known Member
<<"Loving" your enemy in any traditional sense of the word "love" is a blatantly irrational policy that will only result in self-destruction. Are you suggesting that it is a good idea, for example, for a United States citizen to go over to Iraq and support international terrorists???>>
I didn't know there was a "traditional" sense of love. There are many kinds of healthy love and none involve allowing destructive or self-destructive behavior.
I love my children, but when they do wrong, I correct them. I love my husband but it does not mean that I have to agree or go along with everything he does.
We can love the terrorists as creations of God and still put a stop to their destructive actions.
Melody
I didn't know there was a "traditional" sense of love. There are many kinds of healthy love and none involve allowing destructive or self-destructive behavior.
I love my children, but when they do wrong, I correct them. I love my husband but it does not mean that I have to agree or go along with everything he does.
We can love the terrorists as creations of God and still put a stop to their destructive actions.
Melody
trishtrish10
Active Member
love is not destructive, hate is.
Ceridwen018
Well-Known Member
I suppose that's why we have separation of church and state, etc. As individual human beings, we have the luxury of doing what we think is best for us, such as loving our enemies. Our government, however, must act in a secular manner for the good of the nation--even if that means going against certain moral ideals and policies.
trishtrish10
Active Member
hell is the absence of Love.
standing_on_one_foot
Well-Known Member
Well, I suppose there's the need to keep from demonizing your enemies. Realizing that they're human like you are, that sort of thing. There's a certain sort of love in that, I think, to acknowledge that you're connected and that they aren't just evil.
Loveing your enemy, to me that means that you have the unconditional love that God has for everyone, for well everyone.
Christ, even as they diced over his bloody clothes and laughed, said, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
We should all love everyone, even our enemies as brothers, sisters, and as we love our own children.
If in hitting you someone slips and brakes his arm, you should take them to the Hospital.
If a group of people jump you, and the next day one of them is hungry and has no money you should buy the person food.
the list goes on, every act of wrong done to you should be forgiven the moment it is done, and you should treat the person as if it never happened and you have been friends all your life.
Also this should not be done out of obligation but out of generosity and true love.
Christ, even as they diced over his bloody clothes and laughed, said, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
We should all love everyone, even our enemies as brothers, sisters, and as we love our own children.
If in hitting you someone slips and brakes his arm, you should take them to the Hospital.
If a group of people jump you, and the next day one of them is hungry and has no money you should buy the person food.
the list goes on, every act of wrong done to you should be forgiven the moment it is done, and you should treat the person as if it never happened and you have been friends all your life.
Also this should not be done out of obligation but out of generosity and true love.
Lightkeeper
Well-Known Member
Mr. Emu, what if a person is continuously abusive to you. Should you still be their friend for life?
Yes, naturally you get away from them, but you should still love them.
