truelight Mike
Member
Is there any teaching higher than the teaching of Jesus to love your enemy?
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love your enemy
- Thread starter truelight Mike
- Start date
What's "higher" or "lower" depends on your presuppositions. For instance, if you presuppose that the more altruistic a teaching is, the higher it is, then perhaps there is no teaching higher than to love one's enemies, although such a teaching would surely be rivaled by the bodhisattva's altruism in spontaneously committing him or herself to enlightenment purely for the sake of others.
truelight Mike
Member
I think altruism ranks high. But to give to, to help, to forgive, to love those who are against you or hate you or hurting you seems to be the highest thing I could imagine a person could do
Why?
Yes. The teaching of no enemy.
truelight Mike
Member
Well for 1 it's not easy in my experience... depending on how severe the wrong suffered is and by whose hand the wrong comes by seems to make a difference
truelight Mike
Member
Well, I took it to mean that it would be the other person setting themselves up as an enemy and then you out of love would not count them or treat them as such
That's a bit too many steps.
truelight Mike
Member
I guess they are very similar.
But anyone can show kindness to someone who returns or deserves it. It seems to be more of a challenge when it is someone who is undeserving or is against you.
To show love to everyone including a person who is harming you seems very high and admirable
DawudTalut
Peace be upon you.
As one understands, It was best for that time only.
Holy Quran:
[42:41] And the recompense of an injury is an injury the like thereof; but whoso forgives and his act brings about reformation, his reward is with Allah. Surely, He loves not the wrongdoers.
[42:42] But there is no blame on those who defend themselves after they have been wronged.
[42:43] The blame is only on those who wrong men and transgress in the earth without justification. Such will have a grievous punishment.
[42:44] And he who is patient and forgives — that surely is a matter of strong determination.
truelight Mike
Member
That is interesting. I believe it is a current commandment for a follower of Jesus to "turn the other cheek ". As far as I know, He is the only one that commands His followers to do that.
Yes, I think metaphysical statements about the nature of reality are 'higher'. For example as a non-dualist, I believe God and creation are not-two.
use_your_brain
Active Member
Who is your enemy to begin with?
Mycroft
Ministry of Serendipity
It seems to be the most difficult, for sure. Particularly if you're a conservative American, it seems. 'Dem Gays gotta go, the Bible says it's so!' (it doesn't).
truelight Mike
Member
Mercy and forgiveness seems the better way
truelight Mike
Member
I think it is a teaching to make the point. That we are to show love to everyone even to the very person who would try to kill you
use_your_brain
Active Member
and how to show the love to the person who want to kill us?