The way of life is this: First of all, thou shall love the God that made thee; secondly, thy neighbor as thyself. And all things whatsoever thou wouldst not have befall thyself, neither do thou unto another. Now of these words the doctrine is this: Bless them that curse you, and pray for you enemies and fast for them that persecute you for what thank is it, if ye love them that love you? Do not even the Gentiles the same? Bu do ye love them that hate you that hate you and ye shall not have an enemy.
Abstain thou from fleshly and bodily lusts. I or any (hu)man give thee a blow on thy right cheek turn to him (her) the other also, and thou shalt be perfect; If a (hu)man impress thee to go with him (her) one mile, go with him (her) twain; if a (hu)man take away thy cloak, give him (her) thy coat also; if a (hu)man take away from thee that which is thy own, ask it not back, for neither art thou able. (1.2‑4)
-DIDACHE (80?90AD)
2 comments:
I have this bumper sticker on my car: "When Jesus said, 'Love your enemies,' I think he probably meant don't kill them." (http://www.brethren.org/oepa/LoveYourEnemies.html)
Common sense? Yes. But it is radical common sense.
Also . . .
"Lord do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?" asked James and John. "We should 'smoke them out of their holes . . . get them running and we'll bring them to justice,' right Jesus?"
"Have you been following me all of the time and paying absolutely no attention?" asked Jesus. "You do not know what kind of spirit you are of, for the Son of Man did not come to destroy lives but to save them." --Luke 9:54-55.
Ok . . . obvious paraphrase of the Scripture (however inappropriate) by adding some of W's post-9/11 words to the script. But how do we who seek "justice" through war reconcile the words of Luke 9: 51-56 with our actions?
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