You people really suck!

[Geoff-Allen]

Thanks for all the replies.

Obviously people are perfectly free to disagree with me

Loving someone doesn't necessarily mean you let them do as they please.

What would it really mean to love a mass-murderer?

Most people would say it's an impossibilty and they are unworthy of love.

Loving someone means you wish for them to be happy because human beings are capable of terrible things when they are feeling frustrated and unhappy.

Anyways, carry on and don't worry about me - I'm not crazy

 

[ChristineM]

Good ... now that I have your attention ...

I have been contemplating life's deepest mysteries yet again despite my psychiatrist's warnings to stop ....

Love your enemy!

Is it really possible?

It was a radical teaching 2000 years ago and it remains a radical teaching today.

Just think how it would transform life at this forum if people actually acted on that advice!

What do you think? Do you even TRY to practice it?

Lets just try to be nice to each other shall we ...

End of sermon!

Kind of depends what your enemy has done to become your enemy.

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Kind of depends what your enemy has done to become your enemy.

True enough.

It is radical idea because our "natural" instinct is to respond with anger or hatred when someone has harmed us.

Only a highly evolved being would even consider "loving" their enemy.

Sadly most of us are not that highly evolved just yet - but where there is life there is hope!

One highly evolved being said: "Forgive them for they know not what they do."

Maybe some day we will all have evolved to the same level.

Cheers!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Great news! - this is now a featured thread - my ego is very satisfied!

 

[oldbadger]

Good ... now that I have your attention ...

I have been contemplating life's deepest mysteries yet again despite my psychiatrist's warnings to stop ....

Love your enemy!

Is it really possible?

It was a radical teaching 2000 years ago and it remains a radical teaching today.

Just think how it would transform life at this forum if people actually acted on that advice!

What do you think? Do you even TRY to practice it?

Lets just try to be nice to each other shall we ...

End of sermon!

Hello again........
Yes......... we can love our enemies.
Our most recent enemies are two foxes (dog and vixen together) who took opportunity to raid our garden three nights ago and steal two of our ducks (Ollie and Sid) in the freeze.

Do foxes count as enemies? My wife thinks so. So I was ordered to get up in the night, bring the emergency cages out of the antic and assemble them with frozen fingers, and then usher all the ducks inside.

And sure enough, within two hours the foxes were back. We watched them in the moonlight as they raced around the cages, trying to figure out how to get inside. Quite beautiful, with massive brush tails, they could run up a 6' fence and balance on top to look around. When I flooded them with a flashlight beam they just stared back in defiance before legging it.

I told my wife that I was at least glad that they had managed to take Sid and Ollie ducks away, and she was amazed at this, until I told her that I love seeing those foxes around, and that two ducks might mean the difference to them of life and death, so the ducks were not wasted.

Yes, we can love some enemies.

 

[Faithofchristian]

Good ... now that I have your attention ...

I have been contemplating life's deepest mysteries yet again despite my psychiatrist's warnings to stop ....

Love your enemy!

Is it really possible?

It was a radical teaching 2000 years ago and it remains a radical teaching today.

Just think how it would transform life at this forum if people actually acted on that advice!

What do you think? Do you even TRY to practice it?

Lets just try to be nice to each other shall we ...

End of sermon!

It's not a radical teaching, If you understand the concept of what it's saying.

Now think it through carefully, How's the best way for you to show love towards your enemies ?

 

[RoaringSilence]

your biggest enemy is your wife , i think that's where it applies .

 

[Geoff-Allen]

It's not a radical teaching, If you understand the concept of what it's saying.

Now think it through carefully, How's the best way for you to show love towards your enemies ?

I'm guessing your answer may differ from mine.

As I said - my understanding of love is that you genuinely wish for that person to be happy and free from suffering.

If you have different view, please share it - I make no claims to being inflammable

 

[Faithofchristian]

I'm guessing your answer may differ from mine.

As I said - my understanding of love is that you genuinely wish for that person to be happy and free from suffering.

If you have different view, please share it - I make no claims to being inflammable

To love your enemies, it's like this.

You show your enemies that you are not a walk on.
You show your enemies that you are not a push over.
You show your enemies they will have respect for you, and then in return they will get respect from you.

If your enemies come at you to do you bodily harm, then you take what ever course you can to correct them in the error of their way.

In all of this, is how you love your enemies.

 

[ChristineM]

True enough.

It is radical idea because our "natural" instinct is to respond with anger or hatred when someone has harmed us.

Only a highly evolved being would even consider "loving" their enemy.

Sadly most of us are not that highly evolved just yet - but where there is life there is hope!

One highly evolved being said: "Forgive them for they know not what they do."

Maybe some day we will all have evolved to the same level.

Cheers!

When your enemy has gang raped your 5 year old sister or mutilated your mother or murdered your family right before your eyes in the name of religion, a persons evolutionary status doesnt come into it

 

[Geoff-Allen]

When your enemy has gang raped your 5 year old sister or mutilated your mother or murdered your family right before your eyes in the name of religion, a persons evolutionary status doesnt come into it

Yes - that is an extreme case of cruelty and I have never experienced anything like that so it is hard to even comment on how I would handle that if it happened to me.

People only do such unspeakable things when they are profoundly unhappy in themselves. And I know what that feels like - I used to have an extremely violent temper and was angry nearly all-the-time. Fortunately I never actually killed anyone.

Fortunately, most people's "enemies" are far less extreme than your example. That is what had in mind when I made the post.

I don't suppose I will change your mind but wish you all the best. Most of us never have to deal with the most extreme cases of cruelty. Our "enemies" are far less violent.

Cheers.

 

[ChristineM]

Yes - that is an extreme case of cruelty and I have never experienced anything like that so it is hard to even comment on how I would handle that if it happened to me.

People only do such unspeakable things when they are profoundly unhappy in themselves. And I know what that feels like - I used to have an extremely violent temper and was angry nearly all-the-time. Fortunately I never actually killed anyone.

Fortunately, most people's "enemies" are far less extreme than your example. That is what had in mind when I made the post.

I don't suppose I will change your mind but wish you all the best. Most of us never have to deal with the most extreme cases of cruelty. Our "enemies" are far less violent.

Cheers.

Actually i agree with you to some extent, i was providing examples to back up my earlier statement that it depends what the enemy has done.

But it is difficult, even less violent non violent acts can leave a lasting impression that cannot be overridden. Unfortunately we are not in a utopian world

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Actually i agree with you to some extent, i was providing examples to back up my earlier statement that it depends what the enemy has done.

But it is difficult, even less violent non violent acts can leave a lasting impression that cannot be overridden. Unfortunately we are not in a utopian world

No worries!

Your example was extreme and I can understand anyone using at as "evidence" that there no loving deity ... I used to be of that inclination myself so nobody is more amazed than me

Most of us have relatively minor "enemies" to deal with so we should count our blessings.

Cheers

 

[blü 2]

Love your enemy!

Is it really possible?

You've missed the essential part. The bible says to love your enemies because that will annoy the ─ ahm ─ hell out of them. In other words, psychological warfare:

Proverbs 25:21: If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; 22 for you will heap coals of fire on his head, and the LORD will reward you.​

(Ignore the namby pamby NT stuff ─ this is the heart of it.)

 

[Quagmire]

Love your enemies, they'll be much more amusing and much less intimidating that way.

(and note: loving someone doesn't mean you have to like them)

 

[Geoff-Allen]

You've missed the essential part. The bible says to love your enemies because that will annoy the ─ ahm ─ hell out of them. In other words, psychological warfare:

Proverbs 25:21: If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; 22 for you will heap coals of fire on his head, and the LORD will reward you.
(Ignore the namby pamby NT stuff ─ this is the heart of it.)

Thanks for the input!

I guess I am extremely fortunate - have no real "enemies" in my life - I get along with everyone - even atheists!!

Maybe it's just karma?

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Love your enemies, they'll be much more amusing and much less intimidating that way.

(and note: loving someone doesn't mean you have to like them)

I almost wish I DID have enemies so I could try out your advice

 

[Buddha Dharma]

What do you think? Do you even TRY to practice it?

Yes because it's the same thing Buddhism teaches about cultivating compassion/pity. We are not to take evil personally as Buddhists from the get go, but look at what might have caused a person to act in such a way. 99 times out of 100, people are not really bad and didn't mean to hurt you. They themselves are suffering intensely. If they get out of hand, of course we can't let them hurt people, but I don't hate them.

 

[blü 2]

Thanks for the input!

I guess I am extremely fortunate - have no real "enemies" in my life - I get along with everyone - even atheists!!

Maybe it's just karma?

What, some people don't get along with nonbelievers?

Say it isn't so!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

What, some people don't get along with nonbelievers?

Say it isn't so!

I used to be VERY "evangelical" but it frustrated the Hell out of me tryin to set people straight!

As if I knew better than them about the "truth".