03.05.07
Love Your Enemies
Protestors at the January 27 anti-war rally in DC © Freeman Wicklund 2007
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others?”
Here are some questions to ponder:
* What does it mean to love one’s enemy and how do we do it?
* How should we interpret this quote in terms of our country’s current policy of war with Iraq and Afghanistan?
* Many Americans see the current administration as an “enemy” of the working class, the poor, sexual and racial minorities, the environment, peace, and animals. If we lived the values espoused in this quote, how would that be different than the way we currently relate to the members of Bush’s administration?
* Few people consider animals to be “enemies,” but often animals are treated far worse than any of our enemies. What guidance does this quote provide us on how we should treat animals?
Feel free to post responses to any or all of these questions.
This text was written in 2007 by Freeman Wicklund of FreemanWicklund.org, and it may be freely reprinted or distributed in its entirety in any e-zine, e-mail, newsletter or blog as long as this sentence and Web link are included.