Do you think it is possible to love your enemy.....?

Question

and still be allowed to fight them in battle? Christians have generally allowed war under the Catholic Just War Theory but can you kill someone and still love them? I think you probably can but that is my opinion. You have to protect your women and children and society or else you will be overrun by whoever wishes to impose themselves on you. What do you think?

Answer 1

Absolutely. My husband is in the Army. He loves his enemies, but must defend against those who are determined to eliminate us from the face of the earth. (If they could, terrorists and religious extremists would wipe every "infidel" off the face of the earth, starting with Americans.)

As a gift from God, he has been granted the ability to love even those evil people. Matthew 5:44- 45 "But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you; that ye may the children of your Father which is in heaven..."

When God gives a commandment, He also provides a way to obey it.

1 Corinthians 10:13 "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer [allow] you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."

He prayed for the gift of love for his enemies, and God answered that prayer.

James 5:16 ...the prayer of a faithful man availeth [produces] much.

Answer 2

The first thing I notice is that you talk about protecting your women .... do you presume that only men fight in wars? That's mostly a United States convention, and many other countries allow women to fight as well.

Other than that, I tend to accept the idea that one can kill someone one loves. I find myself relatively free from hate, and it would make me quite sad to have to kill another. I think I might be praying for those I had to kill, were I in that situation. As a former soldier, (though not in combat), I recognized that killing another was a possibility.

As a Pagan though, I recognize that all life has value, and that each of us is on a journey. I wouldn't doubt that I might, if I had killed in battle, come upon one such in the Summerlands, and would likely enjoy that person's company, and likewise if if the roles were reversed.

The time we spend here is short; in fact only one of many episodes we have in our lives. With an eternity to spend in each other's company, I think we shall all eventually learn to grow and love each other.

Answer 3

I can think of situations in which I could kill someone I loved... example, self defense or defense of my other loved ones.

In war, I suppose that could be the case. I think most soldiers would tell you that you cannot kill another human being without also killing a part of yourself. However, I'm not sure that means you love the person... more like you have a general affection for your own species.

Answer 4

It's an interesting question. Self defense is one thing. And I mean true self defense... not a perceived threat. That is different from war. Jesus said to love your neighbor. To promote killing in war is wrong. To kill in war is wrong. Jesus said that his followers would be no part of the world just as he was no part of the world. According to that Christians should be neutral in world affairs.

Answer 5

Hi, first of all u must remember that we battle in our minds always. And we are not to fight people when we come in contact with someone that wants to fight. Jesus said that we fight not against fleash and blood, but against principlities and things that come against our minds. even though they sometimes come through people. Peter said Lord how many time shall we forgive our emenies?up to seven times in a day.Jesus said no but seventy times seven.How many time is that?and when you do that, is that love?yes indeed it is love to your emenies. Jesus saidAnd u shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,with all your mind with all your soul,with all your streanth this is the first commandment. the second is like unto it love your neibours as yourself. there is no greater commandment then these.

Answer 6

Doesn't sound very loving to me. The more loving thing to do would be to try and prevent a war in the first place. But you are correct that sometimes we get backed in a corner, and have to protect our selves and our loved ones....

Answer 7

Yes. I agree with you 100%. For instance, you can forgive someone who murdured a member of your family, but that doesn't mean that you're going to not go after him with the law, mostly for the reason of safety. You could pray for him, etc. but you don't have to invite him over for dinner and let him murder the rest of your family. Same goes with war, too.

Answer 8

Only a sick and twisted imaginary deity requires that you love your enemies. If you're going to be an effective soldier you'll do much better and survive much longer if you abandon your unwise religious fairy-tales learn to truly hate your enemy.

Answer 9

If you take it personally probably not.
And even in our own humanity it would be a difficult task.
But if the love that Christ has for the world is in you, then that love can love your enemies

Answer 10

this is the top results of our earthly sojourns. we ought to continually discover ways to work out the Christ in all our fellow guy earlier we can graduate from earth college. it is an ideas-set adjustment situation for many individuals. Jesus forgave his murderers earlier than dying. He understood that condemning his fellow guy purely makes the phantasm real. Christ is on your fellow guy, as Christ is interior you. practice seeing the stable in all and sundry - continually.