Enemies... What does your religion or personal ethics system say about how to treat people who hate you?

Question

I was meditating on this saying of Jesus this morning:
"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount.

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men."
- Luke 6:32-36

And that got me to wondering - we all have people who are "enemies" - from strangers who are rude to us, or family members who hold a life-long grudge, friends that betray us etc.
Jesus says "even sinners love those who love them back" - so what does your religion or personal ethics system (if you are a non-Theist) say about how to deal with your enemies?

Answer 1

The Wiccan Rede guides Wiccan conduct, and states: "If you harm none, do what you will." This does NOT prevent us from defending ourselves if attacked, but it does advise us to minimize harm when it is possible and reasonable to do so. Depending on how the individual Wiccan interprets the Rede, this might lead to complete passivity in the face of an attack or aggressive action just sufficient to end the threat. As far as instigating attacks, again, it's up to individual interpretation, but many Wiccans believe that as the Goddess loves us without conditions, so should we show love to our fellow men.

In a piece of liturgy called "The Rede of the Wicca" (which is an exposition on the theme of the Wiccan Rede by Adriana Porter), there is the phrase:

"With the fool no season spend
Nor be counted as his friend"

This might be interpreted as referring to an enemy, and in this case it advises us to avoid the person rather than engaging in combat.

Answer 2

wow, is that a chip on your shoulder, or a whole bag of potatoes. 1) most western atheists have been brought up around Christians, and been subjected to the Christian myths - therefore they have a vast knowledge of the Christian culture and background. I am equally prepared to say the Sikh religion is wrong, but i have little knowledge of the Sikh holy books, or their specific beliefs 2) in the west, Christians are the most vocal proselyters. I have yet to meet a Hindu or Zoroastrian who tries to force their religion on me 3) an atheist will treat all religions equally... that is not a lie. atheism means that we ascribe to NO religion, therefore EVERY religion is superstitious nonsense. The only difference may be in my vast knowledge of the bible and the many, many Christian sects, to be able to debate with you. I will not treat a Muslim any differently, but i will have less core knowledge to be able to debate the individual points of their religion

Answer 3

Your best bet, when you come before the Judgment Seat of God, is to be able to honestly say, "I did what Jesus did."

When arrested on Thursday night, did Jesus protest His innocence? No, He even told Peter to put away his sword and He healed the severed ear of the high priest's servant. When dragged from one court to another all night long and falsely accused, did Jesus call them the liars they were? No, he was as silent as a Lamb. When the skin was literally flayed off of His back, did He call 10,000 angels to set Him free? Even though He could have, He did not. When they nailed Him to the cross on Friday and cruelly mocked Him, did He rail at them and tell them they were going to burn in Hell for what they were doing? No, He prayed the Father to forgive them for they knew not what they were doing.

"Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. 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 be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." Matthew 5:43-45

Answer 4

with prayer.


The Christian life is all about working with God; which is why Jesus teaches we must love our enemies and do good to those who hate us. We must also ‘pray for those who persecute you.’ This is not a version of ‘positive thinking’ much vaunted by life-coaches. This is a partaking in the saving Grace of God, who for our sake was reviled and rejected, that we may know for certain there ‘is nothing that can separate us from the Love of God in Christ Jesus.’

Indeed, it a work of God’s Grace when we do pray for those who hate us, for in that act of will we place our hurt and confusion in God’s mercy and this is the beginning of our own healing.

Answer 5

Read the Hovamol yourself :) But I am betting most people have a good guess.

edit: I read this somewhere and I thought it was funny

Hit a xtian and they will tell you, as they are laying on their *** bleeding, that you will go to hell for your actions.

Hit a Wiccan, and they will tell you, as they are laying on their *** bleeding, that your actions will come back to you 3 fold.

Hit a Druid, and they will tell you, as they are laying on their *** bleeding, what legal actions they can take and what herbs cure a black eye.

Hit a follower of Asatru, and you will be the one laying on your *** bleeding, because you were stupid enought to try to hit them in the first place.

Answer 6

I don't have enemies. I have people who annoy the crap out of me, but I don't have enemies. I avoid the ones I can, deal with those I can't, and I'm really, really, super duper nice to anyone who hates me.

Answer 7

Asatruar don't suffer fools or foolishness gladly.

Your best bet, if you're an enemy to an Asatruar, is to avoid them.
Barring that, get good insurance.

Answer 8

Love them as your self.

~ Eric Putkonen

Answer 9

To crush my enemies. I don't believe in being nice to people who hate me. If someone is attacking me, I'll ask them to knock it off, if they don't, I will destroy them.

I believe that kindness should be shown to those who deserve it, not wasted on people who would never appreciate it.

Answer 10

All people I know aren't filled with hate neither am I.