01-01-2025, 05:49 PM
(12-31-2024, 09:09 PM)Creaky Wrote: Show me where any religion or faith teaches enemy love as a cornerstone of it’s law
The actual teaching, be interested
Looking at the world in Christs day, the turmoil, all the violence across the globe, India, China, the Middle East and Europe
I don’t see any “Love thy enemy” religious foundation being taught or practiced
maybe I am wrong, wouldn’t be the first time
As for Jews cutting of limbs as punishment, not that I am aware of but your point is clear
Jews lived in a theocratic society, they had moral laws, religious laws as well as civil laws, yes stoning was a common punishment, justice
christians no longer have control over civil laws or moral laws, a little different now
If you were a Jew and didn’t like the laws, you could just leave that community
Germany pre WW2/the Nazis, was considered the most Christian of all Western cultures. Didn’t take long for that society to dismiss Christ.
Christians are taught love is a duty, if you do that from a non Christian motivation, well done you
Its not generally a default position for human nature
For Christian’s, it is physical hard work and mentally demanding
‘Hatred does not cease by hatred; hatred ceases only by love, this is the eternal law.’ - Guatama Buddha
Loving thy enemy cannot be accomplished without creating an enemy in the first place. You can't perceive an enemy without fear and hatred.
You or I won't find direct comparisons but it was never just Christians who practiced showing respect and care even for captives during war for instance.
The corpus hermeticum says quite a bit about the nature of good and evil and the conclusions could point in a similar direction too.
Looking at the world in Christs day, the turmoil, all the violence across the globe, India, China, the Middle East and Europe
I don’t see any “Love thy enemy” religious foundation being taught or practiced
The violence never stopped even under Christianity, to state any other culture was incapable of expressing love for anyone and all is a folly arguement. It's human nature to question and the question of love is as ancient as man itself according to some faith systems. If Jesus got about he would see a wealth of comparisons and volumes of work that would've probably been a lot less precise than a parable although a lot more detailed when it comes to the human condition.
All that said Buddha said this:
"Even if low-down bandits were to sever you limb from limb with a two-handled saw, anyone who had a malevolent thought on that account would not be following my instructions. If that happens, you should train like this: ‘Our minds will remain unaffected. We will blurt out no bad words. We will remain full of compassion, with a heart of love and no secret hate. We will meditate spreading a heart of love to that person. And with them as a basis, we will meditate spreading a heart full of love to everyone in the world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.’ That’s how you should train."
If that's not "love thy enemy" said with other words I'm not sure I'd ever be able to convince you love might just be human nature.
"Do not return evil to your adversary; requite with kindness the one who does evil to you, maintain justice for your enemy, be friendly to your enemy. Give food to eat, beer to drink, grant what is requested, provide for and treat with honor. At this one's god takes pleasure." - some Akkadian father - 2200BC
Yuddha Kanda 115
A superior being does not render evil for evil; this is a maxim one should observe; the ornament of virtuous persons is their conduct. One should never harm the wicked or the good or even criminals meriting death. A noble soul will ever exercise compassion even towards those who enjoy injuring others or those of cruel deeds when they are actually committing them--for who is without fault? - Ramayana, Hinduism
There's plenty of quotes from prophets and wise men from other cultures/faiths espousing very similar ideology, do they make a commandment? No but not all faith systems were/are top heavy. You'll also find a lot of contradictory statements and cultural norms and that's true for Christianity also.
Germany pre WW2/the Nazis, was considered the most Christian of all Western cultures. Didn’t take long for that society to dismiss Christ.
In the same light of Russian Eastern Orthodoxy? They never had Christ when their intentions is to manipulate.
Christians are taught love is a duty, if you do that from a non Christian motivation, well done you
Its not generally a default position for human nature
For Christian’s, it is physical hard work and mentally demanding
It's physically and mentally demanding for anyone. You're actually going against human nature with an almost divine ability of mind. It's a long held position of mine that Pacifism is the noblest of callings, it's only for the bravest and most courageous. I don't need doctrines to reach that conclusion. I wouldn't go as far as stating there's a universal religion or system although any that have come to the conclusion of a divine creator are often set onto the path of separating the father from his creation since a true creature is volumeless in comparison. Akin to dwelling in darkness as light dwells within you.
