Brother David Steindl-Rast 565 words, 46K views, 11 comments
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On Aug 26, 2017david doane wrote :
Loving your enemy means to me that I firmly, honestly, and directly express my disagreement or objection in a way that is kind and compassionate, devoid of anger, hostility, and violence. Dealing with Trump and many others in our society is a challenge for me. I'll catch myself saying or thinking that I hate him or them, and I stop myself from going there and instead say or think that I strongly disagree. I haven't prayed for him or them, but I will, though probably for their enlightenment -- thanks for the reminder. What helps me practice 'love your enemy' is knowing that we are one and knowing that anger, violence, and hostility are not necessary and are destructive. People like Gandhi and Martin Luther King were correct that light, not darkness, overcomes darkness, and love, not hate, undoes hate. Forgiveness, not revenge, heals. Compassionate objection and dialogue, not war, is loving your enemy and brings peace. Namaste, that is, I recognize the one divine in you and me, is loving your enemy.
On Aug 26, 2017 david doane wrote :
Loving your enemy means to me that I firmly, honestly, and directly express my disagreement or objection in a way that is kind and compassionate, devoid of anger, hostility, and violence. Dealing with Trump and many others in our society is a challenge for me. I'll catch myself saying or thinking that I hate him or them, and I stop myself from going there and instead say or think that I strongly disagree. I haven't prayed for him or them, but I will, though probably for their enlightenment -- thanks for the reminder. What helps me practice 'love your enemy' is knowing that we are one and knowing that anger, violence, and hostility are not necessary and are destructive. People like Gandhi and Martin Luther King were correct that light, not darkness, overcomes darkness, and love, not hate, undoes hate. Forgiveness, not revenge, heals. Compassionate objection and dialogue, not war, is loving your enemy and brings peace. Namaste, that is, I recognize the one divine in you and me, is loving your enemy.