“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.”

This is a tough one for most people to come to terms with but it makes perfect sense to me.We will be judged by how we judge,so I've heard.We will be forgiven by how we forgive.Besides,an Eternity spent in the way we will be judged by our Creator,seems to me to be reward or punishment enough for one soul.

I am not there yet, however, I have changed toward the fulfillment of this verse. I can already say that I know it is true. What joy comes from, what peace comes from, what calm comes from loving everyone. All at once, you feel strength beyond your own. You feel that no one or nothing can really hurt you. You desire to help others with their challenges and to see them through.

Depending on how you look at historical events, the U.S., for the first time in its history, is fighting a war of choice, not of necessity. How can a group of people who claim to be a Christian nation violate this most sacred of doctrines? Christianity has largely become a Sunday philosophy, wherein the rules of the game can be changed at the moment when they are meant to be applied. Christ surely didn't mean for love, goodness towards, and forgiveness of people who actually harm you, did he? The more I study history, the more convinced I am of Stoessinger's words, "The message is clear: Through our own pride, we invite fate and nature to do their worst. The gods are not to blame." Man can wage wars in the name of Christ, but it is not Christianity if it violates the heart of sacred tenants of Christ’s doctrine.

Merry Christmas

We are fighting a war of necessity. We do not have a choice. Get a brain.

The same sentiment written in the Upanishads about 650 BC - alas we do not practice what we preach...

He probably didn't travel more than hundred miles from his birth place and he died in his thirties. He never wrote a book or owned a home. How awesome of a human must he have been. He was the Prince of Peace, not war.

This is the essence of Christian theology (or at least it ought to be). Hey, Robert, why the thumbs down for something with which you agree just because Jesus is credited with saying it? I agree that compassion is the basis of many other faiths -- so what? If it were a quote from Buddha or Krishna would it deserve any more or less praise? Rate the quote, not the religion. ;-) Would that today's so-called Christians actually practiced what Jesus preached (same for Hindus et al).

Sorry, yes Archer you are correct - Editor, please disregard my earlier rating - from now on I will rate the quote not the author. Thank you, Robert

If Jesus existed, and I think he probably did, then he was undoubtedly a man of very morals. It is a shame that so much evil has been done in his name. I personally do not believe in God but consider my self to be a moral person. The trouble with religion is that it explains nothing without raising more questions and the answers that it gives are fanciful in the extreme. Religion, in general has hindered the advancement of science. Science uncovers new thinking and religion plays catch up. Here is a nice little quote that sums up the absurdity of the idea of an omnicient and omnipotent god. "Can omnicient God, who knows the future, find the omnipotence to change his future mind" Karen Owens

This quote and indeed the Christian and many other religions is based on forgiveness. Right, so where is the "forgiveness" in sending people to hell. And our "Lord" is known as the all "loving" God. Yeah right. But I do believe in forgiveness becase I can be really stroppy at times.

Regarding the comments about "war of necessity" above. Many Americans have the idea that their invasion of Iraq was to punish the people who commited the World Trade centre attacks. Infact, the secular Sadam Hussien was also an enemy of the Muslim religious fundamentalist who carried out this attack. There were no weapons of mass destruction, there was no necessity. It is funny how those who utter such comments as "get a brain" are usually a bit short in that department themselves and certainly display a flair for ignorance.

This partially explains why Christian fundamentalists and the US Congress find no fault with Israel's bad behavior.

Agreed that hate is not much of an assistance, but a step by step rational installation of honest reality doses applied to these aggressive individuals is the course of action.