Link to share: https://hanglberger-manfred.de/en-love-of-enemies.htm

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Jesus: (Mt 5,44-45):

“I say to you,
love your enemies,
and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for he makes his sun rise
on the bad and the good,
and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.”

Love of enemies - What does this mean?

Love of enemies means:

Not to look at the foreign and strange people

in a hostile and rejecting way

or even to despise them.

But love of enemies does not mean

surrender to an opponent

or even to submit to him.

Love of enemies does not mean,

to make yourself defenseless

and to dispense with any protection.

Love of enemies does not mean,

to give up the principles

of law and justice.

Love of enemies does not mean,

to develop feelings of affection

which one must justifiably be afraid of.

But love of enemies is the renunciation

on demonization and

devaluation of the opponent.

Love of enemies is the renunciation

of own privileges and claims to power.

Love of enemies is the effort,

to understand the causes of aggression
and violence more deeply

and to make these causes known and,
if possible, to eliminate them.

Love of enemies is the effort

for honest discussion

and fair dialogue.

Love of enemies is the readiness

to approach the other.

Love of enemies is the ability to listen,

sometimes long and patient,

to understand the experiences,

the fears and views of the other.

Love of enemies requires

to further develop our communication skills:

to formulate more clearly

our own goals, values and fears

Love of enemies requires

more tolerance towards those
who think differently.

Love of enemies requires

the willingness,

to work together with people
from different cultures

and languages and world views.

Love of enemies requires

a new sensibility,

to find the common and connecting

among all people and nations.

Love of enemies requires

the willingness,

to respect the dignity of every human being.

Manfred Hanglberger (www.hanglberger-manfred.de)

Link to share: https://hanglberger-manfred.de/en-love-of-enemies.htm

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