Comments on: Understanding Enemies http://postchristianblog.com/blog/understanding-enemies Blog Tue, 14 Sep 2010 16:58:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: ~Katherine http://postchristianblog.com/blog/understanding-enemies#comment-643 ~Katherine Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:25:37 +0000 http://postchristianblog.com/?p=459#comment-643 “That would be nice but Jesus was perfect so I don’t actually have live up to his teachings.” Oh my. I have heard this sentiment. Especially in regards to violence, war, prejudice and enemies. Touché. It would seem to me that the rejection of the divinity within us (the Kingdom) is the root of much of evil vain imagings. So many Christians have the idea of Christ's divinity as separate from us. But what if God was one of us? Just a slob like one of us. (Or turn it around) what if we were to realize our own divinity thru Christ? Scary a thought as that is, it may wake us up to the realization that we are perfectly capable of living up to the teachings of Christ. Heck, I know atheists and other non-Christians that do. It seems like the above idea of "no perfection; no real following" is the Christian revealed as ultimate hypocritical, saying in effect "it's all bull 'til I get to heaven or Christ reigns the world." Oh. Glad to have that cleared up. “That would be nice but Jesus was perfect so I don’t actually have live up to his teachings.”

Oh my. I have heard this sentiment. Especially in regards to violence, war, prejudice and enemies.

Touché.

It would seem to me that the rejection of the divinity within us (the Kingdom) is the root of much of evil vain imagings. So many Christians have the idea of Christ’s divinity as separate from us. But what if God was one of us? Just a slob like one of us. (Or turn it around) what if we were to realize our own divinity thru Christ?

Scary a thought as that is, it may wake us up to the realization that we are perfectly capable of living up to the teachings of Christ. Heck, I know atheists and other non-Christians that do. It seems like the above idea of “no perfection; no real following” is the Christian revealed as ultimate hypocritical, saying in effect “it’s all bull ’til I get to heaven or Christ reigns the world.”

Oh. Glad to have that cleared up.

]]> By: Micah http://postchristianblog.com/blog/understanding-enemies#comment-613 Micah Sat, 05 Dec 2009 19:51:36 +0000 http://postchristianblog.com/?p=459#comment-613 You got it! When we look at people as evil, all that tells us is we don't understand their motivations and pain. To understand those things is to see how they are US in a different guise. And to do that is to understand and forgive their actions. You got it! When we look at people as evil, all that tells us is we don’t understand their motivations and pain. To understand those things is to see how they are US in a different guise. And to do that is to understand and forgive their actions.

]]> By: Mary http://postchristianblog.com/blog/understanding-enemies#comment-609 Mary Fri, 04 Dec 2009 23:39:25 +0000 http://postchristianblog.com/?p=459#comment-609 Interesting thoughts in the replies but to the original post: Ahhh! That's all I've been saying!!! If you are willing to bear His name you should at least be willing to try and understand the context and intent of the original writing. How can you hope to walk closer to your source if you are not willing to learn what the words of "your narrative of choice" really mean; to be more than you are; to risk the painful place of forgiving only to find you needed forgiveness as well; and the even harder place of forgiving yourself? Interesting thoughts in the replies but to the original post:
Ahhh!
That’s all I’ve been saying!!!
If you are willing to bear His name you should at least be willing to try and understand the context and intent of the original writing. How can you hope to walk closer to your source if you are not willing to learn what the words of “your narrative of choice” really mean; to be more than you are; to risk the painful place of forgiving only to find you needed forgiveness as well; and the even harder place of forgiving yourself?

]]> By: Existential Punk http://postchristianblog.com/blog/understanding-enemies#comment-597 Existential Punk Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:18:04 +0000 http://postchristianblog.com/?p=459#comment-597 Micah, i get what you are saying, i think. Is it that behind much of how people treat others, when hurtful/hateful/etc., that there is something deeper going on then how they are acting? Like they are reacting out of hurt/pain? i know when my level of anger is way more than what the situation warrants, i have to do a check and see where/what i am more deeply angry about. Also, i believe what happens to us is legitimately painful, but how we CHOOSE to react makes all the difference! My hunch on why people bully others is that at a deeper level they are very insecure and/or have deep self-hatred and they bully others to help themselves feel better. Doesn't negate the pain/destruction they put on others though. It's tough to have compassion but i know it is important. Who am i as i screw up all the time. i need grace and forgiveness as anyone does. Thanks! EP Micah,

i get what you are saying, i think. Is it that behind much of how people treat others, when hurtful/hateful/etc., that there is something deeper going on then how they are acting? Like they are reacting out of hurt/pain? i know when my level of anger is way more than what the situation warrants, i have to do a check and see where/what i am more deeply angry about. Also, i believe what happens to us is legitimately painful, but how we CHOOSE to react makes all the difference! My hunch on why people bully others is that at a deeper level they are very insecure and/or have deep self-hatred and they bully others to help themselves feel better. Doesn’t negate the pain/destruction they put on others though. It’s tough to have compassion but i know it is important. Who am i as i screw up all the time. i need grace and forgiveness as anyone does. Thanks!

EP

]]> By: Micah Redding http://postchristianblog.com/blog/understanding-enemies#comment-596 Micah Redding Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:36:11 +0000 http://postchristianblog.com/?p=459#comment-596 EP, I'm just thinking things out here, but I agree that forgiveness is always about ourselves. Forgiveness is in one sense a "tool" in our mental toolbox, one that gives us the ability to live a much better life. At the same time, there's a person on the other end of our forgiveness. What makes me different from any other person I encounter? As far as I know, the only things that differentiates us are our experiences and background and the circumstances of our lives. Had I been born into a different situation, I would be a different person. To me, that realization leads to a great deal of empathy. I am not above the personality problems, the biases, the fears and angers and hates that other people experience. I've experienced enough of my own issues to know that I am susceptible to the same things other people are. So when someone treats me terribly, I can sometimes see well enough to look behind their circumstances and situations, and see myself. EP, I’m just thinking things out here, but I agree that forgiveness is always about ourselves. Forgiveness is in one sense a “tool” in our mental toolbox, one that gives us the ability to live a much better life.

At the same time, there’s a person on the other end of our forgiveness. What makes me different from any other person I encounter? As far as I know, the only things that differentiates us are our experiences and background and the circumstances of our lives. Had I been born into a different situation, I would be a different person.

To me, that realization leads to a great deal of empathy. I am not above the personality problems, the biases, the fears and angers and hates that other people experience. I’ve experienced enough of my own issues to know that I am susceptible to the same things other people are.

So when someone treats me terribly, I can sometimes see well enough to look behind their circumstances and situations, and see myself.

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