The Truth Behind the 'Love Thy Enemy' Doctrine

Muhammad Rasheed - I believe in the "love thy enemy" concept, but I recognize it was never designed as a universally applied principle per its scriptural context. The Christ Jesus, son of Mary (peace be upon him) was sent with a very specific message to a very specific people: The children of Israel. This was a people who already knew the Word of God, who had already been instructed in scripture, but their practical application of its precepts had devolved into a cold, legalistic religion devoid of the reflected mercy and compassion of that scripture's Divine Author. As is usually the case in a system in which a powerful wealthy elite rule over the common masses, it was the least powerful of society who received the brunt hateful coldness of all legalistic decisions. The lessening of mercy always flows top-down, you see. So when Jesus said to "love thy enemy," he wasn't talking to the people who were getting stoned, but to the self-righteous jackasses doing the stoning, as his admonishments were often directed towards the more powerful in society. He told them to 'turn the other cheek' when they felt a slight which came with forgiving the poor of their debts, forgiving the starving when they were forced to steal bread, forgiving those who in having a harder time in life were more likely to violate societal laws. It was difficult for his people to love the lower classes, because the wealthy & powerful are often aloof and hard-hearted to those they feel themselves better than, and it was to the rich among the children of Israel whom the Christ was sent to deliver his instruction.

"Love thy enemy" was never designed as a universal principle applicable to everyone, but it does have a clear application in the modern Western society. The dominant, powerful class of our day have proven scientifically incapable of feeling empathy towards groups they also hold in disdain, as undeserving of the material blessing that the rich hoard from them and treat as their enemies. To those wealthy and powerful who claim Western Christianity as their doctrine, even as they wage class warfare against the poor minorities, they should know that Jesus' instruction to "love thy enemy" was directed specifically towards them and their ilk.