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Yggdrasill on scored.co
1 year ago6 points(+0/-0/+6Score on mirror)2 children
One that I heard that was interesting: the whole “love your enemy” line, in Latin there were 2 words for enemy - one was an internal enemy, like an enemy but who is part of your nation, and the other was an external enemy, outside of your nation, like the barbarians. The word he used in Latin was the internal enemy one.
So he wasn’t saying to love foreigners, he was saying to make peace with your own people. Now that has been twisted to make it seem like he was saying to open your borders and allow third world barbarians conquer you.
1 year ago6 points(+0/-0/+6Score on mirror)1 child
Yeah, thats my own take too, it meant personal enemies, not enemies of your kin or creed. Otherwise the Crusades would never have occured and Christianity wouldnt even have survived the first round of persecutions. Christ is also pretty clearly being hyperbolic when He tells His followers to "turn the other cheek" in the same manner He called for people to "pluck out your eye if it causes you to sin". Christians are supposed to resist societal evil by word and deed, and bear personal evil with patience (which is what Meekness actually means, knowing when to pick your own battles and not escalating a conflict to get revenge). Being a doormat to evil is an act of cowardice which is in opposition to the virtue of Fortitude.
1 year ago3 points(+0/-0/+3Score on mirror)1 child
i've heard it said, and i don't really know enough historical details to confirm, that turning the other cheek in the context of His time actually referred to forcing a Roman to slap you with the wrong side of his hand a second time, thus declaring you an equal or somesuch. so, really, Jesus Christ was telling His followers to troll some Romans to resist their somewhat harsh rule, not to go find people to get slapped by and never fight back.
Thats one of the theories thats been proposed and it could definately be the case, but it could also just be good old Hyperbole. But in no way was it meant to be taken literally, otherwise Christ wouldnt have repeatedly told the Jews He would destroy them if they killed Him (which they did, and got sacked by the Romans not once but twice in retribution).
So he wasn’t saying to love foreigners, he was saying to make peace with your own people. Now that has been twisted to make it seem like he was saying to open your borders and allow third world barbarians conquer you.
*"the meek shall inherit the earth"*
vs
*"those who know how to use swords, but keep them sheathed shall inherit the earth"*