There is a balance to Jesus teaching, that has been traded for: “Jesus meek and mild.”
“One of the duties of fortitude is to keep the weak from receiving injury; another, to check the wrong motions of our own souls; a third, both to disregard humiliations, and to do what is right with an even mind."
-Saint Ambrose
Turning the cheek, or enduring personal insults.
Does not therefore require us allow the weak to be injured 🤕 or killed.
The verse is part of the narrative where Jesus prepares His disciples for the coming persecution and betrayal, using the sword as a symbolic reference to the fulfillment of prophecy.
I can appreciate the supreme importance of context in all things history, so we agree there, but I don't see a lack of context in this article. Each quote was from a pre-modern Christian fighting a life and death struggle (war), both cultural and literal, with an ideology and its followers that sought to exterminate them for their beliefs and the rejection of their prophet. Very similar to today if you believe the words and actions of many of the current followers of Islam. The core principles of Islam haven't changed one iota in 1400+ yrs, nor have their negative attitudes & violent actions towards the West and Christendom. Those same early Christians for over a millennia interpreted the symbolism of two swords as meaning a Christian needed two weapons to fight Satan/Sin in the two realms of battle, temporal and spiritual. The sword was the weapon of the ancient world, just as firearms are today. That verse and others is precisely what St Augustine's Just War Theory originated from. It was OK and justified for Christians to defend themselves and other innocents provided the criteria were met. Those same Christians quoted in the article believed they were fulfilling the greatest commandment to Love Others As Themselves and that the greatest example of demonstrating that love was to lay down their lives for others (Defending with the sword all Christian victims of the untold Islamic invasions, violence, torture, rape, theft, oppression, kidnapping, etc.).
We live in a broken world with sin and violence a plenty, and a Christian does not have to be a doormat and tolerant of every sin and violent act towards them, their loved ones, or their religion to exhibit God's love. You can disagree, but for 1500+ yrs Christians believed exactly this and some of the greatest early Christian theologians like Augustine and Thomas Aquinas provided ample rationale for those beliefs. The West is merely rediscovering much of this lost wisdom.
Tony, remember how these people are educated now. They are nihilists thru and thru. From our governments thru our industries and especially educational institutions they have been indoctrinated in no belief system. Nihilism believes in nothing, nothingness, unbelief. Blank slates so to speak.
The old saying? you gotta believe in something or you'll believe in anything.
No wait? Reason and logic. But wait, we live in a world that is many many times unreasonable and illogical? Now what?
Informative, thank you.
Let us build on the legacy of our ancestors. We owe it to our descendants.
There is a balance to Jesus teaching, that has been traded for: “Jesus meek and mild.”
“One of the duties of fortitude is to keep the weak from receiving injury; another, to check the wrong motions of our own souls; a third, both to disregard humiliations, and to do what is right with an even mind."
-Saint Ambrose
Turning the cheek, or enduring personal insults.
Does not therefore require us allow the weak to be injured 🤕 or killed.
-a Lutheran LCMS
The verse is part of the narrative where Jesus prepares His disciples for the coming persecution and betrayal, using the sword as a symbolic reference to the fulfillment of prophecy.
This is bullshit history
Are the quotes not accurate as recorded by history? If not, prove it.
Are the sources not primary and/or contemporary? If not, prove it.
Just because you don't like it or disagree with it does not make it "bullshit."
On the contrary, your assessment without either support or counter evidence is, in fact, the very definition of that which you sling.
It is completely without context and lacks the understanding of symbolism. Those who would equate guns with swords miss the point of scripture.
I can appreciate the supreme importance of context in all things history, so we agree there, but I don't see a lack of context in this article. Each quote was from a pre-modern Christian fighting a life and death struggle (war), both cultural and literal, with an ideology and its followers that sought to exterminate them for their beliefs and the rejection of their prophet. Very similar to today if you believe the words and actions of many of the current followers of Islam. The core principles of Islam haven't changed one iota in 1400+ yrs, nor have their negative attitudes & violent actions towards the West and Christendom. Those same early Christians for over a millennia interpreted the symbolism of two swords as meaning a Christian needed two weapons to fight Satan/Sin in the two realms of battle, temporal and spiritual. The sword was the weapon of the ancient world, just as firearms are today. That verse and others is precisely what St Augustine's Just War Theory originated from. It was OK and justified for Christians to defend themselves and other innocents provided the criteria were met. Those same Christians quoted in the article believed they were fulfilling the greatest commandment to Love Others As Themselves and that the greatest example of demonstrating that love was to lay down their lives for others (Defending with the sword all Christian victims of the untold Islamic invasions, violence, torture, rape, theft, oppression, kidnapping, etc.).
We live in a broken world with sin and violence a plenty, and a Christian does not have to be a doormat and tolerant of every sin and violent act towards them, their loved ones, or their religion to exhibit God's love. You can disagree, but for 1500+ yrs Christians believed exactly this and some of the greatest early Christian theologians like Augustine and Thomas Aquinas provided ample rationale for those beliefs. The West is merely rediscovering much of this lost wisdom.
Tony, remember how these people are educated now. They are nihilists thru and thru. From our governments thru our industries and especially educational institutions they have been indoctrinated in no belief system. Nihilism believes in nothing, nothingness, unbelief. Blank slates so to speak.
The old saying? you gotta believe in something or you'll believe in anything.
No wait? Reason and logic. But wait, we live in a world that is many many times unreasonable and illogical? Now what?