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What do you do with an enemy?

Thoughtful questions about life and love.
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Lion~*
Everything In Moderation
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Post by Lion~* » February 15, 2007, 8:36 am

It is easy enough to be friendly to one's friends.
But to befriend the one who regards himself as your enemy
is the quintessence of true religion.
The other is mere business.

Mahatma Gandhi, 1869-1948
Indian Political and Spiritual Leader



As many of you will recognize, this is the quote Mayor Ron sent today for the daily message. He adds ( Let's think about this one.) So when you are done thinking about it... let us know...

How do you react to those who portray themselves as your enemy? :angry: ??? :( :? :p :D: :0: luv




Love Lion~*IHaveTooMuchToSaySoIWillPonderAndDelayPaw
Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart...William Wordsworth

Follow your honest convictions, and stay strong. - William Thackeray

The bottom line, especially for my character,
is the issue of unconditional love.”
Matthew Weeden
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dance of joy
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Post by dance of joy » February 15, 2007, 9:28 am

Funny you should ask....

There is someone in my life who wishes to be my enemy. To him, in the coming weeks, I am going to make an offer of peace. He wishes to sow hatred, I wish for a peaceful life of love. It is my hope that he will see the wisdom in putting down the sword and living peacefully with 'what is'.

Thanks, Lion~*.

Letting out a big ((( sigh )))

with love,

Christine :^ :)
Wisdom tells me I am nothing.
Love tells me I am everything.
And between the two, my life flows.
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Don
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Post by Don » February 15, 2007, 12:47 pm

But to befriend the one who regards himself as your enemy
is the quintessence of true religion.

To befriend that person one must first learn to forgive, that is the true religion part. To forgive sometimes is easier said than done, at least it is for me in regards to one situation. So creating distance is better for me, not that I do not want to forgive but I do not want the pain of memories an encounter may bring. Does that make sense?

Don
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m1le-st0nes
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Post by m1le-st0nes » February 15, 2007, 7:23 pm

yes, to befriend one does need to forgive them first, in some cases this is true but in others all one nees to do is give them a hand when they are in need.

I myself can forgive and forget very quickly andjust to help them forgive i pull them closer into my life so that we may in time become friends.

I suppose it's harder for children though.
Rest well
Sleep tight
and You'll wake up
full of joy and light
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HV
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Post by HV » February 15, 2007, 10:38 pm

Power is of two kinds. One is obtained by the fear of punishment and the other by acts of love- Mahatma Gandhi
And also
The law of love will work just as the law of gravitation will work, whether we accept it or not- Mahatma Gandhi
These two quotes are so true. I remember reading an article in which Gandhi writes
'Scientists tell us that, without the presence of the cohesive force amongst the atoms that comprise this globe of ours, it would crumble to pieces and we would cease to exist; and even as there is cohesive force in blind matter, so must there be in all things animate, and the name for that cohesive force among animate beings is love. We notice it between father and son, between brother and sister, friend and friend. But we have to learn to use that force among all that lives, and in the use of it consists our knowledge of God. Where there is love there is life; hatred leads to destruction. (YI, 5-5-1920, p. 7)
Brute force has been the ruling factor in the world for thousands of years, and mankind has been reaping its bitter harvest all along, as he who runs may read. There is little hope of anything good coming out of it in the future. If light can come out of it in the future. If light can come out of darkness, then alone can love emerge from hatred.' (SSA, p. 188)


I believe that Mahatma Gandhi had tremendous faith in the practical application of the power of love in our daily lives. And ofcourse, his autobiography is replete with his own success stories which talk of his use of the power of non-violence and love to win over the brutal forces. I personally believe that non-violence is the law of nature and that it does have tremendous power of winning great battles without harming nature, ourselves as well as others.
It just requires a lot of patience, sacrifice, faith and hope on our part. It's difficult for me too to implement it daily , but then as I use it more and more every day, I get more and more convinced of it's power and truth.........

HV
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Pollie
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Post by Pollie » February 16, 2007, 12:44 pm

I believe that if one person sees you as an enemy you should try to find out what ails that soul. If many people see you as an enemy you should try to find out what ails your soul.

If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we should find in each man's life suffering and sorrow enough to disarm all hostility.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow


Pollie
"The future has a way of putting in front of us, that which we most wish to leave behind" Unknown
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catchasunset
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Post by catchasunset » February 16, 2007, 1:27 pm

Nicely said Pollie!!!

Catchasunset
We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another.

~Luciano de Crescenzo~
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franz
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Post by franz » February 18, 2007, 1:47 am

Hi,

I guess in a world such as today, I can allow for ignorance to come in. There's so much people out there to make friends with, to have fun, to forget that you even had any enemies...

Of course, if you were the first to make an enemy of yourself, that's quite a different story. ???

But, if it's the opposite. Ignorance is allowed in this world of 6 billion. It's one thing to forgive and help enemies, it's another thing that we are human in year 2007 in a gigantic world. I think the latter is more realistic, more sensible, and less fuss.

So enjoy what's left; 5,999,999,999 other people who may be your friends.

Thanks
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Lion~*
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Post by Lion~* » February 20, 2007, 9:43 pm

I believe that if one person sees you as an enemy you should try to find out what ails that soul. If many people see you as an enemy you should try to find out what ails your soul.

If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we should find in each man's life suffering and sorrow enough to disarm all hostility.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Pollie
I do like the quotes you posted Pollie. Hostility is just not fun for anyone to endure. Sometimes no matter how much insight to those secret histories... theirs or ones own... all the understanding in the world cannot make another person like you!
I have said this in the past and I will say it again... there is a line from the movie Avalon that struck me and stayed... " Though my back turned away... my heart never did." Sometimes you can only forgive and keep caring from far away.
I have learned to ignore others hostility & rise above as if nothing was wrong.... drives them crazy because they have no one to fight with! :D: I have also done as Don
So creating distance is better for me, not that I do not want to forgive but I do not want the pain of memories an encounter may bring. Does that make sense?
Crumb!!! Does this ever make sense! Guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life! Makes so much sense Don!!! And I have even gone to a hostile host and confronted their nastiness towards me... and been attacked in verbal cruelty. To this person, I left them with the a view of me walking away never to return. I have no regret in this... only relief knowing I did all I could to reconcile to no avail!
And I have to tell you... that I have been the one filled with hostility at certain times in my life... Lion~*s can let out some pretty frightening ROARS on occassion! :? But I also have always gone to the one I have hurt and humbled my pride and apologized... because sometimes I have been my own worst enemy... and unkind to others because of my own hurt and self protection. :( It is always amazing what the power of "I am sorry for hurting you", can accomplish in cooling the heat of offended human beings! ;)

Love Lion~*SpeakWithoutOffenseListenWithoutDefensePaw
Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart...William Wordsworth

Follow your honest convictions, and stay strong. - William Thackeray

The bottom line, especially for my character,
is the issue of unconditional love.”
Matthew Weeden
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m1le-st0nes
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Post by m1le-st0nes » February 21, 2007, 7:32 pm

i'll answer again since i like to empty my brain and share it's contents

what do you do with an enemy? you love them, you love them with all your heart and then you love them some more
Rest well
Sleep tight
and You'll wake up
full of joy and light
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