Because Sometimes the Bible has Awesomeness

But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. --Luke 6:27-28

Because It Fits

“Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction. […] The chain reaction of evil — hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars — must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation.”


Martin Luther King, Jr., Strength To Love, 1963




“I’m concerned about a better world. I’m concerned about justice; I’m concerned about brotherhood; I’m concerned about truth. And when one is concerned about that, he can never advocate violence. For through violence you may murder a murderer, but you can’t murder murder. Through violence you may murder a liar, but you can’t establish truth. Through violence you may murder a hater, but you can’t murder hate through violence. Darkness cannot put out darkness; only light can do that.”

Martin Luther King, Jr. Where Do We Go From Here, 1967 (fourth paragraph under 'Commitment to Nonviolence')


People may say that I am naive in agreeing with these views. Some may even go so far as to think I have never been a victim and therefore have no idea what I am talking about. My family, myself included, have been victims of rape, abuse, murder, racism and suicide. I fully understand the implications of these actions. I also understand that I never want to partake in them. Ever. I know, first hand, the pain it causes, and I wish to never cause that pain upon someone else.

I do not deny the existance of bad people. We would not know good people if we had no one to compare them to. What I wish for, however, is that more people would strive to be more understanding, more compassionate, more of a help to each other than a hindrance to civilization. In nature, there is no evil v. virtuous. It is both because nature is both cruel and kind. There is both love and scorn and both work in harmony. I am not saying that we as a people should only love and have no other emotions, I am saying that we as a people should learn to cooperate.

I will continue to love everyone, whether they cause me harm or not. I will forgive always. I will find room in my heart for compassion. And I will die knowing that I was the best human being I could possibly be.

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I pray for the friends and family of Osama bin Laden, if he had any, and that his restless soul is at peace in a place where there are no prejudices. I do not rejoice in the death of another human being. In fact, I apologize for the fact that this country, this world, resorts to murder as a form of justice.

Am I saying that he was a good man? Absolutely not. I quite agree that he was a terrible man. Do I think he should have been taken to trail? Yes. Do I think he should have been given the chance to live, something he himself believed we didn't deserve? Yes. Why? Because I thought we were better than that. If he had killed himself, I wouldn't have minded, but the fact that we stoop to the same level every.single.time.

I pray that one day, as a people, we can live to better understand each other even if we don't always agree. I pray that instead of using brute force, we use our minds to deal with our disagreements.

Here's to empathy.