Should we love those who persecute us?

[Aslan]

Bible: Matthew 43-47 (NIV):
43"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor[a] and hate your enemy.' 44But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?

Quran 60:1-3
60:1:O you who believe! do not take My enemy and your enemy for friends: would you offer them love while they deny what has come to you of the truth, driving out the Apostle and yourselves because you believe in Allah, your Lord? If you go forth struggling hard in My path and seeking My pleasure, would you manifest love to them? And I know what you conceal and what you manifest; and whoever of you does this, he indeed has gone astray from the straight path. 60:2:If they find you, they will be your enemies, and will stretch forth towards you their hands and their tongues with evil, and they ardently desire that you may disbelieve. 60:3:Your relationship would not profit you, nor your children on the day of resurrection; He will decide between you; and Allah sees what you do.

In comparing these verses, the God of the Bible says to love your enemies who persecute you for your belief in God, while the God of the Quran says not to love people that persecute you because of your belief in Allah. How can these be the same God?

 

[Heidi]

Jesus said; "Hate what is evil, love what is good." I hate the devil who deceives a great many people. But I do not hate the people who are being decived at all! I have tremendous compassion for them because I was once deceived like they are now. I pray for them all the time that they will receive the Holy Spirit who is the only power who can have victory over the devil! Thanks be to God! :D

 

[Beena]

Aslan, Christ said to love your neighbour and enemy the same. I think the context He said it in was, 'The wind goes and touches a good man and a bad one, but the wind does not become dirty because it touched the bad, it still flows.' So, if Christ said that, that would make Him God right away because only God can love everyone.

However, what I believe is, that if I am too good and let's say do all the chores that my kids should be doing, then I make them irresponsible and I make them bad. So, it is not good to be too good. It is best to be responsible because then I teach my kids responsibility and they become good samaritans.

I think Christ was too good and so bad would be around Him no doubt as they go together. So He got crucified. If He had not been so good but been more like a responsible person, then no one would have crucified Him.

As for Quran, I don't have to love my enemy, but I can always avoid him. Do the muslims do that?

 

[Beena]

I think good and bad do not tell us how to act. For action we need to know what is right and what is wrong.

It is not enough that we know what is good and what is bad, we also need to know what is right and what is wrong. And then do the right thing and not the good thing as good in itself can bring bad.

And regarding Christ or Muhammed,
"It is not who is right, but what is right." Sukhabodhananda