02-11-2008, 05:06 PM
Shlama Akhi Albion,
The Church has always held that all human beings are made in the image of God, and because of that they have dignity and worth and value regardless of their individual sin. That includes people like Adolf Hitler, Saddam Hussein, Osama bin-Laden, the Turks and Pol Pot.
Now hear me on this, because human beings are valuable to God we are obliged to treat them as valuable beings, even when we truly believe that their conduct and/or lifestyle are sinful or evil. Never are they themselves evil, to say such a thing we make a mockery of God's creation.
The majority of our beloved Peshitta was written by a murderer, until Meshikha saw fit in His wisdom to change his heart and use him for His glory.
When we pray, it is important to do two things: Firstly, cast our eyes downward, beat upon our chests and cry aloud that we are not worthy. (c.f., Luqa 18:9-14) We need to be more like the Publican.
Secondly, pray, love and do good things for our enemies. For by doing so we reap coals upon their heads (Romans 12:20). This is a Semitic idiom that doesn't mean we are punishing them, but that we are burning their conscience so that they may see the Face of God and turn towards Him who is the source of all Mercy.
The Church has always held that all human beings are made in the image of God, and because of that they have dignity and worth and value regardless of their individual sin. That includes people like Adolf Hitler, Saddam Hussein, Osama bin-Laden, the Turks and Pol Pot.
Now hear me on this, because human beings are valuable to God we are obliged to treat them as valuable beings, even when we truly believe that their conduct and/or lifestyle are sinful or evil. Never are they themselves evil, to say such a thing we make a mockery of God's creation.
The majority of our beloved Peshitta was written by a murderer, until Meshikha saw fit in His wisdom to change his heart and use him for His glory.
When we pray, it is important to do two things: Firstly, cast our eyes downward, beat upon our chests and cry aloud that we are not worthy. (c.f., Luqa 18:9-14) We need to be more like the Publican.
Secondly, pray, love and do good things for our enemies. For by doing so we reap coals upon their heads (Romans 12:20). This is a Semitic idiom that doesn't mean we are punishing them, but that we are burning their conscience so that they may see the Face of God and turn towards Him who is the source of all Mercy.