How does it happen that after centuries of Christianity there is still a need in the world today for human action to repel aggression? Christ Jesus distinctly taught us, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." Matt. 5:44;
Christian Science removes this apparent contradiction by explaining that the Master's teachings referred to the necessity for individual correction of thought. When Jesus said, "Love your enemies," he was showing that all men are worthy of being loved because they are in reality the children of God. When he said, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect," v. 48; he was stating that perfection is the eternal fact of man's being. As each individual purifies his thought about his fellowmen, he will find his own perfection as the son of God.
The Science of Christianity explains that the fundamental way to peace is not to destroy people or nations or to let them destroy us, but to destroy faith in war, fear of war, and ignorance of divine Love, God. Jesus' admonition to love our enemies did not mean that we must love enmity or fear it but that we must stop accepting it as real. Then we shall be able to see that Love, God, is the only Life. In this way we bless those who curse us, do good to those who hate us, and pray for those who despite-fully use us and persecute us.
