Gnostic Christianity's Response to Terrorism

 Gnostic Christianity's Response to Terrorism

Hate repaid with hate is twice the hate. Return hate with love is the true Christian response to terrorism. Non-violence illustrate this response. Wars have killed billions. If we practiced what Jesus and Paul taught terrorism would have been defeated by love.

Love "is the answer". Non-violence is its weapon. Peace and abundance is love's reward.

In their own words, Jesus and Paul's response to terrorism is:

Jesus in Matt 5:38-42 (JBV)43 “YOU heard that it was said, ‘You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 However, I say to YOU: Continue to love YOUR enemies and to pray for those persecuting YOU; 45 that YOU may prove yourselves sons of YOUR Father who is in the heavens, since he makes his sun rise upon wicked people and good and makes it rain upon righteous people and unrighteous. 46 For if YOU love those loving YOU, what reward do YOU have? Are not also the tax collectors doing the same thing? 47 And if YOU greet YOUR brothers only, what extraordinary thing are YOU doing? Are not also the people of the nations doing the same thing? 48 YOU must accordingly be perfect, as YOUR heavenly Father is perfect.

Paul in Rm 12:14-21(JBV)

Bless those who persecute you: never curse them, bless them. Rejoice with those who rejoice and be sad those in sorrow. Treat everyone with equal kindness; never be patronizing but make real friends with the poor. Do not allow yourself to become self-satisfied. Never repay evil with evil but let everyone see that you are interested only in the highest ideals. Do all you can to live at peace with everyone. Never try to get revenge; leave that, my friends, to God's anger. As scripture says: Vengeance is mine-I will pay them back, the Lord promises. But there is more: If your enemy is hungry, you should give him food, and if he is thirsty, let him drink. Thus you heap red-hot coals on his head. Resist evil and conquer it with good.

Paul in Phil 2:1-6 (JBV)

If our life in Christ means anything to you, if love can persuade at all, or the Spirit that we have in common, or any tenderness and sympathy, then be united in your convictions and united in your love, with a common purpose and a common mind. That is the one thing which would make me completely happy. There must be no competition among you, no conceit; but everybody is to be self-effacing. Always consider the other person to be better than yourself, so that nobody thinks of his own interests first, but everybody thinks of other people's interests instead. In your minds you must be the same as Christ Jesus: His state was divine, yet he did not cling to his equality with God.