The prescription to love your enemy and to requite evil with good is sometimes thought of as an impractical and perfectionist ethic.
But in fact, this doctrine is widely taught in the world’s religions. It is in fact a fundamental principle for relating peaceably with others.
Many people seek recompense for wrongs done to them in the name of “justice.”
Yet if everyone demanded an eye for an eye, the whole world would be blind.
Revenge only multiplies evil in the world; neither does it solve the fundamental root of evil, which lies in Satan’s accusations against God and humanity.
As Father Moon explains, only the unparalleled love of the enemy can overcome evil at its root and lead to the advancement of God’s Kingdom. Several passages in this section describe Jesus’ example of loving his enemies as he hung from the cross.
We have also included quotations from two modern-day apostles of this doctrine: Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.
You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
Sun Myung Moon
For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5.43-48
God says, “Resemble Me; just as I repay good for evil so do you also repay good for evil.” Exodus Rabbah 26.2 (Judaism)
It may be that God will ordain love between you and those whom you hold as enemies. For God has power over all things, and God is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. Qur’an 60.7
The Messenger of God said, “Shall I inform you of the best morals of this world and the hereafter? To forgive him who oppresses you, to make a bond with him who severs from you, to be kind to him who insults you, and to give to him who deprives you.” Hadith (Islam)
“He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me!” In those who harbor such thoughts hatred is not appeased. “He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me!” In those who do not harbor such thoughts hatred is appeased. Hatreds never cease through hatred in this world; through love alone they cease. This is an eternal law. Dhammapada 3-5 (Buddhism)
When we look beneath the surface, beneath the impulsive evil deed, we see within our enemy-neighbor a measure of goodness and know that the viciousness and evilness of his acts are not quite representative of all that he is. We see him in a new light. We recognize that his hate grows out of fear, pride, ignorance, prejudice, and misunderstanding, but in spite of this, we know God’s image is ineffably etched in his being. Then we love our enemies by realizing that they are not totally bad and that they are not beyond the reach of God’s redemptive love. Martin Luther King, Jr., Strength to Love (Christianity)
It is not nonviolence if we merely love those that love us. It is nonviolence only when we love those that hate us. I know how difficult it is to follow this grand law of love. But are not all great and good things difficult to do? The love of the hater is the most difficult of all. But by the grace of God even this most difficult thing becomes easy to accomplish if we want to do it. Mohandas K. Gandhi, All Men Are Brothers (Hinduism)
Do good to him who has done you an injury. Tao Te Ching 63 (Taoism)
The good deed and the evil deed are not alike. Repel the evil deed with one which is better, then lo! he between whom and you there was enmity shall become as though he were a bosom friend. But none is granted it save those who are steadfast, and none is granted it save a person of great good fortune. Qur’an 41.34-35
If you meet your enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, you shall bring it back to him. If you see the ass of one who hates you lying under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it, you shall help him to lift it up. Exodus 23.4-5
Aid an enemy before you aid a friend, to subdue hatred. Tosefta, Baba Metzia 2.26 (Judaism)
It is easy enough to be friendly to one’s friends. But to befriend the one who regards himself as your enemy is the quintessence of true religion. The other is mere business. Mohandas K. Gandhi (Hinduism)
And when they came to the place which is called The Skull [Calvary], there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. Luke 23.33-34
Sun Myung Moon
Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
What kind of person can be close to God and attend Him in the Kingdom of Heaven? One who resembles God.
Since the nature of God is to love His enemies, then the person who tries to love his or her enemies and invests him or herself completely for that purpose will be able to live near God’s royal throne.
From this standpoint, the most precious education is to learn to love your enemies. The noblest training to cultivate your mind is to train yourself to always make an effort to love your enemies. (124:155, February 6, 1983)
What is true love?
It is God’s love. What is God’s love? In Jesus’ words, it is to love your enemy. If white people love other white people, there is nothing special about that.
When a white person loves a black person, however, that is close to true love. Loving your enemy is true love, without a doubt. Why is loving your enemy, true love?
It is true because no one can criticize or complain about it. It is always round and can flow everywhere. Whether that love goes towards one side or the other, it is all good. Wherever it goes—into the eyes, into the nose, into the mouth—wherever it goes, it is good. (115:315-16, November 29, 1981)
What is the difference between love in the satanic world and love in the heavenly world?
Satanic love repays evil for evil, while heavenly love repays evil with good. When we love even our enemy, Satan runs away. That is why Jesus went a paradoxical way, and taught believers to walk a paradoxical way. They had no choice because everything was turned upside-down.
West had become East, and East had become West. South had become North, and North had become South. Therefore, you cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven unless you love your enemies—your individual enemies, your family’s enemies, your clan’s enemies, your nation’s enemies, and your world’s enemies. God likewise is in this situation. (130:161, January 8, 1984)
I am teaching you to love those who hate you. If you love them, sooner or later, they will come to like you. If you return good three times for every time someone does you wrong, eventually that person will bow his head. Try it yourself and see if I am right or not. Everyone has a conscience. (39:302-04, January 16, 1971)
True love has influence on the enemy. If you overcome the first, second, third and fourth difficult situations with love, the enemy will disappear. Jesus loved his enemies knowing that love has such great power. (121:173, October 24, 1982)
Did you ever take pity on someone who opposed you and persecuted you?
Did you ever think that he might be jealous of you on account of your many blessings? Did you ever think that the reason he persecutes you is because he is jealous of you? (105:31, July 8, 1979)
The reason why God does not punish an enemy, even though He would want to kill him, is that He is thinking of the enemy’s parents, wife, sons and daughters who love him. God cannot bear to strike that enemy with His whip because He would experience the painful hearts of all those good people as they wept many tears out of their love for him.
God’s love is like that. When you really feel the heart of God, could you take revenge on your enemy? If you really knew all the precious love connected with that person, instead of hitting him you would get someone to go and help him.
Thus you come closer to the great way of the universal Principle, which instructs us to embrace everything with love. When you practice it, heaven and earth will shake and even God will cry out with tears, “You truly resemble Me. How happy I am!”
This is how we should understand the teaching to love our enemies. Where can we find the power to love our enemies? The source is neither knowledge, nor money, nor earthly power. It is only true love. (201:150, March 30, 1990)
You should love your distant relations more than your immediate family. God gave His own Son, Jesus, to be killed because He was living for the benefit of Israel ahead of His own Son. Even though Israel had turned against His Son, God loved Israel more.
Likewise, even on the cross, Jesus loved his enemies. He interceded for the Roman soldier who pierced him with a spear, saying, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” He did not say this to make peace with Rome, but to find the peace of God and the peace of God’s family. (235:224, September 20, 1992)
How much does God love His enemy?
God’s love is such that He sacrificed His own Son to save His enemy’s children… If you can love your enemies even more than you love your own children, then Satan will surrender to you, exclaiming, “I could never do that. I could never be worthy to receive such love.” At that point Satan will retreat. You should know that this is the path of Abel.
As Jesus was dying on the cross, he prayed for his enemies rather than for himself; he prayed that his sacrifice would become the source of their blessing. Can any being with a conscience not bow his head and yield to such great love?
However vicious the enemy may be, he cannot help but bow down and surrender.
By practicing this you can completely separate yourself from your enemy’s wrath—and you will discover that you have no enemy.
Then Satan has no choice but to issue a certificate signed, “This son or daughter of God loved me, their enemy. Therefore I cannot stand in the way of God loving this person.”
Satan can no longer hold on to his grudge, but when he sees God embracing and loving the person, he must say, “Amen!” This is how you must clear your relationship with Satan. (118:172, May 30, 1982)
Why is God on my side? It is because I have tried to love even those who opposed me. I have not sought revenge on the enemies who stood against me. I do not want an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, or a life for a life. I try to digest everything with love. (168:204, September 20, 1987)
When I doubt people, I feel pain.
When I judge people, it is unbearable.
When I hate people, there is no value to my existence.
Yet if I believe, I am deceived.
If I love, I am betrayed.
Suffering and grieving tonight, my head in my hands
Am I wrong?
Yes, I am wrong.
Even though we are deceived, still believe.
Though we are betrayed, still forgive.
Love completely, even those who hate you.
Wipe your tears away and welcome with a smile
Those who know nothing but deceit
And those who betray without regret.
Oh, Master!! The pain of loving!
Look at My hands.
Place your hand on My chest.
My heart is bursting, such agony!
But when I loved those who acted against Me
I brought victory.
If you have done the same thing,
I will give you the crown of glory. (The Crown of Glory)
Sun Myung Moon