Yeah, I hate to bring religion into this, but But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. -j.c. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. -paul Confused about that...I would probably count myself as more of a "searcher" than "devout Christian," but the whole love your enemies forgiveness yada yada seems like a central tenant of Christianity. No?
It is human nature to value the lives of your family or your social group over the lives of others. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that people don't see it this way. I don't think those who would disagree do so based on reason, they base it on perfectly normal and natural human emotion. The humans in the United States and the humans in Iraq both have these same tendencies, that's just the way our minds work. That's also why "we" are not inherently better than "they" are. However, the more we as individuals can overcome that emotion to do the right thing the better we are (in my opinion). It's just not something that's so easy to do.
I want to say that Christians are specifically called on to love and care for their neighbors. I believe Jesus specified neighbors for two reasons. Loving and caring for people half-way around the world that you'll never meet tends toward imperialism. Second, charity toward your neighbor is part of human nature, motivated partially by selfishness. People selfishly don't want to see suffering around them. Jesus recognized that people would be willing to better the lives of those around them, because it would make their lives better. The selfish benefits of helping others decrease the further they are from you, so, for all but the most altruistic, it can take suppression of human nature to care for them.
I believe you are correct. But you left out that Christians are also specifically called upon to love their enemies.
Jesus lived in the Roman Empire. He knew all about globalization. (Is there some sarcasm there that I'm not getting?) Certainly. And that goes against human nature completely, but it is empowering.
I have a hard time believing Jesus was making a call for tribalism when he talked about loving your neighbor and not mentioning everyone else in the world, or Roman Empire.
Not at all. The Good Samaritan Parable was given to define who your neighbor is. According to Jesus, your neighbor is anyone who you come in personal contact with, no matter where you are, or whether they're different race or whatever.
