Prayers of Vengence: May his children be fatherless

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by Timmy

And IMO, He won't!

Why would you think Jesus warned them about it if it cannot be done anyway?

[Timmy]

Originally Posted by mfblume

Why would you think Jesus warned them about it if it cannot be done anyway?

Come on. You know me. What I really think is that Jesus really didn't need to give such a warning (it has just as much bearing on real life as His promise that whatever you would ask would be done for you), or He was misquoted. Pray whatever horrible things down on anyone you like. Lightning on Obama, boils on me, whatever. They won't happen.

It's reality.

[Timmy]

Originally Posted by Timmy

Come on. You know me. What I really think is that Jesus really didn't need to give such a warning (it has just as much bearing on real life as His promise that whatever you would ask would be done for you), or He was misquoted. Pray whatever horrible things down on anyone you like. Lightning on Obama, boils on me, whatever. They won't happen.

It's reality.

OK, I should offer a less cynical/skeptical/agnostic answer.

Perhaps Jesus was simply giving advice about their attitude. He was teaching them a lesson in love and forgiveness, and nothing more. He (perhaps, in my little theory) knew their prayers wouldn't really be answered, but He also knew that it was doing them no good to harbor such ill feelings toward their enemies. This is consistent with many of Jesus' other teachings.