Anonymous (via GotQuestions)
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Joe cattani
Give those things to others; that yourself is also in need of. Not complicated.
Danny Hickman
I agree Joe Cattani. It isn't hard to understand at all. I get the impression that some of us think it means that we're all supposed to "feel" about each other a certain way.
That couldn't be what God is talking about. Jesus taught that his followers are to love their enemies (Luke 6:27). Where they do that at? lol
It's impossible for humans to "feel" love (I mean real love) for people who do them all sorts of harm! It's not possible for humans to "feel" about others, whether friend or foe, the way we feel about ourselves.
We can pretend if it makes us feel holier, but pretending is all it is.
But we can treat others, regardless of the circumstances, the way we want to be treated, given the same circumstances.
We all mess up, make mistakes, etc; we all need and want to be forgiven when we mess up. And no, it isn't complicated!
Loving others as you love yourself is another way of saying, 'Do unto others as you would want them to do unto you.' (Luke 6:31). There's nothing complicated about it! I mean the explaination and the understanding of the scripture.
We all know how we want to be treated in all situations. Right or wrong, we want to be treated with respect. We want to be handled humanely. That's what we're being told. Nobody can tell or teach another person how to "feel" about anything.
When unbelievers ridicule Christianity for its teaching of this doctrine, they purposely ignore that the principle couldn't be referring to our feelings, but our conduct.