I'll re-use a post of mine from another thread, since it seems like people constantly misunderstand what is meant by Christian love, e.g. "Oh so you love someone who rapes children even???"

>What does it mean to love someone who rapes children? Does that mean you want them to continue to rape children? No, surely not, for if you truly love someone, you want what is good for them; to do evil is good for no one.

>So often people today fantasize about brutally punishing evildoers. They sneer and say, "He should have his balls tortured and chopped off and he should be raped as he raped his victims," and they think they are good people for this. Yet, what does this accomplish? Let us consider the counter scenario: that the rapist repents in prison, and decides to live the rest of his life trying to do good and help others in whatever small ways he can (this does not cancel out his former atrocities, nor is it intended to).

>Why should we prefer the scenario where he is tortured and killed in revenge to the one where he repents? What good does it do, except to satisfy our own bloodlust? So you see that the essence of loving your enemies is to bring them to repentance as well, and not to revel in their suffering, but to work tirelessly to have them cease in their evil and come into a greater understanding of the truth. Though this may not be possible for the vast majority of such evildoers, it is important that it remains your aim for your own sake as well, for the heart can be easily corrupted, and in our generation we see readily that people are led astray by their own bloodlust, thinking themselves justified by the cause they wield it towards.

Anon, do you have one second to read a perfect moral teaching? If you search your spirit, deep down you know that this is true:

>You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

>You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.

>Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

> Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

I will anticipate the usual disagreements ("They walk all over you then", "Some people need a taste of their own medicine," etc.) and I have responses prepared. Peace be with you!

Have you ever met someone who genuinely understood and embodied this teaching?

>You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

>You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.

>Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

> Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.