Can you love your enemies?
We’re giving away 20 sets of the posters, printed, and shipped to you.
Happy Valentine’s Day.
What Are You Feeling When You Look at These?
“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. Luke 5:43-44
These Images Floor Me.
I have so much anger in my heart at the very sight of a swastika. And I had to draw one to make these posters. It infuriated me. I’ve been trained to hate Hitler and Osama. Yet, Christ tells me to love these people—how? why? what? These people deserve justice and death! Look at what they’ve done. Look at these atrocities.
Our Modern American Minds are Callous to the Revolutionary Message Jesus is Telling.
We can’t understand Jesus words because we have it so easy. Let’s take a minute to remember who he was talking to. Jesus was talking to a group of Jews under the iron fist of the Roman Empire. Many of these people had their sons and daughters, brothers and sisters slaughtered, killed, and murdered by the powers that be. Jesus is telling them to pray for those who persecute them? This message just took on a whole different level of depth. Jesus is calling us to love those who don’t deserve it, because we don’t deserve it.
It’s Valentine’s Day… Everyone loves those who love them. So love your husband or your wife.
But realize that the freedom in Christ is so profound it allows you to love the worst, most vile people ever… Because He first loved you, and nothing else matters.
We’re Giving Away 20 Sets of These Posters
The first 20 people to blog about this or share it on a social network, and send us your info will get a free poster set. After that we’re brainstorming how we could use these posters to help love our enemies better. Perhaps raising money to help some of the citizens of war torn countries. Give us your thoughts in the comments.
Download the Printable PDF Here
We would love to talk to some churches that are willing to take chances like this to communicate the gospel through designs like this.
Filed under other |57 Responses to “Can you love your enemies?”
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I’ll definitely be posting on these very soon (tomorrow?).
You guys do GREAT work!
Those posters draw on some heavy emotions. I think that you will see some strong reaction.
great work, guys. I’m looking forward to seeing what sort of dialogue this might kick up.
When I brought out the printed posters at Bible study we had to completely change plans because everyone wanted to talk about these. Not a bad way to get a conversation started on really loving everyone, including our enemies.
I really like the bleeding hand one. And I think the combination of all three of them together is great. I would totally want these posters framed on my barren white walls… or you know what? maybe I can be bold enough and stick one in the middle of my university campus. I guess, I’ve got time on my hands now, so I could write a blog or two.
Blogged here. Awesome work, guys.
Ugh - I mean here.
http://www.chrisfromcanada.com/?p=378
great design.
great thought.
i blogged about it here.
and i twittered about it here.
great stuff guys.
Wow. That’s powerful stuff.
Wow. You guys just completely ROCK! I was just getting over the last “I Love…” poster. These are great! I love the 3 of them together… as a group.
I’ve added the posters to my site!
Interesting images. I’m sure you realize many Christians will dismiss the message out of hand, regardless of the source. In the case of these images, the source is obscured by the reaction to the other images. As I bounce the idea around my head, other well known but less visceral images, like General Nguyen Ngoc Loan executing a Viet Cong officer, may offer a softer entry point to this discussion.
I blogged about this here.
Interesting and thought provoking, especially given the discussion we had at my church’s study group earlier this evening. I blogged about it here:
http://www.christiandjoel.blogspot.com
WOW! This speaks volumes. Blogged about it here:
http://jonathanearl.wordpress.com/2008/02/13/love-your-enemies/
Posted here:
http://rebuildingruins.wordpress.com/2008/02/14/love-your-enemies/
which is fed into facebook and myspace.
Incredible. I can’t wait to see the conversation ensue….
I do not want to love Hitler which is what really give context to the gospel message that we should love our enemy. This is so effective because it challenges my basic beliefs and it doesn’t get easier as I look back at the picture. It reveals who I am.
Wow. Very challenging. Thanks for sharing.
I blogged about it here:
http://www.myworshiprevolution.com
Tried to send you some info at the contact link, but it wouldn’t let me.
Blogged about it here .billyburnett.org
I’ll blog it, but probably not in the first 20 ’cause I have to work today.
I did want to say, though, that your work is amazing. I love the “I am …” posters you did for another ministry too.
For this series, did you think of using Saddam? Hitler conjures up some emotion, but he’s not really my enemy. Saddam makes my stomach knot.
Wow, that is awesome. I just put it on my website: http://www.adamriggins.com
I blogged about it at http://www.pastorelgin.vox.com Great stuff. It really evokes some deep emotions, and I believe these will really challenge my students.
-Elgin
Awesome work. Just finished the blog: treymcclain.blogspot.com.
Just shared it on Facebook (Mike you can see it there), would love to get some of these.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=32402602
Blogged about it here: http://mywanderingramblings.blogspot.com/
I’m a youth pastor in Indiana and will definitely be utilizing these powerful images at our next meeting. At times it can be hard to get teens to open up for discussion but I doubt this will be the case this weekend.
Posted at sawyerhouseclergy.blogspot.com by the way.
I would love to potentially build a sermon series around this idea… if you still have posters to give away, let me know.
Thanks!
Ben Dubow
Lead Pastor
St. Paul’s Collegiate Church
1768 Storrs Rd
Storrs, CT 06268
stpaulswired.org
i’m setting it up to post on sunday, and i don’t think i’ve made the first 20 anyways, but would love to buy a set. let me know how.
Mike
Love the design, the gimmick, and most importantly the calling and meaning behind the edginess. We (at Granger Comunity Church) are always trying to push the envelope to see what might bring more people closer to Christ; thanks for this great inspiration!
HOTNESS!!!!
I wish every church in America would hang this on their front door!!
Dude, what if, too, you guys made valentines from Jesus to everyone (similar idea to a tract, but I know tracts are bad) and we had these valentines for people that say how much Jesus, our fiance, loves us!!
Well, anyway, am I in the top 20? I’m blogging it right now at http://www.catalystspace.com
email me if I won: jesse.phillips@catalystspace.com
Great concept. Typography could be a little tighter from a design standpoint especially in the Osama piece. It feels slightly disconnected from the other two as a
campaign. Interesting idea though.
i was one of the top 10 to blog about this, and i realized i didnt put my contact info for you.
ecourtney@hotmail.com
Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for the support! We will be sending out the poster sets next week, and will email the top 20 to get the shipping info. You guys rock, thanks for helping us spread this message!
Provocative images which use the extreme to teach a point. But I think our view of “love” can stoop into sentimentalism if not discussed with care. Did Jesus love the Pharisees? I would say “yes” - was he “nice to them” - well, he was pretty harsh with them. He said some of the most searing hot things to them. Why? Additionally in Acts 13 did Paul “love” the sorcerer Elymus? I would say “yes” but he was not nice to him. Hitler or Osama, or any of us may freely receive the grace of God - but there still remains temporal justice. Hitler or Osama or any of us ought to receive justice for our sins and crimes - God may give grace and we ought to pray for our enemies, love them, but we should not capitulate to evil either. Love doesn’t mean offer your children up to murderers because “we love them.” It means entrusting justice to God and keeping a murderer from doing further harm. Posters like this are far too simplistic and assume too much. Should we “love” Osama - yes, in that we hope for his redemption, repentance and grace to take hold of his heart…but that doesn’t mean he should not be opposed and held responsible for any evil he has done.
The swastika should not make us feel and think nice thoughts, it ought to make us angry for what it stood for. There is a righteous anger throughout the Old and New Testaments and exhibited in the life of Jesus. To feel good about swastikas is a different kind of wickedness - and it may disguise itself in sentimentalism, but it is not love.
Reid,
Thanks for taking the time to help us with you’re instruction. I think I agree with everything you said sans one point that I think you assumed. ‘What does it mean to love?’ These poster don’t say anything about giving children over to murderers or trying to impede the government from exercising justice (Rom. 13). Instead I think it shows that our understanding of love is far more shallow than what Christ taught us.
Essentially what Christ is saying is that the grace and love the Father has lavished on us are fully sufficient to allow us to have forgiveness on the worst people ever.
I say this as a man that is so far from perfect you wouldn’t believe it. Pointing to a God that continues to show his faithfulness.
Thanks Mike, I filled in my thoughts a bit more on my site and linked over here as well. I agree the poster does not imply an abdication of Romans 13 - but I sometimes get concerned with what is not said and where we typically take things like this. I have zero problem with the center poster - in fact, I really would love to have a high res image of that.
I do appreciate the work - I am actually wrestling with this issue in reading Nehemiah’s prayer in 4:4-6. In this world I believe we must pray and protect. Allow no vengeance and vigilantism to be “ours” but not allow the hoard in from the gates either. The end of Romans 12 is relevant as well.
And believe me - I feel you big time on your last sentence - I came to faith at 20…and still ever aware of my unworthiness and his faithfulness. Jesus - friend of sinners, drunks, hookers…and the one who had hot words of rebuke (and I would say love) for the religious crowd. Thankful for that guy.
Grace and Peace
Mike, I know your pastor from Acts 29 stuff
I am moving to New Jersey this summer to plant a church affiliated with A29. I’ll stop filling up the comments now.
hey guys, just wondering, would i have been contacted by now if i was in the top 20? just sitting here hoping…
No Jon, we are lazy and have not contacted anyone yet. As soon we get this pesky holiday over we will gather all the info and ship out the posters. We may also have a couple extra posters, so if you were past the 20 mark you may be in luck.
I Blogged about these awesome posters!!!
http://www.codyjensen.wordpress.com
I found them a little late but hopefully I can still get a set!
Posted a comment on my blog, http://www.albosblog.com. Great stuff.
I was planning on blogging about this topic, and I would love to add these posters to the mix.
I would also be VERY interested in getting a copy of your posters to use in my church. I am a pastor of a church plant called <a href=”http://www.ortingreunion.org”Reunion Church
I don’t know that I cam make the first 20 blogs. Easter is upon us and I have so much to do before Sunday. But if you have any left, maybe you could send them for me to use?
Joe Miller
PO Box 595
Orting, WA 98360
This is my contribution to the campaign.
I also wanted to say that I really appreciate the creativity and imagination of your blog. I do some cartooning and poetry on mine, but yours is really wonderful!
Thanks for sharing your ideas!
As I was looking over the context of my post, it occurs to me that you missed a very powerful image. I hooded KKK figure would be a powerful image to include.
Also an image from the black power movement (such as the fist raised in anger) which endorsed violent revolt and was in stark contrast to the efforts of Dr. King.
I was researching the same thing when I saw this.. I can not agree more - but I am still going to look for a better source
I love these. LOVE THEM. I would love to do something with these. I am a pastor (www.missio-dei.com), and a webzine editor (www.jesusmanifesto.com), but also am involved in a number of ministry networks that would be interested in this stuff (www.submergent.org, http://www.christarchy.com). How can I get some?
[…] Image from The Plow […]
I actually blogged about this issue before i ever found this, then i went back and added the pic. check it- cpwilly.blogspot.com
I blogged it.
here
I hope I’m in the 20, I’d love to hang these up in my people filled dorm room. It could spark some wonderful conversation.
haha and by here I mean HERE!
HOLY SHIITE MUSLIM FATHER! YOU GOT THE DOPEST MAD NOTE GOING ON HERE. IM GOING TO LITTER THESE DESIGNS EVERYWHERE I GO!(not really going to litter)
PRINT! PRINT! PRINT!
At last someone has seen the truth of Christ’s message shorn of the nonsense and politics of hate and patriotism created by powerful men to decieve God’s people. How hard is to understand the message?, ‘Love your enemy and do good to those who harm you’. What is so difficult about that? Those who find it difficult are like the rich man who had to walk away when Jesus told him the sacrifice he must make to enter the Kingdom. Thank you friend and peace be with you.
I love it when “Christians” actually follow Jesus and do what He did. Good stuff.
[…] Here is a popular idea going around lately… […]
http://stephenstonestreet.wordpress.com/2008/10/29/love-your-enemies
Jesus loved Herod, why don’t we love Osama?
[…] Image from The Plow […]
I too, am angry at the site of these posters. It creates an absolute hatred in my heart. And I will admit I am NOT able to love, forgive or even have an ounce of compassion for these vile snakes. Nor do I have the desire to. They are not even human.
This is defintely an area that only Jesus can heal inside of me. It is completely out of my control. And I do pray for that correction in my heart, as well as my mind.