Selections from My Religion by Leo Tolstoy (vegetarian): Chapter II, Part 2 of 2

Tolstoy illuminated the principle that true Christian doctrine is against violent retaliation and that we should instead do good in return for evil. Forgive not once, but endlessly. Love your enemies and be good to those who dislike you. Tolstoy also highlighted that Jesus’ primary message was to be truly human, to rise to a higher level and be born into the new life of the spirit. By embracing the higher law of love, we will be able to break the cycle of violence. We should like to share an insightful excerpt from Chapter Ⅱ of “My Religion.” “The command, ‘Resist not evil,’ is the central point of Jesus’ doctrine. It is not a mere verbal affirmation; it is a rule whose practice is obligatory. When we regard it as a command impossible of performance, the value of the entire doctrine is lost. When we declare that one may be a Christian without observing the commandment, ‘Resist not evil,’ we simply leave out the connecting link which transmits the force of the doctrine of Jesus into action.”