Reply #79: The Gospel of Matthew

[swilton]

also contains the Be Attitudes - i.e., Blessed are the Peacemakers as well as the notion of turning the other cheek.

It is often cited by the great philosopher Tolstoy (as well as Ghandi) as the philsophy of Christianity that he subscribes to but that is least followed by the Church...His non-resistance to evil by force was an interpretation of turning the other cheek. Tolstoy was excommunicated by the Russian Orthodox Church and some of his works were banned. Tolstoy uses this Gospel of Matthew to distinguish the teachings of Christianity in the New Testament from the teachings in the Old Testament (which in more than one place argues for 'an eye for an eye' retribution type of judgemental philosophy).

Tolstoy was opposed to any organized religion and found that people who piously subscribed to no organized denomination were in his view as equally religious or Christian in their walk and talk as those subscribing to an organized religious institution.

The religious right in this country is a tool of fascist forces.