Before Gandhi, before Dr. King, before Mediba, there was Jesus of Nazareth.

Over two millennia ago, he said, turn the other cheek, love your enemy.

Those who live by the sword will what?

Die by the sword.

So the irony of calling a practice based on the life and teachings of Jesus fighting

anything is not lost on me.

But calling Jesus a pacifist is at best misleading.

He was a warrior as all of the Old Testament prophecies predicted he would be.

But the way that he defeated the enemy, which in Jesus' mind was not the Roman Empire,

nor was it the Pharisees on the right or the Sadducees on the left, the enemy in his

mind was the trifecta of the world, the flesh and the devil.

And the way that he defeated this axis of evil was not with a sword or a spear and an

army had his back, but was with a cross.

So it comes as no surprise that he called his apprentices to follow his example.

Take a look at Matthew chapter 16, verse 21.

From that time on, Jesus began to explain to his apprentices that he must go, notice that

word must go.

I have to to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests

and the teachers of the Torah.

And then he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

Now Peter took him aside and gave him a little talking to, right?

He began to review him.

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