There has long been a debate about how widely we should apply Jesus' admonition, in what has come to be known as the Sermon on the Mount, to "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." (Matt 5:43-48)

Does this mean we should not resist someone (or some nation) that wishes to do us harm? Some consistent pacifists believe that. Others say this should be applied only in personal relationships and that we should love someone at the office who means to short circuit our career, or a neighbor who has a different political philosophy or religious faith.

It is difficult to parse this saying. Should we -- can we -- love terrorists who hate and wish to destroy us? Does doing so violate Paul's instruction that those who do not care for their families are worse than an infidel? (1 Tim 5:8)

I know loving my enemies works for me in personal relationships. When I truly love my enemy as God loves them, they eventually cease to be my enemy. It changes me first and sometimes it changes them.

About the terrorists who wish to destroy us, perhaps I have more to learn, but for now I intend to resist them until they give up trying to kill me. Then I will try to love them.

Go ahead, send me your emails telling me how wrong I am, but I want to see my grandchildren grow up in freedom and not bondage and to me that is worth fighting for.