People hurt others when they are themselves in pain.

[tzviadancer]

I've said it so many times, but I will say it again, and again, and again, and will keep saying it until we people in the world learn to treat others in a way that reflects a deep understanding of the truth of this statement (which means, I will be saying it for the rest of my life, alas

Comments

[gimblegyre]

ridiculously and much to my grandmother's sorrow, i haven't read either testament in whole either. but yes, certainly that's related to some important teachings, though i haven't seen it put quite in those words.

of course, Luke 6:29-30: "Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either.
"Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back."

and perhaps the parable of the good samaritan--that here was a man who has himself been cast out and mistreated, but when he sees the wounded traveler, he doesn't turn aside as the well-treated men did, but takes it upon himself to rectify things.

but especially this passage, matthew 18:22,
peter asks jesus how many times he should forgive his brother--"as many as seven times?" and jesus answers "i say not unto thee, until seven times: but until seventy times seven."

[dragonladyflame]

There are lots of people who hurt others not out of "emotional suffering", but for one of the following reasons

[tzviadancer]

Regarding number one- my point isn't that they're in pain at the moment of the action and that this drives themselves to hurt someone. My point is more that people who get a lot of pleasure out of hurting others without having terribly good reasons...it is likely that these people aren't terribly happy, or were hurt badly at some point in the past. I could be totally wrong about this, of course. But it's been my observation in my personal life, for the most part (none of this is universal of course.)

I am too sleepy to make sense of the rest of your comment. More later.