464. Is It Right for a Christian to Retaliate?

A Christian should never retaliate; nor should he suffer himself to be imposed upon, when possible to avoid it Between retaliation and the suffering of imposition, he should, however, accept the latter, if retaliation implies his committing any act of vindictive ness unbecoming a Christian. Our Lord's words upon the subject are plain. Read the fifth and eighteenth chapters of Matthew. St Paul says repeatedly, "Love is the fulfilling of the law." Retaliation is contrary to the spirit and letter of this. But while we are told to love our neighbor as our self, we are not told to love him better; and self-protection, in a wise and proper spirit, is a duty.