In the House of the Peaceniks

Our church congregation includes a number of anti-war folks, not least the pastor. Today during the prayer segment of the service (makes it sound like a newscast, but I don't know a proper ecclesiastical term for it) one of the parishioners suggested that we pray for our enemies. I'm fine with that, I think it's a good idea. Our pastor accepted the suggestion, adding that he didn't think we should consider ourselves to have enemies, though he admitted that we "take enemies on in a corporate sense." Whatever that means. Flash message to our pastor: These guys knocked our buildings down, and they'll do ten times worse if they get the chance. They're enemies, no question. That doesn't mean we have to hate them as we prepare to kill them. The police officer doesn't necessarily hate the dangerous criminal, even as he or she goes every day into harm's way, prepared to kill someone if the need arises.