--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I love enemies, though not in the…" description: "\"“I love enemies, though not in the Christian way.”\" — Mikhail Lermontov" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a4/mikhail-lermontov-9000_quote_i-love-enemies-though-not-in-the-christi_1430788.jpg" --- # I love enemies, though not in the Christian way. ![“I love enemies, though not in the Christian way.” quote by Mikhail Lermontov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a4/mikhail-lermontov-9000_quote_i-love-enemies-though-not-in-the-christi_1430788.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a4/mikhail-lermontov-9000_quote_i-love-enemies-though-not-in-the-christi_1430788.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a4/mikhail-lermontov-9000_quote_i-love-enemies-though-not-in-the-christi_1430788.jpg) > ““I love enemies, though not in the Christian way.”” [Mikhail Lermontov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-lermontov/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Expresses a complex, perhaps non‑religious, fascination with adversaries. **In simple terms:** Admire foes without religious sentiment. Key Takeaway Explore nuanced feelings toward opponents. Themes conflict admiration complexity Mood intriguing analytical Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - political debate - artistic critique - personal rivalry Key Concepts philosophy human nature Questions to Reflect On - Why do we sometimes respect enemies? - What does this reveal about our values? A Different Perspective Risk glorifying antagonism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Enemies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemies/) ## Related quotes > [I love enemies, though not in the Christian way. They amuse me, excite my blood. Being always on one’s guard, catching every glance, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-lermontov/i-love-enemies-though-not-in-the-christian-way-they-amuse-me-excite/) [Mikhail Lermontov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-lermontov/) > [Whoever will not love his enemies cannot know the Lord and the sweetness of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit teaches us to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silouan-the-athonite/whoever-will-not-love-his-enemies-cannot-know-the-lord-and-the/) [Silouan the Athonite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silouan-the-athonite/) > [The enemies of the Christian religion and the Law of God confuse law with faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-terry/the-enemies-of-the-christian-religion-and-the-law-of-god-confuse-law/) [Randall Terry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-terry/) > [God has aroused the spirit of kings and princes to root up from the earth the enemies of the Christian name. Therefore gird yourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/god-has-aroused-the-spirit-of-kings-and-princes-to-root-up-from-the/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [The great triad of enemies for Christian growth contain the world, the flesh, and the devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/the-great-triad-of-enemies-for-christian-growth-contain-the-world-the/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [It is not simply to be taken for granted that the Christian has the privilege of living among other Christians. Jesus Christ lived in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/it-is-not-simply-to-be-taken-for-granted-that-the-christian-has-the/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Love your enemies and drive them nuts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brother-dave-gardner/love-your-enemies-and-drive-them-nuts/) [Brother Dave Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brother-dave-gardner/) > [Love your enemies. They'll go crazy trying to figure out what you're up to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-your-enemies-they-ll-go-crazy-trying-to-figure-out-what-you-re/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [HATE has 4 letters, But so does LOVE. Enemies has 7 letters, But so does FRIENDS. LYING has 5 letters, But so does TRUTH.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/hate-has-4-letters-but-so-does-love-enemies-has-7-letters-but-so-does/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Here's a jewel love you enemies and hate your friends. 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But, God said LOVE your enemies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xiang16/a-mans-enemy-is-an-alcohol-but-god-said-love-your-enemies/) Xiang16 > [“Love your enemies, they are prospects.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/love-your-enemies-they-are-prospects/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Love your enemies, for they will tell you your faults ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/love-your-enemies-for-they-will-tell-you-your-faults/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) ## More by Mikhail Lermontov > [I love enemies, though not in the Christian way. They amuse me, excite my blood. Being always on one’s guard, catching every glance, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-lermontov/i-love-enemies-though-not-in-the-christian-way-they-amuse-me-excite/) [Mikhail Lermontov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-lermontov/) > [In simple hearts the feeling for the beauty and grandeur of nature is a hundred-fold stronger and more vivid than in us, ecstatic composers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-lermontov/in-simple-hearts-the-feeling-for-the-beauty-and-grandeur-of-nature-is/) [Mikhail Lermontov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-lermontov/) > [Happiness comes the way the wind blows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-lermontov/happiness-comes-the-way-the-wind-blows/) [Mikhail Lermontov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-lermontov/) > [One should never spurn a penitent criminal: in his despair he may become twice as much a criminal as before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-lermontov/one-should-never-spurn-a-penitent-criminal-in-his-despair-he-may/) [Mikhail Lermontov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-lermontov/) > [“I have an unfortunate character; whether it is my upbringing that made me like that or God who created me so, I do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-lermontov/i-have-an-unfortunate-character-whether-it-is-my-upbringing-that-made/) [Mikhail Lermontov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-lermontov/) > [Russian ladies, for the most part, cherish only Platonic love, without mingling any thought of matrimony with it; and Platonic love is exceedingly embarrassing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-lermontov/russian-ladies-for-the-most-part-cherish-only-platonic-love-without/) [Mikhail Lermontov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-lermontov/) > [What of it? If I die, I die. 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