“As I reviewed my past history, I perceived that I had drunk in this idea of the impracticability of Jesus’ teaching of non-resistance with my mother’s milk, and the rest of my life after, only confirmed me in this strange error. How was it that believing or trying to believe the Jesus who taught this was God, I still maintained it was not to be obeyed? Well, from infancy to manhood, I learned to venerate what was in direct contradiction to Christ’s law. The whole organization of my life agreed in calling Christ’s teaching impracticable and visionary, and by word and deed taught me what was opposed to it. Thus my error rose…But now I understand. This commandment is like a key which opens everything, but only when it is thrust into the lock.”
—Leo Tolstoy, My Religion
