ENMITY
Being at enmity with someone, or a
neighbouring country means being in a
state of active hatred, deep-seated hostility, or opposition towards them.
Common
synonyms of enmity are discord, strife, war, bitterness, rancour,hate,
animosity, animus, hatred, malevolence, malice, aversion, hostility, malignity,
and opposition.
Some antonyms of enmity are:
friendship, goodwill, harmony, kindness, love, sympathy, and cordiality.
In simple terms enmity means a
deep-seated often mutual feeling of intense hatred, hostility, or ill will
between people or groups.
The causes of enmity are deep-seated
hostility, competing desires, and unresolved interpersonal or group conflicts.
Results of enmity are destruction of
personal relationships, social division, and widespread conflict, even armed
conflict that leads to death and destruction on a large scale.
Enmity between neighbouring
countries can arise from religious differences, political and social discords, lust
for expansion, enhancement of natural sources like water, minerals, fuel, etc.
Enmity should not last long if rulers
of a country believe in the Biblical saying: Love thy neighbor as thyself. Unfortunately
this belief is not acted upon. Hence, neighbouring countries go on amassing arms
and weapons, new and old. Their powers lies in the well-equipped armies. They
contribute to the ancient saying : Might IS Right.
How
does personal enmity conduct itself. In exceptional cases it mourns the death of its enemy believing in the
moral adage: Nothing but good should be talked of the dead.
Here are some important quotes:
*The best
way to destroy an enemy is to turn him into a friend.
*Never try
to destroy the enemy. Destroy the enmity.
*Enmity
breaks hearts apart, but love assembles the pieces.
*It is easy enough
to be friendly to one’s friends. But to befriend the one who regards himself as
your enemy, is the quintessence of true religion. The other is mere business.
----Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948).
_______
PUNCHLINE: Our enemies are our outward
consciences.----English poet-playwright William Shakespeare (1564-1616).
*****
G.R.Kanwal
30 August 2026
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