I am curious, how far do you think we should extend the principle of loving one's enemy?[/QUOTE]
I grew up in the country, and occasionally we had to shoot a animal for defense or even food, which isn't in fundamental principal different than using a bow and arrow, for hunting.
But, today, the U.S. is out of whack on guns.
These guns in the news are not hunting rifles or merely a self-defense handgun even...
but instead they are assault weapons designed to kill a lot of human beings quickly.
I would agree with you that today the U.S. is totally out of whack on guns, but for a different reason.
The crafters of the second amendment intended that the citizens possess firepower that could keep the government from turning tyrannical. That means the founding father's meant the weapons in possession of the people be on equal footing with that of the army of the government, otherwise a resistance could easily be quashed by the Government's superior weaponry.
The weapon of the times was the musket, it was a military grade weapon, and common among the non-military populace.
When people imply that assault rifles aren't covered by the second amendment they are implying that... I don't know the Forefathers saw into the future somehow and decided to leave the words "assault rifle" out of the constitution?
Of course not, they didn't even know they existed, but the
intent of the Founders was for the citizenry to be on par in arms with the military.
Does the First Amendment not apply to television or radio because they hadn't been invented yet?
Does the fourth amendment (the right to refuse unreasonable search and seizure) not apply to your car because cars hadn't been invented yet?
To this day a cop has to find some legitimate (albeit sometimes very tenuous) reason to pull someone over and search their vehicle.
Also I can love someone and still not approve of their choices. I can love an enemy for being a misdirected and twisted image of God, that doesn't mean I won't use any means necessary to stop them from harming myself or others.
Love others as you would love yourself? I wouldn't kill, rape, or steal from myself... would you?