Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Where's The Hate Really Coming From?

Check this out:
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/268419/stopping-hate-matthew-shaffer

This man is living his Christian beliefs ... standing for Christian principle and practicing the kind of love required(!) of us. One can be opposed to things others do but love them anyway. That's what we're supposed to do but unbelievers have great difficulty understanding that.

Those haters don't understand how one can strongly disagree with someone yet love them anyway. They've learned to hate when they disagree with someone and that's their point of reference ... strongly disagree => hate. So they think that when others strongly disagree they must be hating too. Too often we practice Christian love poorly but this guy appears to be doing it right. He appears undeserving of others' hate.

One point is, there are things humans do that God has said are wrong, sinful. The second point God makes with us is that He is the 'judge' of that, not us. While He judges, we are to love people anyway. Being human we do that imperfectly but it's what we're supposed to keep trying to do well. The guy discussed in the above link seems to be doing it pretty well.

We all do things we shouldn't, right? Things that others think are wrong? Wouldn't you like to be loved in spite of what you do/say? In spite of others' opinions about what you do? What this guy is doing has everything to do with not only love and forgiveness but also letting God be the judge.

Does this guy deserve to be on the receiving end of hate from the people who erroneously and unfairly call him the hater? All evidence suggests that he lives a life modelled pretty well on Christian moral principles; based on loving one's neighbors in spite of(!) their shortcomings. We should all do as well. Those who hate him could learn from him. He's not the one doing the hating for what others do/say.

While his donations go directly to mostly Christian organizations, his resulting philanthropy undoubtedly touches those who are lost (that's what such Christian organizations do ... reaching those whom they'd call 'lost'!) and live apart from God's will for us. Some of the very people who are hating him could be benefitting from his generosity. But this guy doesn't care so much about who he helps does he?

Who are the real haters and intollerant ones? Who in this picture hates simply because the other disagrees and who loves in spite of(!) others disagreeing?

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