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From: dubois@uwmacc.UUCP (Paul DuBois)
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Love and Hate
Message-ID: <370@uwmacc.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 4-Oct-84 13:28:24 EDT
Article-I.D.: uwmacc.370
Posted: Thu Oct  4 13:28:24 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 6-Oct-84 01:59:48 EDT
Organization: UW Primate Center
Lines: 66


>  >>Even  if  you  judge  people  to be sinners, which the bible says you
>  >>shouldn't ...
> 
>  >Where does the Bible say that?
> 
> Try Matthew 7:1-5 from the sermon on the mount and Romans 14:12-20 where Paul
> is talking about how christians should behave toward non-christians.  The
> passage from Romans will probably come back to haunt me.  I should know better
> than to give you scriptures since you'll just invoke Rule 1.
> 
> I *try* not to judge other people because they don't look like, act like, or
> agree with me.  I'm not black but I don't hate blacks.  I'm not gay but I
> don't hate gays.  I'm not christian but I don't hate christians.  I don't eat
> liver but I don't hate people that do.  They all fall in about the same
> category to me.  Whether the difference is one nobody can change or it's
> something a person has a choice in, as long as it doesn't hurt me or anyone
> else what right do I have to interfere.  Being different shouldn't mean better
> or worse, just different.

I don't hate any of the above groups either, but what does judging
have to do with hate?

As far as the passage from Matthew, the parallel in Luke also adds
that I will be judged with whatever standard I judge by, i.e., I
should apply my own standard to myself first before I aim it at
someone else.  (board in my eye and all that - also Paul indicates
that I must give my judgment in love)

> I don't need something to look forward to after I die
> to be happy right now.  My life is in my control and if I choose to screw it
> up I don't need a deity or a devil to put the blame on.

I didn't need something to look forward to, either.  I became a
Christian anyway.

If I screw up my life, I don't need a deity or a devil to blame,
either.  I'm responsible for it.  But what happens if you don't choose
to screw it up, and do so anyway?

>  >>I think Dave's hatred is much too deeply ingrained to allow him to
>  >>explain or question it.
> 
>  >This is the second time I've seen this hatred thing.  Jerry Nowlin
>  >said something similar.  I definitely hate lies and sometimes react
>  >viscerally against them (having seen the disastrous results that
>  >acceptance of lies has had in my own life and the lives of some of
>  >my friends).  As far as I know this is a virtue.  Let me know if
>  >you can correct me on this.
> 
> Hate is a very strong word.  I don't know anyone who thinks of it as
> a virtue.  I don't know what's poisoned you with hate.  You have my
> sympathy.  I can only wish you some peace of mind and hope you find
> someone who can love you in spite of your hatred. If I were religious
> I'd definitely pray for you.

Hate is not a blanket vice, nor is love a blanket virtue.  This
confusion runs rampant on this net.  Suppose you hate injustice.
Is that being poisoned?  Suppose I love violence.  Is that virtue?
Hatred of lies is hating a bad thing, and is itself good.  Right?
-- 
Paul DuBois		{allegra,ihnp4,seismo}!uwvax!uwmacc!dubois

"Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein
do I delight."
				Psalm 119:35