STRUGGLING WITH THE INNER DEMON ... HATRED
The commandment "Thou Shalt Not Kill" seems clear to me. I take this commandment seriously. Neither should we kill the body, nor should we kill the spirit.
My desire is to be loving. So I don't want to wish any evil to beset anyone, even those who hate. I just want them to come to the realization that hatred only begets hatred, and to preach that it is OK with God that we hate anyone is a great sin.
The other Mike P posted something about hating the haters here. Please take the time to read it.
Although I can appreciate Michael's sentiments, I would like to take a different approach. However, the struggle to do so is a difficult one. Like everyone else, I am not immune to this emotion.
I try very hard not to hate anyone. My desire is to be an instrument of Love. But I am having a very hard time with my feelings about the people who claim to be Christians, and preach that it is God's will that we should, in fact, hate. It troubles me that some who claim to worship the Prince of Peace can want to scapegoat anyone and spread the message that hate is OK.
I hate it when I hear some people I love spread this ugly belief. It offends me when I hear otherwise loving people trying to blame Gays for all the evils in the world. These otherwise loving people spread this ugly belief with the firm conviction that they are spreading the word of God.
The hate that is expressed by these good People grows, and when I hear that, I feel fury within my breast. Anger and Love all mixed up. My heart is troubled when I recognize that, now indeed, hatred exists within my own heart. There is conflict and confusion.
I don't want to wish suffering to anyone. Instead, I want to wish all of the haters peace. I want to wish them love. It is my belief that it is only with love that we can change the world. Yet here I am, still struggling with my own inner hatred and anger. I hate to think that I have joined the ranks.
I don't want to hate.
I don't like the me that hates.