by Amelia Love

Created on: July 01, 2007   Last Updated: June 16, 2008

Misinterpretation of God's teachings put the hate into Christianity. The Bible teaches that Jesus came to save the world, not condemn it, yet many Christians are very ready to condemn it in the name of saving it. They believe it is their obligation as Christians to teach the world how to live in the right way, and they often do this in a mean and hateful way.

For example, to convince people to stop killing babies before they are born, I believe Jesus would have taught a parable about the love and importance of human life. Instead of focusing upon the love of life, too many Christians create picket signs and yell out to abortion doctors and women, "You are going to hell!" Then they wonder why people don't listen to them when they talk about life being sacred. Condemning someone to hell is the opposite of holding life as sacred.

Many Christians, unfortunately, do not see the plank in their own eyes. Sometimes, without realizing it, they will put others down to make themselves feel better. Somehow, we have developed the notion that some sins are worse than others, although this is not the teaching of the Bible. God teaches that all sins keep us away from God, not just some. Yet so many Christians feel okay about hating and condemning others for things like homosexuality. They do not realize that their hate and their condemnation is a sin in itself, no worse than the homosexuality.

On the opposite extreme, many other Christians who hate others first hate themselves, although they might not realize it. Those who judge others tend to also judge themselves, or start with themselves first. I have heard it said, "Well, I might be hard on them, but I'm just as hard on myself," as if condemnation of others is okay as long as the person first condemns him or herself. The truth is, self condemnation naturally leads to condemnation of others. A person who is able to accept and forgive herself is usually a person who is able to accept and forgive others.

God teaches love, not hate. God teaches acceptance, not condemnation. Understanding God's true teachings will ultimately lead people to treating others in the right way, with patience and love.

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