Love the Sinner, Hate the Cliché

December 29, 2008

I ran across it again this morning. “Love the sinner, hate the sin.”

It was in a blog (not linked here) bemoaning the death of America because of all the commies and heathens and whatnot. In the middle of the 2,000 word screed (And you thought I was long winded!) was a call to the canard. I made a smartass reply, as is my wont, but I couldn’t help but sigh at the outright hostility inherent to that phrase.

I’d put the issue away and gone about my business when I saw it again this afternoon, this time by a columnist in the Washington Times. Twice in one day was more than I could handle, so I’m writing about it.

In defense of Pope Benedict XVI’s Christmas Address of last week (Basically, The Pope says that the Catholic Church must “protect” creation from homosexuals and transsexuals; that we live in opposition to God.), columnist Jeffery T. Kuhner said:

Above all, however, he has carried the banner of peace and civilized, rational dialogue. He repeatedly – and unequivocally – has said the Christian injunction is to love the sinner but hate the sin.

My question: Is “Love the sinner, hate the sin” based on solid theology? Is that what the Bible teaches us? I ask because I’ve seen it more than a few times, and without exception it comes across with all the love of a knuckle sandwich. Without exception emphasis is placed on the hating part, usually followed by the “I have gay friends” assurance.

It’s no wonder I’ve heard it so much; a quick Google search for “hate the sin” comes up with 125,000 results, but if you filter out the references to homosexuality, the number drops down to 67,200.

Digest that for a minute. Nearly half the time this philosophy is mentioned, it’s in a conversation about homosexuality. Not divorce or alcoholism or gluttony or gossip. Not extra-marital sex. (I couldn’t figure out a test for that one.) In other words, not the sins that most people deal with personally.

No, when people say “love the sinner, hate the sin” it’s usually about homosexuality, a ‘sin’ they don’t have a personal issue with. I see a correlation there, an emphasis on a perceived fault we can catch someone else in without worrying about being caught ourselves.

Am I wrong? Is “love the sinner, hate the sin” good solid theology or is it a tool used to effectively ignore overt Biblical admonitions to love others (neighbor, self, family, enemies) full stop?

The floor is open.


  • http://amy-tinyblessings.blogspot.com Amy

    I can still love my idiot friend who cheated on his wife but not love what he did , right?

    I think most Christians who say this are also convinced that homosexuality is a choice. If you follow that line of thinking, they can seperate the “choice” from the person.

    • http://blog.mattalgren.com Matt Algren

      Amy » I see what you’re saying, but I don’t think, generally speaking, that people would call that “hating the sin”. They’d just say that they’re mad at that guy for hurting their friend.

      Agreed on the other thing. The choice theory is a tough one to get by until someone knows a gay person first hand. That tends to disaffirm the concept.

      Ben » All I can say is Preach On, and I’m glad you’re on my side!

  • http://amy-tinyblessings.blogspot.com Amy

    I can still love my idiot friend who cheated on his wife but not love what he did , right?

    I think most Christians who say this are also convinced that homosexuality is a choice. If you follow that line of thinking, they can seperate the “choice” from the person.

    • http://blog.mattalgren.com Matt Algren

      Amy » I see what you’re saying, but I don’t think, generally speaking, that people would call that “hating the sin”. They’d just say that they’re mad at that guy for hurting their friend.

      Agreed on the other thing. The choice theory is a tough one to get by until someone knows a gay person first hand. That tends to disaffirm the concept.

      Ben » All I can say is Preach On, and I’m glad you’re on my side!

  • Ben in oakland

    As i like to put it:

    You don’t hate anyone. Honestly, you don’t. The Biblical message is all about compassion, about loving your neighbor and all that. In fact, some of your best friends are homosexual. You love homosexuals. You really do. You just don’t like their same-sex-lusting, public-fornicating, disease-spreading, marriage-ruining, child-molesting, society-endangering ways. And really now, where’s the hate in that?

  • Ben in oakland

    As i like to put it:

    You don’t hate anyone. Honestly, you don’t. The Biblical message is all about compassion, about loving your neighbor and all that. In fact, some of your best friends are homosexual. You love homosexuals. You really do. You just don’t like their same-sex-lusting, public-fornicating, disease-spreading, marriage-ruining, child-molesting, society-endangering ways. And really now, where’s the hate in that?

  • Ben in oakland

    Somewhat longer thoughts on this love-the-sinner bullbleep:

    There are three groups of people I never try to convince of anything. People who are irretrievably poisoned by hated and fear. People who believe that their particular book is the capital T truth. And really stupid people. Sometimes they are rolled into one person.

    Some so-called Christians believe that their book is the inspired word of god. Apparently, despite all of the errors and contradictions contained within your book, it still remains inspired, and you have the means of separating the inspired truth from the obvious chaff. You may think that using “inspired by” instead of “word of” god lets you off the hook for its inconsistencies and idiocies, its claim to moral authority when it is anything but a book of morals, most of which you ignore in any case (anybody going to Wal-Mart on Sunday?) while claiming its infallibility when it comes to gay people, or what you imagine it might say about people who might be gay people, if they and we all mean the same, which we don’t. Example: gay is an abomination. So is eating shrimp. Obviously, what We mean by abomination is not what King James meant by the word, and it is not the word that appears in Leviticus, which is “to’evah”, referring to idolatry. but that doesn’t really matter because that is not your point.

    Likewise, there are Muslims who believe their book is the capital T truth, and so they fly airplanes into buildings. There are Hindus who believe the same, and so they bomb Muslim temples. There are Catholics and protestants who for centuries have murdered each other, and are still doing so. All in the name of the prince of peace.

    And of course, when you haven’t been killing each other, you are perfectly happy to burn witches, imprison gay people, enslave black people, deny women full personhood, etcetcetcetc, all in the name of your god. You claim that the biblical account of creation is correct because, well, why? Because you believe it. The billions of facts and observations that make up the ongoing description of evolution make no impression, even though that same method of thinking produces the computer that you use to proclaim your ignorance. The catholic church attacks gay people continually while hiding the child molesters in its (giggle) bosom– child molesters who, by the way, were given by the catholic god the gift of becoming his chosen priests. Why do you think god did that, being all knowing as he is? Can we conclude that he actually approves of child molesting, given his choice of priests?

    Do you begin to see a pattern here?

    One of the things you do is proclaim that we gay people must hate you Christians for proclaiming the truth. You can’t distinguish between righteous anger and hate, for one. But I don’t hate you, despite your belief. Like a good Christian I hate your sins — your overweening pride, your willful ignorance, your belief that because you think something is true, it must be true, and therefore justifies whatever you do or say, because you are speaking for god and all that is good– just like all of the other people who murder, oppress, hate, judge and on and on and on. But of course, this is different, because its about gay people.

    Do you begin to see a pattern here?

    You portray yourself as a constant victim, moral and wholesome,and we gay people, sick and perverted and vicious as we are, as your oppressors. Do you think this might just be a little self-serving?

    Do you begin to see a pattern here? Basically, your are just another religious bigot who confuses your belief in god with your image of yourself as god’s holy agent on earth. He, of course, is not here to defend himself from the slander.

    So, you say you’re not a bigot?

    Despite overwhelming scientific evidence that homosexuality is an inborn as heterosexuality, despite the testimony of tens of thousands– if not millions– of gay people, despite the simple logic of “who would choose a life of discrimination and vilification”, you believe that homosexuality is our sin of choice. Your beliefs about us are more important than any amount of actual evidence, but you’re not a bigot.

    You say that it is not you that is disapproving of homosexuality, and not you that is judging, but God. Funny, I don’t hear God talking, I only hear YOU talking. I hear you quoting “God’s word”, allegedly on this subject, while ignoring all of the passages in the Bible that don’t accord with your personal prejudices, whether it is eating shellfish or pork, or destroying all of the unbelievers in our midst with a sword. (Deut. 13-6, 8-15), or getting divorced, or keeping the Sabbath holy, and on and on and on.

    Apparently God only means what he says some of the time– for instance, when he agrees with you. But you’re not a bigot.

    Let us not get into the appalling divorce figures for ‘sacred’ institution of marriage. You quote your Bible about the “wrongness” of homosexuality, but ignore far more compelling commandments that don’t comport with your alleged non-prejudices. For example, Jesus was very clear on this subject: divorce is not an option. He also was quite clear about judging others before you yourself have achieved perfection. All of that you just cheerfully ignore, but not for any reasons that could be labeled bigotry.

    It’s just what you believe. How can that be a statement of bigotry?

    In other words, my and our equality before the law can be compromised because of YOUR religious beliefs. If you said that Jews or Buddhists could not have the same civil rights that you do because they do not share your religious beliefs, you would rightly be labeled a religious bigot. But because it is about gay people, and whatever you imagine my sex life to be makes you say “icky”, you are not being a bigot…so you say. You’re just expressing your religious opinion.

    Lest you accuse me of hating you, of being intolerant, of calling you names, let me be clear. I do not hate you, or really, care anything about you. I only wish that you would mind your own business, take care of your own marriage, and stop insisting that you have the right to mind mine–because of what you call your “religious beliefs”. You can believe whatever you want, and teach it to your children, and spew it in Church to your heart’s delight, however uncomfortable it may be for me to hear it. It’s a free country, at least for white, conservative, preferably Christian, heterosexual people. But why to you accuse me of intolerance when I tell you to keep YOUR religious beliefs out of MY life? I haven’t told you you can’t believe it, or that I will pass laws to make sure that you do– despite your claims to the contrary.

    What you hear from me is not hatred, nor intolerance, nor anything like that. What you hear is ANGER.

    I’m sick to death that the course of my life, and my happiness, and those of millions of people just like me, can be subject to your prejudices, whether or you prefer to call them your religious beliefs or just admit them for what they are. I am equally sick that gay people are imprisoned, attacked, murdered, executed, used as political fodder, vilified, condemned, persecuted, jailed, slandered, libeled, and accused of all sort of things that are simply NOT TRUE because someone doesn’t approve, or believes their God does not approve.

    I am angry as hell that any man and woman who met five minutes ago and have $50 for a marriage license can get married and have the full panoply of rights and obligations that go with it, but my friends Andy and Paul, a devoted couple for 40 years, or Lance and Peter, together for 35 years, are legal strangers to each other. I am angry that they have to jump through all sort of expensive legal hoops to secure their lives together, all of which can be undone by the combination of a distant relative, a homophobic judge, and a law that permits it.

    I’m really angry that my friend Steve could not be at his husband’s bedside 20 years ago when Johnny was dying, because they didn’t have the medical power of attorney documents in their possession when Johnny was struck down. Johnny died alone. Steve grieved for him alone, and didn’t get to say goodbye to the man whose life he had shared for 15 years. All of that pain to satisfy some Christian’s beliefs about what is moral and immoral.

    I’m furious that people like you can smugly say we’re all not perfect, but you’ll still smarmily judge us anyway, and pretend that you’re not. I’m furious that you prattle on an on about morality, but the IMMORALITY of what is done to gay people every day throughout the world, damage that is inflicted on our happiness, our health, our security, and our lives all the time, does not even merit your notice– let alone an apology. Talk about a crime against nature–what about the crimes against our nature?

    You don’t approve of homosexuality, or as you put it, you’re not in agreement with what you see as our “choice”. Let me tell you something. I don’t approve of bigots, either. But the world is full of people just like you, who feel you have the right to do and say whatever you like to people you don’t know, whom you clearly know nothing about, and who have done you no harm.

    And why? Because there is something YOU don’t like about them– their race, their religion, their gender, their ethnic group, their language, or their sexual orientation. And if you can’t slip that one by anyone, you’ll even claim that GOD doesn’t like it.

    Please don’t pray for me–what absolute spiritual arrogance. I don’t need it and I find it offensive that you think you have the right and spiritual cachet to do so.

    And please don’t tell me you love me, either. I don’t believe it for a moment. I would prefer your naked hatred.

    At least there, you are being honest, and not hiding behind your bible.

  • Ben in oakland

    Somewhat longer thoughts on this love-the-sinner bullbleep:

    There are three groups of people I never try to convince of anything. People who are irretrievably poisoned by hated and fear. People who believe that their particular book is the capital T truth. And really stupid people. Sometimes they are rolled into one person.

    Some so-called Christians believe that their book is the inspired word of god. Apparently, despite all of the errors and contradictions contained within your book, it still remains inspired, and you have the means of separating the inspired truth from the obvious chaff. You may think that using “inspired by” instead of “word of” god lets you off the hook for its inconsistencies and idiocies, its claim to moral authority when it is anything but a book of morals, most of which you ignore in any case (anybody going to Wal-Mart on Sunday?) while claiming its infallibility when it comes to gay people, or what you imagine it might say about people who might be gay people, if they and we all mean the same, which we don’t. Example: gay is an abomination. So is eating shrimp. Obviously, what We mean by abomination is not what King James meant by the word, and it is not the word that appears in Leviticus, which is “to’evah”, referring to idolatry. but that doesn’t really matter because that is not your point.

    Likewise, there are Muslims who believe their book is the capital T truth, and so they fly airplanes into buildings. There are Hindus who believe the same, and so they bomb Muslim temples. There are Catholics and protestants who for centuries have murdered each other, and are still doing so. All in the name of the prince of peace.

    And of course, when you haven’t been killing each other, you are perfectly happy to burn witches, imprison gay people, enslave black people, deny women full personhood, etcetcetcetc, all in the name of your god. You claim that the biblical account of creation is correct because, well, why? Because you believe it. The billions of facts and observations that make up the ongoing description of evolution make no impression, even though that same method of thinking produces the computer that you use to proclaim your ignorance. The catholic church attacks gay people continually while hiding the child molesters in its (giggle) bosom– child molesters who, by the way, were given by the catholic god the gift of becoming his chosen priests. Why do you think god did that, being all knowing as he is? Can we conclude that he actually approves of child molesting, given his choice of priests?

    Do you begin to see a pattern here?

    One of the things you do is proclaim that we gay people must hate you Christians for proclaiming the truth. You can’t distinguish between righteous anger and hate, for one. But I don’t hate you, despite your belief. Like a good Christian I hate your sins — your overweening pride, your willful ignorance, your belief that because you think something is true, it must be true, and therefore justifies whatever you do or say, because you are speaking for god and all that is good– just like all of the other people who murder, oppress, hate, judge and on and on and on. But of course, this is different, because its about gay people.

    Do you begin to see a pattern here?

    You portray yourself as a constant victim, moral and wholesome,and we gay people, sick and perverted and vicious as we are, as your oppressors. Do you think this might just be a little self-serving?

    Do you begin to see a pattern here? Basically, your are just another religious bigot who confuses your belief in god with your image of yourself as god’s holy agent on earth. He, of course, is not here to defend himself from the slander.

    So, you say you’re not a bigot?

    Despite overwhelming scientific evidence that homosexuality is an inborn as heterosexuality, despite the testimony of tens of thousands– if not millions– of gay people, despite the simple logic of “who would choose a life of discrimination and vilification”, you believe that homosexuality is our sin of choice. Your beliefs about us are more important than any amount of actual evidence, but you’re not a bigot.

    You say that it is not you that is disapproving of homosexuality, and not you that is judging, but God. Funny, I don’t hear God talking, I only hear YOU talking. I hear you quoting “God’s word”, allegedly on this subject, while ignoring all of the passages in the Bible that don’t accord with your personal prejudices, whether it is eating shellfish or pork, or destroying all of the unbelievers in our midst with a sword. (Deut. 13-6, 8-15), or getting divorced, or keeping the Sabbath holy, and on and on and on.

    Apparently God only means what he says some of the time– for instance, when he agrees with you. But you’re not a bigot.

    Let us not get into the appalling divorce figures for ‘sacred’ institution of marriage. You quote your Bible about the “wrongness” of homosexuality, but ignore far more compelling commandments that don’t comport with your alleged non-prejudices. For example, Jesus was very clear on this subject: divorce is not an option. He also was quite clear about judging others before you yourself have achieved perfection. All of that you just cheerfully ignore, but not for any reasons that could be labeled bigotry.

    It’s just what you believe. How can that be a statement of bigotry?

    In other words, my and our equality before the law can be compromised because of YOUR religious beliefs. If you said that Jews or Buddhists could not have the same civil rights that you do because they do not share your religious beliefs, you would rightly be labeled a religious bigot. But because it is about gay people, and whatever you imagine my sex life to be makes you say “icky”, you are not being a bigot…so you say. You’re just expressing your religious opinion.

    Lest you accuse me of hating you, of being intolerant, of calling you names, let me be clear. I do not hate you, or really, care anything about you. I only wish that you would mind your own business, take care of your own marriage, and stop insisting that you have the right to mind mine–because of what you call your “religious beliefs”. You can believe whatever you want, and teach it to your children, and spew it in Church to your heart’s delight, however uncomfortable it may be for me to hear it. It’s a free country, at least for white, conservative, preferably Christian, heterosexual people. But why to you accuse me of intolerance when I tell you to keep YOUR religious beliefs out of MY life? I haven’t told you you can’t believe it, or that I will pass laws to make sure that you do– despite your claims to the contrary.

    What you hear from me is not hatred, nor intolerance, nor anything like that. What you hear is ANGER.

    I’m sick to death that the course of my life, and my happiness, and those of millions of people just like me, can be subject to your prejudices, whether or you prefer to call them your religious beliefs or just admit them for what they are. I am equally sick that gay people are imprisoned, attacked, murdered, executed, used as political fodder, vilified, condemned, persecuted, jailed, slandered, libeled, and accused of all sort of things that are simply NOT TRUE because someone doesn’t approve, or believes their God does not approve.

    I am angry as hell that any man and woman who met five minutes ago and have $50 for a marriage license can get married and have the full panoply of rights and obligations that go with it, but my friends Andy and Paul, a devoted couple for 40 years, or Lance and Peter, together for 35 years, are legal strangers to each other. I am angry that they have to jump through all sort of expensive legal hoops to secure their lives together, all of which can be undone by the combination of a distant relative, a homophobic judge, and a law that permits it.

    I’m really angry that my friend Steve could not be at his husband’s bedside 20 years ago when Johnny was dying, because they didn’t have the medical power of attorney documents in their possession when Johnny was struck down. Johnny died alone. Steve grieved for him alone, and didn’t get to say goodbye to the man whose life he had shared for 15 years. All of that pain to satisfy some Christian’s beliefs about what is moral and immoral.

    I’m furious that people like you can smugly say we’re all not perfect, but you’ll still smarmily judge us anyway, and pretend that you’re not. I’m furious that you prattle on an on about morality, but the IMMORALITY of what is done to gay people every day throughout the world, damage that is inflicted on our happiness, our health, our security, and our lives all the time, does not even merit your notice– let alone an apology. Talk about a crime against nature–what about the crimes against our nature?

    You don’t approve of homosexuality, or as you put it, you’re not in agreement with what you see as our “choice”. Let me tell you something. I don’t approve of bigots, either. But the world is full of people just like you, who feel you have the right to do and say whatever you like to people you don’t know, whom you clearly know nothing about, and who have done you no harm.

    And why? Because there is something YOU don’t like about them– their race, their religion, their gender, their ethnic group, their language, or their sexual orientation. And if you can’t slip that one by anyone, you’ll even claim that GOD doesn’t like it.

    Please don’t pray for me–what absolute spiritual arrogance. I don’t need it and I find it offensive that you think you have the right and spiritual cachet to do so.

    And please don’t tell me you love me, either. I don’t believe it for a moment. I would prefer your naked hatred.

    At least there, you are being honest, and not hiding behind your bible.

  • Ben in oakland

    you’re welcome, Matt. I do have a tendency to rip these people some new assholes, usually becuase the old ones are just overstuffed with crap. But i believe that not being very clear is what allows them to get away with it, at least in their own minds.

    Love the sinner, hatre the sin, indeed. As I ‘ve said to more than one person, you’re not saying that for my benefit, but for yours. That allows you to feel good about what you are doing, all the while you’re doing what would appear to be hate to anyone with half a mind. you don’t hate anyone. yiou allow others to do the hating. you just get to follow along.

    you, of course, does not mean you, Matt. It’s a generic you.

  • Ben in oakland

    you’re welcome, Matt. I do have a tendency to rip these people some new assholes, usually becuase the old ones are just overstuffed with crap. But i believe that not being very clear is what allows them to get away with it, at least in their own minds.

    Love the sinner, hatre the sin, indeed. As I ‘ve said to more than one person, you’re not saying that for my benefit, but for yours. That allows you to feel good about what you are doing, all the while you’re doing what would appear to be hate to anyone with half a mind. you don’t hate anyone. yiou allow others to do the hating. you just get to follow along.

    you, of course, does not mean you, Matt. It’s a generic you.

  • MacQuarrie

    According to Snopes, “It’s actually from St. Augustine. His letter 211 (c. 424) contains the phrase Cum dilectione hominum et odio vitiorum, which translates roughly as “With love for mankind and hatred of sins.”

    The phrase has become more famous expressed as “Love the sinner but hate the sin” or “Hate the sin and not the sinner” (the latter form appearing in Mohandas Gandhi’s 1929 autobiography).”

    To which I would add, “Love the sinner, hate the sin” is not biblical at all. When Gandhi said it, he was reminding people to focus their anger on what the person did and not on the person, which is actually good advice when dealing with having been wronged by someone. Since the person spouting the cliche has usually not been wronged by any gay person, the advice does not apply.

    The biblical advice, based on what Jesus said to a lot of people fairly often, would be more along the lines of “love the person and mind your own business about what you perceive as their sin.”

  • MacQuarrie

    According to Snopes, “It’s actually from St. Augustine. His letter 211 (c. 424) contains the phrase Cum dilectione hominum et odio vitiorum, which translates roughly as “With love for mankind and hatred of sins.”

    The phrase has become more famous expressed as “Love the sinner but hate the sin” or “Hate the sin and not the sinner” (the latter form appearing in Mohandas Gandhi’s 1929 autobiography).”

    To which I would add, “Love the sinner, hate the sin” is not biblical at all. When Gandhi said it, he was reminding people to focus their anger on what the person did and not on the person, which is actually good advice when dealing with having been wronged by someone. Since the person spouting the cliche has usually not been wronged by any gay person, the advice does not apply.

    The biblical advice, based on what Jesus said to a lot of people fairly often, would be more along the lines of “love the person and mind your own business about what you perceive as their sin.”

  • http://www.jeffreyanderson.blogspot.com jeff

    I am so glad that I found this, ’cause for the past month or so this “love the sinner” phrase has been driving me batty. What SIN is it that they hate, exactly? BEING gay? That is not a sin. Is it sex outside of marriage? That’s pretty easy to fix – let the gays marry. It’s all just so mixed up and wrong. Gay people are no bigger sinners than straight people, and when people talk about “hating the sin” it just sounds so high & mighty. “Those poor lost gay souls — if only we could save them from their hellfire”. Gays are not broken, they do not need fixing. God made gays. One of my resolutions for ’09 is to not let anyone get by with saying this “love the sinner” crap to my face.

    Thanks for the discussion!!!

  • http://www.jeffreyanderson.blogspot.com jeff

    I am so glad that I found this, ’cause for the past month or so this “love the sinner” phrase has been driving me batty. What SIN is it that they hate, exactly? BEING gay? That is not a sin. Is it sex outside of marriage? That’s pretty easy to fix – let the gays marry. It’s all just so mixed up and wrong. Gay people are no bigger sinners than straight people, and when people talk about “hating the sin” it just sounds so high & mighty. “Those poor lost gay souls — if only we could save them from their hellfire”. Gays are not broken, they do not need fixing. God made gays. One of my resolutions for ’09 is to not let anyone get by with saying this “love the sinner” crap to my face.

    Thanks for the discussion!!!

  • debbie

    I am not sure what this website is about. I stumbled across it looking for points of view on the love/hate quote.

    I think maybe gays should be allowed to marry for two reasons – the first they can be legally miserable like the rest of us and can also join in the joy of the divorce statistics – just sharing the love!

    Ben – your speech was very passionate and well expressed – kudos to you.

    The reason I am searching for opinions on that quote is because if someone said to me – love your rapist not the rape – i'd be pretty pissed off too – it is kind of like saying the two are separate entities and god hates rape not rapists. God hates divorce not the divorcee's. god hates the acts not the people who commit the acts.

    I wouldn't give my time or energy to a God like that either.

    From a Hindu perspective – it may be just to love the sinner but hate the sin because you never know what karma is going to give you in your next lifetime.

  • http://blog.mattalgren.com Matt Algren

    Thanks for your comment, Debbie. You're my 500th legitimate comment!

    As for “love your rapist” etc, the problem as I see it is that it's reducing 'love' to a smooshy feeling, and I think the Bible has an elevated standard that moves beyond that. (By the way, I'm a firm believer that the opposite of love isn't hate, it's fear.)

    There's nothing wrong with deciding to put your anger aside and move on with life. It's a rather good idea if you can manage it. But that doesn't mean you're obliged to let them into your life and put yourself in more physical/psychological/spiritual danger.

  • Debbie

    Thanks Matt.

    Love has overcome fear from what I read in the Bible and I do believe it has a solution for the sin and the sinner.

    You are right about reducing love to a mushy feeling and that is what I see when I read 'Love the sinner hate the sin'. Love does not fear telling someone the truth. Love does not fear telling someone the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Love does not fear saying out loud that we are all screwed if not for Christ.

    Reducing love to a mushy feeling may be why the divorce rate is so high among 'christians'. I think a statistic on 'believers' would show a different score.

  • http://blog.mattalgren.com Matt Algren

    Thanks for your comment, Debbie. You're my 500th legitimate comment!

    As for “love your rapist” etc, the problem as I see it is that it's reducing 'love' to a smooshy feeling, and I think the Bible has an elevated standard that moves beyond that. (By the way, I'm a firm believer that the opposite of love isn't hate, it's fear.)

    There's nothing wrong with deciding to put your anger aside and move on with life. It's a rather good idea if you can manage it. But that doesn't mean you're obliged to let them into your life and put yourself in more physical/psychological/spiritual danger.

  • Debbie

    Thanks Matt.

    Love has overcome fear from what I read in the Bible and I do believe it has a solution for the sin and the sinner.

    You are right about reducing love to a mushy feeling and that is what I see when I read 'Love the sinner hate the sin'. Love does not fear telling someone the truth. Love does not fear telling someone the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Love does not fear saying out loud that we are all screwed if not for Christ.

    Reducing love to a mushy feeling may be why the divorce rate is so high among 'christians'. I think a statistic on 'believers' would show a different score.

  • Moriah

    Cheating on your partner is inherently different from your sexual orientation/gender identity. One is a temporary act the other is an inherent part of a person.

  • Moriah

    Cheating on your partner is inherently different from your sexual orientation/gender identity. One is a temporary act the other is an inherent part of a person.