By Dan Clements 11/17/15
I have been doing some research in
what constitutes a hate group. It is very confusing and very
political. The Wikipedia definition is “A hate group
is an organized group or movement that advocates
and practices hatred, hostility, or violence towards members of a
race, ethnicity, nation, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual
orientation or any other designated sector of society.” The
problem with defining a hate group is, it is very subjective. It
depends on your worldview, your politics, and yes your upbringing.
The Southern Poverty Law Center, has
named just about every group who doesn't view the world through
liberal eyes as a hate group. The FBI is the opposite. I couldn't
find anyone who seemed to be objective in assessing what a hate group
is.
As a Christian, I'm told to hate the
sin but love the sinner. Jude
1:21-23 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of
our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 22 And on some have
compassion, making a distinction; 23 but others save with fear,
pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the
flesh.
God
does not show partiality when it comes to us, Romans 2:11 “For
there is no partiality with God.”
If God will not show partiality then I cannot. This has to be my
standard when I look at different groups and determine in my own mind
if they are hate groups. Some of the standards in the definition
above have to do with sins, and some do not. I would not classify
race,
ethnicity, nation, religion, gender, as
something to hate. Our society has determined that if you disagree
with someones choices that your a hater. Gender
identity, sexual orientation, are
sins in the eyes of God, but the person practicing these things are
not to be hated! Most people who hate are taught how to hate, it
doesn't come natural to us.
Black
Lives Matter, through their actions and words show that they hate the
person and not just the actions. When you advocate violence against
anyone without just cause (declaration of war) you are advocating
hate and show partiality. To blindly hate someone leads to death and
destruction, not only to the one you hate but to the hater also. It
poisons the soul and pollutes the mind to the point that you can't
see anything else but blind hatred. Black Lives Matter has crossed
the line from an advocacy group, over to a hate group.
If
we are to stop the hate we need to follow Jesus example and address
the behavior and not hate the person. John
8:3-11
Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in
adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, 4 they said to
Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very
act. 5 Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be
stoned. But what do You say?" 6 This they said, testing Him,
that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus
stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He
did not hear. 7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself
up and said to them, "He
who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first."
8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 Then those
who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by
one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left
alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had raised
Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman,
where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?"
11 She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her,
"Neither
do I condemn you; go and sin no more."
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