toldailytopic: Is it always wrong to hate?

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Nathon Detroit

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The TheologyOnline.com TOPIC OF THE DAY for July 30th, 2010 11:46 AM


toldailytopic: Is it always wrong to hate?






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MaryContrary

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Well, I hate how I keep stubbing my toe on the corner bed post at night. So if that's wrong...it's only because I don't hate it enough for it to have successfully motivated me to take the steps necessary to prevent that.

So, no. Apparently not.

That said, it's wrong about 9 times out of 10. At least the way we humans tend to practice it. Myself included, now.
 
Nang

Nang

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There is such a thing as a righteous hatred of God's enemies.

"For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in vain. Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies." Psalm 139:22
 
Lovejoy

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I am too socially sensitive to actually endorse hate in an open forum. Just don't go rooting around in my head to see if I actually live that out! I hate it when people do that...
 
MrRadish

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It's seldom beneficial to society or to the individual, in my opinion. Whether it's 'right' or 'wrong' seems to me both unknowable and irrelevant.
 
MaryContrary

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MrRadish said:
It's seldom beneficial to society or to the individual, in my opinion. Whether it's 'right' or 'wrong' seems to me both unknowable and irrelevant.
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Need and emotion are what motivate us. So hate is a motivator. Depends then on how you use it and what it motivates you to do.

For example. A lawman in the Old West. He hates injustice and all who practice it. This can be good or bad. Bad if it drives him to injustice himself or interferes with rational thought. He could terrorize a community in the pursuit of such "justice".

Good if it motivates him to truly dedicate himself to enforcing the law. Or put his life on the line to protect the innocent. Or refuse bribery and turn right around and arrest the one that tried to bribe him. Etcetera.

I think it's beneficial as often as not. And the right or wrong of it, not so inscrutable.
 
Nick M

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Pink Fuzzy Bunny said:
Hating people, yes, is wrong.

But hating sin is right.
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Seems God hates the sinner.

Psalm 5:5

The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity.

Psalm 11:5

The LORD tests the righteous, But the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates.

Psalm 26:5

I have hated the assembly of evildoers, And will not sit with the wicked.


Psalm 35:19

Let them not rejoice over me who are wrongfully my enemies; Nor let them wink with the eye who hate me without a cause.

So you can see, it is good to hate doers of evil. It is not good to hate without cause.
 
MrRadish

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MaryContrary said:
Need and emotion are what motivate us. So hate is a motivator. Depends then on how you use it and what it motivates you to do.

For example. A lawman in the Old West. He hates injustice and all who practice it. This can be good or bad. Bad if it drives him to injustice himself or interferes with rational thought. He could terrorize a community in the pursuit of such "justice".

Good if it motivates him to truly dedicate himself to enforcing the law. Or put his life on the line to protect the innocent. Or refuse bribery and turn right around and arrest the one that tried to bribe him. Etcetera.

I think it's beneficial as often as not. And the right or wrong of it, not so inscrutable.
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Hm. True, to a point. Certainly I think hating something intangible, like 'injustice' (another problem term, but we won't go into that here!). I just find that generally there are better alternatives to hatred, especially of people rather than concepts. I find it tends to be more beneficial to disagree with something or someone on an intellectual level, be clear about why, but not to become a consuming emotional reaction.

Emotions are fine, but are entirely subjective. This makes them a real problem when you try to put them into action against someone else.
 
MaryContrary

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MrRadish said:
Hm. True, to a point. Certainly I think hating something intangible, like 'injustice' (another problem term, but we won't go into that here!). I just find that generally there are better alternatives to hatred, especially of people rather than concepts. I find it tends to be more beneficial to disagree with something or someone on an intellectual level, be clear about why, but not to become a consuming emotional reaction.
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Hm. You're being rather vague. "Generally there are better alternatives" and "tends to be more beneficial". Well, sure. Presented with all possible scenarios we'll find hate isn't appropriate for the vast majority of them. No problem agreeing on that point.
MrRadish said:
Emotions are fine, but are entirely subjective. This makes them a real problem when you try to put them into action against someone else.
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True. Emotion motivates us to action. But we should engage with reason to determine what action.

Again, just tossing it out there that hate isn't somehow a "bad" emotion. They're all good or bad depending on how you use them. Or allow them to use you.

We tend to reject hate, ironically, irrationally. In fact, I'd suggest we hate hate. Which I don't think is a reasoned application of hate. ;)
 
Selaphiel

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Nang said:
There is such a thing as a righteous hatred of God's enemies.

"For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in vain. Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies." Psalm 139:22
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Matthew 5:43-46
Ro 12:20-21

Hate is a waste of time, only good and love can triumph over the wicked. Many think Jesus is a pacifist, he is not. He just do not advocate redemptive violence or hatred, only redemptive love and radical goodness towards those that hate you.
If there is anything we should hate, it is our own sin, not the sin of others.

Follow the example of Christ referred to in 1 Peter 2:21-23 and leave it to the only just judge.
 
Nick M

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Selaphiel said:
Matthew 5:43-46
Ro 12:20-21

Hate is a waste of time, only good and love can triumph over the wicked. Many think Jesus is a pacifist, he is not. He just do not advocate redemptive violence or hatred,
Click to expand...

Like stoning children? Or making a whip from cords and beating people with it?
 
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