I have of late encountered a great deal of cynicism and argument about an idea I have always considered simple common sense and quite a fundamental principle for life: the idea that we should love people even though we may consider their actions or thoughts or beliefs wrong. Love sinners but hate sin, to paraphrase St. Augustine.
I lived by this principle when I was not a Christian. I live by it more fully now that I am a Christian. And I am rather at a loss to understand what is so difficult about it.
Sins can always be repented of.
Thoughts and behaviors can always change.
But people are always people.
There is no person alive who is never sinful and never wrong.
There is also no person alive who is never good and never right.
If we remember these things, then we can very easily know how to hate sins but love sinners. We can know how to hate certain thoughts and behaviors but still love the thinkers and the doers.
This all seems pretty evident to me.
But perhaps it’s not really a matter of genuine cynicism or difficulty. Perhaps it is simply a quick and easy defense mechanism to say, “You can’t love me if you think I am so wrong or so bad” or “If you hate what I do/think/believe, then you must hate me.” Perhaps it is easier than dealing with the apparent paradox of being loved by somebody who also thinks you are wrong. Perhaps it is easier to resent that love instead of accepting it.
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17 October 2010 at 9:29 PM
The Reverend Doctor Victoria A. Howard
Nothing should be hated, for to hold hatred in one’s heart leads to sin and bitterness. We must realize that everyone is our neighbor. We should not even hate sin, for sin is what brought Christ Incarnate to us. We should love even Satan, but just not get involved in his pomps and works. Satan has the wool pulled over our eyes if we hate him, because to hate him shows that we are beginning to become as depraved as he is. Hatred is a quality of chaos and darkness, not the light. We must pray for everyone and love them, no matter what they do; and we must forgive and forget. Yes, in the end, we should all forgive even Satan. Forgiveness and love feel good as well as being morally correct. Our sins? We must avoid sin because it hurts Jesus, not because we are hateful. The commandments Jesus gave us command us to love. There is no commandment telling us to hate, not anyone or anything. I have suffered at the Devil’s hands, but I refuse to allow myself to become resentful and hateful. Hatred deforms the soul, and shrinks and hardens the heart. Love someone today who sins against you; forgive them of their sin and go on with your life! Do something to help someone be worthy of Heaven today! And beg mercy for all the lost and damned, including Satan and fill your heart with light and love! You will feel better!
18 October 2010 at 7:19 PM
Practicing Catholic
Rev. Dr. Howard,
I agree with some of your points, of course.
However, I strongly disagree that we should love, forgive, or beg mercy for Satan. It is extremely dangerous to seek out any kind or degree of familiarity or fellowship with Satan. He is not human, he is not our neighbor, and he is not just another poor, suffering sinner. As an angel–according to legend, the very brightest of all the angels–he knew exactly what his choice was and what its consequences were, and he still chose to turn against God and humankind. He is incapable of repentance. He neither needs nor desires our pity or our love. He desires nothing but our eternal doom.
Quote: “Satan has the wool pulled over our eyes if we hate him, because to hate him shows that we are beginning to become as depraved as he is.”
I would say that he has the wool pulled over our eyes when we cease to recognize him for what he is: a creature wholly bent on undermining God’s sovereignty and destroying God’s children and everything else God has created. When we start thinking, “Satan can’t really be that bad, maybe we should re-consider our relationship with him”–that is when Satan has us by the throat. Even better yet, in his eyes, is when we stop believing in him altogether.
I don’t mean that you yourself think that way or are encouraging others to do so, but what you say about loving and forgiving Satan is, at the very least, one step on a very slippery slope. I speak from experience. It’s astonishing how quickly and how completely your world can turn upside-down when you don’t maintain a vigilant stance against Satan and all of the other evil angels.
Hatred in itself is not sinful. Hatred in itself can be seen as a natural aversion toward something evil, harmful, repulsive. I would say this is the case regarding Satan, sin, and every kind of evil. Human beings naturally yearn for and strive toward God and all that is good, true, and beautiful. This natural yearning is part of what love is; love is not merely a feeling, but rather a natural inclination together with actions we take based on that inclination. In the same way, we naturally recoil from and turn against things that are opposed to God, goodness, truth, and beauty.
Hatred becomes something depraved, monstrous, and sinful when we willfully turn it against God, our fellow man, or fellow creatures. Every sin is rooted in turning hatred against God and His creatures. We are all capable and guilty of doing that at times. However, we never have to allow it to rule us. For as long as we live, human beings are always capable of refusing to give in to that hatred. Humans are always capable of repentance, of turning our wills back toward love.
That is what sets us apart from Satan. He with his mighty angelic intellect and will, made a permanent act of hatred against God and creation. Humans are weaker and more limited–we can’t always tell what is good and right, and the fact that Satan is always preying upon us doesn’t help. God knows our weaknesses, which is why He never stops being merciful toward us. We also know our human weaknesses well enough that we should always be merciful toward each other. We also have our strengths, endowed by God, which include the freedom and responsibility to shun evil and do good.
God bless you.
18 October 2010 at 7:49 PM
Julie D.
Dear Practicing Catholic … precisely right. And well articulated. :-)
21 October 2010 at 8:38 AM
Practicing Catholic
Thanks, Julie! :)