The World Needs to Fight Hate, Not Religion

When did the world fall apart so badly? Every time I read the news there seems to be some hate group protesting another hate group. Sometimes it's not groups but individuals. All this makes me shake my head in sadness.

As a writer, I'm glad that the first amendment gives us the right to free speech. It enables me to write articles, share ideas and (hopefully) write a few warm fuzzy pieces. I believe that our founding fathers and mothers U.S. had the right idea.

We also have the freedom to love, hate and be wrong. What we shouldn't be able to do is share the hate. There seems to be enough of that going on in the world already. Why misuse the privilege of speech to share that hatred?

The idea of Quran burning by the Dove World Outreach Center makes me want to throw up. To me, what the world needs to stand up to isn't any one particular religion but to stand up to hate.

When the attacks happened on 9-11 the terrorists didn't give a care as to who they killed as long as they did. Many people died that day both physically and emotionally. It wasn't the religion of Islam who attacked the U.S. it was hatred.

Likewise, the Dove World Outreach Center isn't a group of Christians who want to burn a Quran. To me, the Dove World Outreach Center isn't a church. It's a group of people who have chosen to worship hatred over Christianity.

I am proud to be a Christian who is grateful for the life I have. But, as I write this article I have to confess that I too have hatred in my heart.

Earlier this week a woman moved from a domestic violence shelter into her own rented home. This is the first home that she's ever rented on her own. I arranged for some limited financial assistance so she could select a warm blanket for winter. If she can't afford to keep her home heated she'll have something to help keep her warm. I hate that.

It's incomprehensible to me that the Dove World Outreach Center and other organizations on all sides around the world are so busy spreading hate that they are allowing children to go to bed hungry. Natural disasters and crimes like rape and human trafficking know no religious boundary. Why do we?

I hate these things and I hate that so much time is spent hating each other that so many people fall victim to these horrible things.

My life has been enriched by friends of several religions. It's funny. None of my friends have ever said that they were commanded by their religion to hate another group, allow people to go hungry or to turn away from helping a victim of a natural disaster.

The God I serve tells me to take care of the widows, the orphans and those in distress. I try my best to do that. I'm far from alone. There are others in other religions around the world who are doing the same.

Christianity teaches me to love thy neighbor as myself. This very clear message is one of our central beliefs. There are many Christians who work hard to love others. Loving others isn't limited to those who are different from the reflection in our mirrors or who have different beliefs. Loving others should know no boundary.

This is something that I wish the people in the Dove World Outreach Center could learn and do. It is impossible to carry a heart full of hatred when striving to love your neighbor. To me, it's time for all religious groups to focus on understanding and helping each other.

While we deal with groups like Dove World Outreach Center people are dying, starving or being raped. You know what? I hate that most of all.

Will coming together in love and compassion worldwide stop small hate groups from forming? I don't know. All I know is that we need to try.
Source:
Personal Experience. This piece is this author's personal rant.