Hate the Sin?
How did I miss this one back in February? H/t to Robert for flagging it.
Father Matthew is at it again, with a wonderful video on that loathsome piece of claptrap: "Love the sinner, but hate the sin." That phrase is much beloved by those who claim to be "orthodox" and who hate other people's supposed sins. Father Matthew makes the radical observation that hate is not a Gospel value, and he does it with delightful humor. Check it out below or go to YouTube.
I've written about this before, particularly here. [Other posts will turn up if you search "hate the sin" on this blog.] As I've said before, "It doesn't matter how much fancy language they dress it up in. It's hatred. But it's hatred without the courage to own itself. It is single-issue condescension."
When anyone uses that phrase with me, I am fully aware that they not only hate what they perceive as my sin, but they hate me as well. Once you give yourself over to hate, you cannot be a vehicle for the love of Christ.
Reminds me of the slogan for this blog: "There are only two possible lifestyles: Gospel and not."
Father Matthew is at it again, with a wonderful video on that loathsome piece of claptrap: "Love the sinner, but hate the sin." That phrase is much beloved by those who claim to be "orthodox" and who hate other people's supposed sins. Father Matthew makes the radical observation that hate is not a Gospel value, and he does it with delightful humor. Check it out below or go to YouTube.
I've written about this before, particularly here. [Other posts will turn up if you search "hate the sin" on this blog.] As I've said before, "It doesn't matter how much fancy language they dress it up in. It's hatred. But it's hatred without the courage to own itself. It is single-issue condescension."
When anyone uses that phrase with me, I am fully aware that they not only hate what they perceive as my sin, but they hate me as well. Once you give yourself over to hate, you cannot be a vehicle for the love of Christ.
Reminds me of the slogan for this blog: "There are only two possible lifestyles: Gospel and not."
posted by Lisa Fox at 3/28/2009 04:29:00 PM
3 Comments:
Oh, don't get me started on that "Love the sinner, hate the sin," stuff. I've always been totally bumfuzzled how people get all weird about gays and lesbians (hell, and women) in various ordained ministries, but my experience that a FAR more common occurrence that tears churches up is heterosexual church hanky panky!
My separated-at-birth-twin Maria began with the same line that I intended to use.
About 2 or 3 weeks ago we had a deacon homilist who went into a thing about how much Jesus hated the sin but not the sinner. He said Jesus and hate in the same sentence no less than 5 times.
Jesus and hate do not belong in the same sentence ever.
Gospel or not - you are so right on that one.
Thanks, y'all.
Fran, I am astonished that a deacon would preach such a message. :(
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