When did the Bible become a book of Hate?

Question

I ask this as one who has studied the Bible (I was in Seminary) and questions the validity and motives of those who profess to it's teachings yet are vile both in word and in their deeds when it comes to others who are different. The truth of the Bible is in its message of Love but has sadly been co-opted by Fundementalists and Radicals who like those who co-opt Islam, have turned it into a book of Hate. At this point please, I would ask that only legitimate responses be offered, no selective quotes, no accusations of not understanding the book and most importantly, please do not use the King James Version as your reference given that the books' name reveals its' invalidation (it is a 'Version' not the real deal). One other point, I think the Bible is a great book, a worthy guide to living and loving, but sadly I believe it is being used to harm.

Please I would ask that people answer the question of WHEN they believe it turned.

I am pleased to see so many thoughtful and well said answers, I look forward to more.

suspendor, Que Veritas est? you missed the point but still your answer at least has passion.

NyckOfTyme, you also miss the point, I never said only the new testament if I had then the question would not have been posed for Christ was all about love.

Good answer tim, fair and quite enlightening.....your on the right path

Thanks Preachers Wife, I think you are wrong on many points but your answer is appreciated even if name calling was a tad inappropriate.

Thank You Unkgamer, an answer to the question at hand !!

Answer 1

The Bible is not a book of hate. Hate is caused by misunderstanding and distance (whether it be physical or emotional), and is enhanced by groupthink. That is groups, possibly religious, reinforce their own superiorty to other groups that they do not understand by telling each other that they are right and the others are wrong. Once the hatred is formed, groups look to justify that hatred in any way possible. Religious books especially can be used to separate themselves from others (creating distance), and then are read to justify their hatred. Usually this reading is in spite of what the text actually says or means. Of course, that is not really relevant to people who are predisposed to hatred of others.

Answer 2

First of all you have ask a two fold question, you ask for an answer, then you turn around and tell us that you do not want us to answer, unless the answer is what you want. Sounds like a 2 year old , they want thing their way or no way. Sorry that is not the way it is in the real world. Your frist problem is in your first statment. You got all you learning, what little you have, at the Cemetery, yes you read that right, I said Cemetery. These places are filled with dead people, who try teaching others the way of God, when half of them don't know it thereselves. You say you don't want any quotes from the Bible, then the only thing you have left is the Reader Digest. Go buy you one of them and see how much joy you can get out of it. I will have to put is my 2 cents(Thank You) if you want to know the truth, then the first thing you need to do is ask Jesus into your heart and life and then ask the Holy Spirit for your own understanding, then go read the Bible for yourself. Oh Yes the King James Version

Answer 3

The religous right thinks that the Bible is the end all book. The bible is an exaggeration of event that occured in the life of Jesus he was a great man but it is impossible for some of his actions to have actually taken place. I have been told by scholars that it just felt like 40 days and 40 nights of fasting lets be serious here, if he could have outlasted that then cruifixtion wouldn't have killed him. The bible is a guide to people that they should accept others and treat them all fairly. Give each other a helping hand but today that meaning has changed and they try to find the negative meanings in the bible, they look for the negatives and dwell on them like homosexuals are terrible meanwhile it does not even state that in the bible. It is a powerful book but when used by the wrong people the worst comes out of it.

Also the book itself has not changed just people's perceptions of it.

Answer 4

You can't have been in seminary for long, or you wouldn't be so twisted in your thinking. I see nothing in the Bible that condones hate for our fellow man. Islam is a book of hate exactly because it has twisted the words of Scripture, and added to them.

And as a seminary student, you of all people should understand that the KJV is the Bible, that it is merely an ENGLISH version of a book that you could not understand if it were still in Hebrew or Greek. Don't play the fool! Any copy of the Quran that can be read by English speakers is ALSO a version.

Answer 5

TRUTHFULLY, the bible once was a holistic book and very sacred and very true. but there were groups of people who would change the bible and take stuff out of it. for instance, the bibles today (and i have read MANY of them) don't have women in them. sure there's mother mary, and rebecca, and mary magdeline, but they were just wives, or crazy people. The bible is hated by some women, because it doesn't have women in it, or it gives men a reason to put down women. (Eve ate the apple thing, blah blah blah.) Then, almost all of the stories from Eve to Moses to Solomon are all STORIES. nothing more than a figment of imagination, or a golden tale to spin. Also, some men hate the bible because it doesn't fit with their lifestyle, so they change it to mean this or that. There once was a bible that meant something, but now the bibles are just cruddy little books full of fairytales just like any other fantasy. And if the story isn't their story, then the people don't like it. so they change it to be hateful just like the world. there ya go. the bible today hates women, and hates any other religion or belief that is not of that particular bible. (e.g. christian bibles hate jews and islam, jew bibles hate everyone except jews, catholics are the same, etc...)

Answer 6

During the Reformation, the Bible was re-edited after nearly 1200 years to suit the beliefs of the reformers, so that they could pull themselves away from Rome. The root of Protestant is PROTEST. These zealots, albiet well meaning, protested against many of the injustices that of course took place in their era, and rather than rallying for change within, they splintered off in protest, using their newly re-edited bible, which has 7 fewer books than the Catholic bible.

"Revelation does not reveal," Martin Luther claimed; but even he was squelched at the idea of removing that book.

Since the reformation, over 3,000 denominations of protestantism have developed, all using scripture as a means of segregating the church even further. This splintering is still going on today.

Answer 7

If you're speaking about The Bible that we have at present, then you could consider the time of the Crusades and Inquisition as a starting point (11th century). Those are blatant events that show how misuse of the Holy Scriptures has resulted in great harm to mankind, not to mention the reproach that such acts heap upon God and Christ.

Answer 8

The Bible is God's way to communicate HIS LOVE to man. Hate doesn't come from the Bible, it comes from Man.

People are different, and all people are evil in the eyes of GOD. In spite of that, He loves us all and wants us to be with him.

Fundementalists try to stricly follow the Bible. They like to point out the sins of others with out commenting on their own.

If you mean different, a person that is living an "alternate" lifestyle, well, it may be that there are things you must come to grips with. Certain activites are criticized in the Bible. To participate in them puts you at odds with what God's wants for your life.

God loves us all, he doesn't love the sin in our life. This includes homosexuality, adultry, lying, stealing, cheating, vanity. The list goes on and on and touches us all.

What you do about that sin is the important thing.

Unless you are reading Greek and Aramaic, all Bibles are "Versions" KJV was translated a long time ago. New International version is just a different translation that is easier for modern people to read. Don't seek a "version" that waters down the message.

Answer 9

No sane person who reads the Bible could possibly view it as a book of love. It's filled with atrocities and barbarism from the beginning to the end, much of which is purported to be directly commanded by god. Even the milder New testament is divisive. Jesus himself is purported to have said he did not come to bring peace, but rather to pit family members against eachother, presumably due to dogmatic religious differences, and the New Testament has the lovely habit of referring to anyone who doesn't believe that horse crap as fools and swine (the biggest insult possible when it was written).

A few passages about love here and there do not make it a book of love, it makes it a book of insanity.

Answer 10

It is not that the bible is a book of hate, but when used as a tool to imply on to others what to belive in, then it must get its rightful reaction somewhere down the line. For every action there is and always will be an opposite and equal reaction. If not now ,later on, but it come.
So now people are reacting.

Answer 11

The bible is a book of love, not a book of hate. Sick twisted minds have ruined the bible over the centuries making it out as just a glorified history book. It's the word of God. It's just a shame imperfect humans can't understand it the way we need to.