Why does the Christian concept of "love the sinner, hate the sin" offend people?

Question

Please explain without hurling personal insults. Thank you.

Answer 1

because they love their sin. simple as that.

Answer 2

Without reading the other answers, I'll go ahead and try to answer. Sorry if I'm copying someone else's good answer.

When you say "Love the Sinner, hate the sin" you are making judgments about someone, and announcing that you know their actions are sinful. In the case of Gay, Lesbian, and Transgendered people, that means you are judging their sexual behavior. It also means that their feelings about people are something to be despised. The love between two gay men isn't viewed as love by someone who despises that love.

Other cases of offensive "Love the sinner" usage can include looking down on a person's religious beliefs (Imagine someone telling a Christian, "I love you, I just hate that silly church you go to!"), on their actions ("I love you grandfather, but I hate you're decision to serve in World War Two!") or the things they do ("I love you, Mom, but I hate you're cooking.)

Also, when you blithely announce that you love a person, but hate his sins, it doesn't make the love sound very sincere.

Now, hopefully, twelve other people haven't already answered this question this way. If so, you're welcome to hate this answer, but love me anyway.

Answer 3

I never really have heard of it offending anyone. But I think the main reason it may is because very few people follow that guideline. It is a very rare person indeed who will actually separate people from their actions. Too often the whole "love the person, hate the action" bit will cross over into "judge that person solely on that one action and do your best to make them feel like they are a worthless person and you are so much better than them" attitude. I hear this line often used to refer to the Christian attitude towards homosexuals...well, it rarely gets used in that way. That and people tend to become sensitive when they feel like they are being judged.

Answer 4

Perhaps people are offended by all ideals; to love people despite their behavior while recognizing their immorality as such is certainly an ideal.

Perhaps Non-christians are offended because they confuse liberty with license and lump love with the latter. They expect love to be "unconditional," but what they really mean is "permissive." This also means "license." When the behavior of persons upon whom they place high expectations (Christians) fails to live up to the misperception of what the Love of God is, then the Non-christian is offended.

I personally, fall short of "loving the sinner while hating their sin" because I believe in personal responsibility. I lump immoral choices together with the people who make those choices, particularly when their behavior affects other people. We all learn by suffering the consequences of our actions. God uses life to mold us, God does not manipulate circumstances to save us from uncomfortable lessons in life. If God did, we would not learn. So, not only do we deserve to suffer the consequences of immoral choices, but we need to.

Answer 5

It offends ppl just like back in the life of Jesus. Jesus went to the outcasts(sinners) to win them over. I imagine that there were alot of "righteous" ppl who saw the ppl Jesus hung around with and thought "How dare he go near those awful ppl!" Christianity should be about LOVE; loving the sinners so much believing that sinners are just as worthy of knowing the Truth.

Answer 6

Because it's not biblical. We, as human beings, are commanded to treat others as we want to be treated. Many people wrongly believe God loves everyone; therefore, we should also. This is so not Biblical. Romans 9 speaks about God hating Esau, and in Proverbs and Psalms it speaks about God hating the doers of iniquity. If you want to love people who are living in their sins go ahead, but know it's not even close to being biblical. It's a personal conviction not necessary for justification.

Answer 7

Generally the people that are offended by that are taking the opposite stance, "hate the sinner, love the sin." Thus the offense.

Answer 8

I don't know why it offends people. It certainly doesn't offend me.

However I think that this manner of thinking is a bit misguided, as you are telling someone to hate. I don't care what it is that you're hating, hate is a negative emotion and negative emotions and thoughts draw other negative emotions and thoughts.

Love the sin and love the sinner. Of course there is no such thing as sin so it's a bit of a misnomer. Sin is a concept that is in the mind of the beholder. There is no absolute - there is no agreement other than what people are told to believe.

FP

Answer 9

It offends because you are claiming to know who is sinning. There is no such thing as sin. sin, hell, and satan are man made terms.

Look up Bishop Uranus of Leon. He is partly the reason that Christianity is about control and not enlightenment. Pope Gregory did the rest of the twisting and altering.

Answer 10

I hate it, and I am a Christian ( use the term loosely because I do not agree with most things other 'Christians' are doing). Who determines what a sin is? The religion. Why do they focus mainly on homosexuals - this is what I have heard it for (for more than six years) - when they themselves sin every day? It seems hypocritical to me. I feel this because they are being judgmental and it is only something that God can do. As for others, I do not know what it offends them, but that is why it offends me.

Answer 11

Maybe because people find it so terribly hard to forgive others? Ya know, most people take the person who offended them and think of getting back at them more than what they actually said..just how the mind works and people hate to know that?

Love,
Ana
http://www.spiritualblessing.org