Can you disapprove of the way someone is living and not HATE them?

Question

I asked a question last night about some atheists just assuming that Christians HATE gays and atheists. (I do not assume all gays are atheists--for clarification).

I was a bit shocked when one person said that you cant wish to change someones heart (lead them to conversion) without looking down on them and hating them.....

I just do not see it that way. I genuinely do not think I hate anyone.....

Answer 1

People who claim to be atheists think we must hate them.... but if we hated them wouldn't we just leave them alone and let them go to hell.
It's because we DON'T hate them that we try to get them to accept Jesus. Just like with gays, or murderers, or drug addicts,.....
I don't hate any of those. I hate the sin they are committing, just like I hate the sin in me. We are all sinners. Atheists think that us Christians believe we are better than them, I say we are just like them, the only difference is we believe that God sent His son to die for us so He could take us to His home.... if we will have Him.

Answer 2

What you were told is completely untrue. Follow the greatest teacher in the world, Jesus Christ. He did not look down on anyone. He did not hate anyone, even His persecutors. He did however talk out of love about people's failings and the need for conversion. For example, when He approached the woman at the well and asked for a drink, He asked about her husband. When He was told she had had 7 husbands, Jesus acknowledge that and forgave her sins and cared for her real needs. He didn't look down on her for being weak or anything else. He met her where SHE was.

We should be the same way. We should meet them on their level, show them respect, love and care. We should show them the Good News of Jesus and allow God's love and strength to heal them, just like He has healed our lives.

It is okay to stand up for what is right but make sure you do it with respect for the person. An example of this is homosexuality. I have often posted responses about homosexuality being wrong. I address it from the medical, physical, and psychological areas and how it is damaging to the person. I do this because I know atheists will not respond to God's aborration of homosexual acts. I also know that medical and pysical facts are NOT biased, bigotted, or hateful. Unfortunately, like with other aspects of life, the truth can be hard to accept and cause hurt feelings and angry responses.

Answer 3

I can disapprove of and even dislike a person without going all the way to hate. I reserve that term for those which I conclude are intentionally evil. Those I not only hate, I fight against them on whatever level I am able.

But then I'm not a Christian, and I suspect this question was primarily directed at them.

Answer 4

The answer to your first question is Yes.

Looking down on or hating anyone because of their sin is stupid and sounds like some certain people you come across that are LOST in their own self righteousness. There were many GOOD Christians who kept me from coming to the Lord for a long time with these acts of hypocrisy and great acts of self righteousness.

We are all no greater and no less than another.

Hate begets Hate.
Love begets Love.

Answer 5

Why hate some one that is different or living a lifestyle you disapprove of. I think this is something Jesus must have preached against. It is such an ignorant way to be, no wonder the world has problems if people hate simply because someone lives in a way that they disapprove of.

Answer 6

Yes you can disapprove of the way of another person and not hate them. It is however in how you say things that lead people to think of hate. I don't mean you in particular.

Then I will say that when you speak of gays it's they underlying tones that sometimes get picked up on that will lead people to say someone hates gays.

I'm not saying I know for sure that is what happened but it does happen.

Answer 7

hmmm, I really have no patience with total ignorance and as a result I have little or no patience with preaching Atheists.

Although as long as they don't try preaching to me about Atheism I don't have a problem with them and one of the guys at work is an atheist who does not preach and I get along great with him.

Christians are not supposed to judge people for their sin. Since we are not perfect we sometimes do (myself and atheists as an example), however, I believe that most Christians do their best to hate the sin and love the sinner.

Christ told us that what we do to the least of these we do to him, the least person in Creation would be a preaching atheist (In my opinion) so everything I do to a preaching atheist I do to Christ.

Of course Christ is not illogical, unreasonable and closed minded the way preaching atheists are. Christ did treat the Self Righteous Sanhedrin the way I treat preaching Atheists so I think Christ forgives me.

Answer 8

First of all, u cant change anyone ! its absurd to think u can change someone just because you think anything they do r are is wrong.
Now I spent some time asking myself, why ppl hate??? and I came to the conclusion that ppl hates because they are suffering. Many of you many say: "heck Im not suffering, my live is heaven on earth, and still I hate atheists, gays, etc". But the truth is if you hate some one is because something is making you suffer, it doesnt have to be something related to the object of your hatred. Maybe you are not living the life u always wanted, or maybe you have remorse because you hurted some1 badly. Think about this: remember the most happy moment of your life. Now, do u remember hating someone at that time??? I dare to say that even maybe you felt the entire world was good and something great.
Ppl, when u hate somebody is because theres something in ur life thats making u suffering. So I say, instead of hating ur neighbor ´cause hes gay, I think u should start analyzing ur own life. Everything we feel comes from us, ppl, situations and our enviroment r just triggers of our own feelings.
And if u think Im wrong, then think about this: do u think that person cares??? That person gives a damn about what u feel about him/her. He/She will just continue to live his/her life as always. Then, if that gay person is just ignoring u, why wasting time hating him???

Answer 9

God is the ultimate decision maker over whether someone has led a good life or not. Hate is a very strong word. I don't hate anyone. There are alot of people in this world that are not living decent lives. Just watch the news...rapists, murderers, kidnappers, terrorsts. I don't hate them, but I sure don't approve.

Answer 10

I don't agree with prostitutes but I don't hate them, so yes you can disapprove of someone's lifestyle and not hate them, of course. Hate is a very strong word, the terrorists who attacked the USA on 9/11 hated the USA. Hate is such a powerful word.