5.31.2005

What is Hate?

Two fathers with one daughter each. The first father sets a curfew for her date, and becomes extremely angry when she comes home 2 hours past curfew and grounds her for a month. The second father sets the curfew, notes when she comes home and says nothing about it. Which father loves more?

The logical conclusion is that to love is to care about something. To hate something is to have apathy. The father who issues punishment for violation of the rules does not enjoy the punishment, but cares about the daughter obeying the rules. The father who is apathetic says nothing and ignores the violation.

An interesting question was posed in our Sunday school class over the weekend regarding the juxtaposition of punishment and love: If Jesus was the personification of God and God is love why is there wraith? (NOTE TO BLOGOSPHERE: the method of asking this question is philosophical in nature but does not question that Jesus is the personification of God as man.)

Jesus got angry when the temple was turned into a quick cash check writing shop. (Matthew 21:12). God has wraith at sin but is still righteous. (Romans 1:18; Romans 3:5).

Yet God is Love. (1 John 4:7, 8, 16).
additional references: punishment restrained by love: (2nd Corinthians)

From a certain perspective, as Yoda would say, to be angry is to love.

My rants are anger at perceived wrongs or stupidity given out of love for fellow man. If I hated then I wouldn't bother to do this blog because I wouldn't care.

Therefore to hate is to not love.