"Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin"
I don't like the phrase "love the sinner, hate the sin". It raises my blood pressure. I find this phrase offensive on so many levels. I think those who use this phrase when referring to my sexual orientation mean well; in fact I think some feel they are being quite generous.
There are people claiming to have the 'bigger picture' or the 'eternal perspective' yet these are often times the most narrow minded individuals.
They claim unconditional love while, at the same time, placing conditions on their love. I think this is where people lean on the 'love the sinner' argument. "I love you BUT...". When someone says "I love you but I don't agree with you", I get it; I think you can love people and not agree with them. However, when someone saying this actually means "I love you but I don't think you deserve the same respect, rights, rewards, etc... that I do; because you are not as righteous as I am." Thinking all the while 'if only you knew what I know'; then I don't get it, I don't agree with it and I get a bit worked up.
Disagree with me, think what you will of me but don't vote to pass legislation putting me and millions of others in a sub-category of people who don't deserve the same dignity, rights and privileges that you do. This is NOT loving the sinner; it's called being a bigot.
When you use this phrase think first. Think about the person you are calling a sinner, then ask yourself if you are really the one on higher ground. When you decide you know what's best because you have an eternal perspective; ask yourself if there is room in your heaven for your judgement.
You are so eloquent and brutally honest, and the world (some states need it pounded into their brains more than others, it would seem) needs to hear and internalize that you can like, even love, someone and still be a bigot. Bigotry is not a feeling, it is a set of actions that a person believes are "the right thing" to do, even though the action causes harm, or takes away right(s) that they would have had, if the bigoted belief was not there.
ReplyDeleteI don't know that I said that very well, but I don't see how you can be a Christian, or in my case Mormon, and be following Christ's order to Love our neighbors as thyself. I lay out my reasons, based in Mormon theology, for being in support of equal rights, for all my LGBTQ sisters and brothers.
http://www.poetrysansonions.com/2013/03/my-mormon-perspective-why-i-believe-in.html?m=0
well stated Julia. I agree with you on the sentiment that bigotry is a set of actions not a feeling. Just because you 'love' someone doesn't mean you're not a bigot. However, it is somewhat counter intuitive to think you love someone but at the same time think they are not equal or deserving of dignity and respect.
DeleteI too find it hard to reconcile the idea of love, which is unconditional from Christ and of Heavenly Parents, with the conditional love, that is being peddled to this generation. I find all the cutesy things that people create and pin on PinIt (or whatever it is) show up in my feed on Facebook. Thousands of people "liking" things that are not in anyway following the commandment to love others as we love ourselves.
DeleteWe are not loving someone when we are taunting them. We are not loving someone when we try to control their thoughts, actions, and want them to follow the plans we have made for them, rather than the plans they feel called to by the promptings of the Spirit.
I get sad when I see people doing the best to live their lives according to the dictates of their own conscience, and instead of supporting thier right to receive inspiration for their lives, their Mormon friends, families and ward members feel self-righteousness in shunning and telling them simply prayer and read their scriptures more. (Sorry for the run on sentence, I'm hurting too much to try and break it up more. ;-) Just not quite that righteous or dangerous, as my usual self.)
I don't personally like the expression "unconditional love." Love just is. Conditions cannot be added to or removed from love. Either you love someone or you don't. If conditions need to be removed in order to love someone fully, it isn't truly love.
ReplyDeleteAs far as someone loving me, but not my "sins", I question whether I really want their love. You either love the entire me, with my faults (real and imagined), or you don't. I'm not a religious person, but I like the idea of Christ-like love. I wish more of the followers of Christ showed this love.