Why so much hate?

Proverbs 9:8 (KJV)
Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.

Bulldog's rewording:
If you correct a scornful person, they will hate you: correct a wise man and he will love you.

Why so much hate?

The 60's generation screamed out to the world "Make Love, Not War!" Maybe their method of communication was a little wrong, since they showed a tendency to define Love as sex, while those of us who study the bible know there are four different kinds of Love and sex falls into only one of those four definitions. I will leave the discussion of the word Love here, because it is worthy of more in depth discussion another time. Our topic today is Hate, why is there so much of it in our world today? Why does it seep into every aspect of our lives? Is there some way to get rid of it?

Please bear with me, now it is time for a lengthy quote from the Bible:
Leviticus 19:11-18
11 Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.
12 And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.
13 Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.
14 Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD.
15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.
16 Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD.
17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.
18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.

I believe the focal point of these verses is verse 17 "Thou shalt not hate...", the rest is discussing the causes/circumstances of hate and the effect or end result of hate. For the causes or circumstances leading to hate we have: lying, stealing, cheating, turning from or disrespecting God, unjust judgment, gossip, etc. Many of these things can also be considered to be the end result or effect of hate because hate creates a vicious cycle that returns to consume the person who started it.

Here is another long quote:
Matthew 5:43-48
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

This is Jesus' redefinition of "Love thy neighbor". I think people have lost touch with the fact that Jesus was not some pansy, pushover, lovey-dovey, wimp of a man. He was a strong male role model that asked his followers to live the tough life of a man who did not backtalk, did not grumble, did not hate back, instead he showed love and consideration even to those who showed hate to him! Even on the cross he asked God to forgive those who crucified him! He is telling us to strive for perfection, using Jesus as an example! Yes, we will fail in many ways because we are human, but he is faithful to be with us and pick us up when we fall!

Big finish now:
James Chapter 3
01 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
02 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
03 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
04 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
05 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
06 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
07 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
08 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
09 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?
12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

Bulldog's rewording:
My family in Christ, don't get confused and follow different masters. Because all of us make mistakes. If anyone could manage to not have a slip of the tongue, they would have to be perfect, and they could then control their whole body. Learn from the example of horses, we put bits in their mouths and are able to control their whole body with that bit. Think on the example of the ships, that however large they are, and no matter how fast or powerful they are, yet they are turned about with a very small helm (or rudder), wherever the captain wants it to go. Like these examples, our tongue is a small part of our body, that can do great things (for good, or for evil). Think about how a small flame can grow to an immense fire. The tongue is a fire, a small example or the origin of all the evils in this world: so the tongue can pollute the whole body, and sets fire to the course we tread in life. This fire has it's origin in hell and burns eternally. Though every kind of beast, and bird, and serpents and other things in the sea can be tamed by mankind, the tongue is not tamed by mankind! It is unruly evil, full of deadly poison! Why is it that we can bless God, and curse mankind with the same tongue? We should not use our tongues to speak both good and evil, but should work towards controlling ourselves to speak only good! Does a fountain pour out both drinking water and salt water? Can fruit trees provide any fruit, or only the fruit it was meant to produce? We were meant to produce good fruit. Who is wise and knowlegeable? Let them prove it with good conversation with the meekness that comes from wisdom. But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, don't profess to be wise! Those who argue about wisdom and knowledge and attempt to prove something are using earthly wisdom tainted with evil. Envy and strife causes confusion and leads to evil! But the wisdom of God is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be reasoned with, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy! And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those that make peace.