{"id":801,"date":"2014-03-18T16:37:54","date_gmt":"2014-03-18T20:37:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/yourbestlifenow\/?p=801"},"modified":"2014-03-18T17:44:05","modified_gmt":"2014-03-18T21:44:05","slug":"why-are-some-christians-so-angry-and-hateful-toward-gays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/yourbestlifenow\/2014\/03\/why-are-some-christians-so-angry-and-hateful-toward-gays.html","title":{"rendered":"Why Are Some Christians So Angry and Hateful Toward Gays?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Below is my response to Sandy Rios, the talk show host of the American Family Association<\/a>, for her recently publicized remarks that “God will even the score” against Obama and gays soon enough.<\/p>\n

I wrote the following response in an attempt to address why there is so much anger and hatred among fundamentalist Christians and Christian leaders toward the gay community. She just happens to be the perfect case study in this sad commentary on bigotry and hatred and fear so prevalent among many Christians and in many churches.<\/p>\n

Here’s what I wrote (if you’d like to read an article related to what she said, click on the link below):<\/p>\n

Let’s be real clear about this, Sandy Rios. <\/a>What you are saying is not said “with humility and with fear” as you claim. No, this IS<\/em> the delusion under which you are living and, coincidentally, I lived, too, for much of my Christian life. I am so grateful, however, to be free of such inner turmoil. Hopefully, the day will come when you tire of it, too.<\/p>\n

Latent anger and hatred, as in your case toward Obama, gays, and, if you knew me, most likely toward me, too, is just that – anger and hatred. Not only do you live with this, but you project it onto God, too. This is delusional in at least two ways:<\/p>\n

1. You assume that God feels about gays and “liberals” just as you do.<\/strong><\/em> What you do not know, however, is that it is you alone who hates gays and is afraid of them. It is not God who hates them or is afraid of them. Your error is that you are unaware of your error. In fact, I am sure you would vigorously defend yourself by saying, “Oh but I love the sinner; it is the sin I hate.” Really? I want to give you more credit than that. Surely you are smart enough to avoid succumbing to that level of self-delusion? It is my hope that one day you will see your own misperception of consciousness.<\/p>\n

There is a second way that projecting onto God what is your own dysfunction is regrettable.<\/p>\n

2. You dismiss your rage toward Obama, gays, and I’m sure others, too, by living out that rage via an imagined future punishment you are certain will come one day. \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>You assume God will pour out his wrath on those you feel are sinners so you are able to cope with delayed gratification today because you imagine savoring it tomorrow.<\/p>\n

I am no psychiatrist but I would guess that’s got to be akin to a mental psychosis. Just my uneducated guess but it seems a little frightening to me to think I would carry in my heart such anger and rage and dull that pain with a kind of morbid projection of payback one day.<\/p>\n

This is all so very unnecessary and certainly it is a repugnant understanding of God with which you live. Having said this, however, I realize you are incapable of seeing this. Otherwise, you would renounce it once-and-for-all. Nobody would knowingly live with such a spiritual dis-ease or borderline psychoses.<\/p>\n

You remind me of those whom Jesus regarded as blind but who thought they could see. This, too, you cannot see precisely because the lens of your soul are clouded by hate and anger. You would likely say, “God will forgive Obama and the gays,” but I wish to declare to you, Sandy, the good news that forgiveness is available to you…today. \u00a0No need to live as you are living.<\/p>\n

Unconsciousness is the culprit in all our failures, as well as all repugnant, judgmental behavior. I think this was one of the points Maya Angelou was making, when she said, “When you know better, you do better.” This is true for almost everyone. It is what precipitated Jesus’ comment from the cross, “Father forgive them, they do not know…”<\/p>\n

When I speak of consciousness, this is that to which I refer. KNOWING-NESS<\/em>. For me, salvation is “the transformation of the mind” as Saint Paul put it in Romans 12:1-2. It is a new way of thinking. It is a kind of expanded consciousness…enlarged awareness. \u00a0It is a new way of thinking.<\/p>\n

I really feel, Sandy, you cannot know what you are saying or doing. Nor are you apparently aware of just how hurtful your words are. The irony in all of this is that you probably feel better about yourself for holding on to your anger, fear, and hatred and projecting it onto God, too, so you don’t feel the demonic nature of such internal attitudes. You likely complicate things by telling yourself over and over that you alone are the persecuted souls of the world because you alone stand for a “truth” you mistakenly but actually think is the truth.<\/p>\n

If it were even possible, I would hope you would know this one thing: Instead of your words lifting you up, as you likely feel they have done, you have really only successfully dragged God down into the pit of projected hate and anger where you live.<\/p>\n

But then, I suppose you cannot see that. Or, can you?
\n@DrSteveMcSwain\u00a0#DrSteveMcSwain<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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