Hypocrites and Hate mongers

I love to end my day watching Jon Stewart's Daily show before I go to bed.  One of last night's segments though I found disturbing and had to address it. 

Last night there was a segment about Conservative children's books.  Now I understand that the Daily Show is a satire on what it going on in US Politics today.  So I am not certain whether the titles of these books are real or not.  But what really bothers me is the HATE that they espouse for people who THINK DIFFERENTLY than them.

OK, I thought America was moving past hating people who are different.  But perhaps I am mistaken.  I read in the news about the Jena 6.  Hating people of color still appears to be alive in America.  I read about hate crimes against gay people.  I hear the hate in people's voices when they discuss immigration.  And now we are talking about selling books that spout hate for other people simply because they choose to live their life according to a different set of moral values than others.  What is this world coming to?

I did a word study the other day with my thesaurus and bible on the word hypocrite in the New Testament.  What I learned about this word as it is used in the Bible is that it refers to people (usually Sadducees & Pharisees which were the people in charge of the religion at the time basically), is that a hypocrite is someone who advocates/preaches/teaches (fill in your own verb here) one principle but whose heart and actions on the inside don't match the outside.  We all know people like this.  They seem to be around every corner.  Especially in politics.

I don't understand how anyone can love Christ and hate people.  Hate is the antithesis of God.  The Epistle of I John talks about this.  In I John Chapter 2, Verse 9 says: "He that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now." 

It goes on to say in verses 10-11: He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there in non occasion of stumbling in him.  But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes."

I love Christ's description of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and Sadducees in Matthew 23 when he spoke to the multitudes the following words: (Matthew 23: 3-6) all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.  For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.  But all their works they do for to be seen of men; they make broad their phylacteries and enlarge the borders of their garments, and love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues…"

Sound familiar? 

The point is that hate is not of God and those that support hate in any aspect of life and say they know God….well maybe they need to reopen their Bibles and reread Matthew Chapter 23.  We should not be teaching/preaching/advocating hate.  We cannot advocate hate of others for any reason and then call ourselves Christians.   It is duplicitous.  It is hypocritical.  It is not representative of the teachings of my Lord and Savoir. 

It falls upon us, as faithful members of the body of Christ, to call out the wrong teachings that degrade our savior and our faith.  In James Chapter 3 we are instructed with the following:   If ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not and lie not against the truth.  This wisdom descendeth not from above but is earthly, sensual, and devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.  But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.  And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.   It is time for us as Christians to stand up and denounce the politics of hate and refuse to embrace any political party, philosophy or candidate that supports or seeks support from those who would continue to advocate divisions in our country based on hate.   It is time for us as Americans to refuse to elect another candidate that in any way, shape, or form, tolerate this type of hate by anyone even their own supporters.   I do not believe that all of the candidates are the same.  If I concede the point that all candidates say whatever it takes to get elected, then I can only look at their hearts and the fruits of their labors in making what perhaps will be one of the most crucial elections in US History.   

Do we as Christians vote out of hate and fear contrary to what our faith and savior teach us?  Are we lazy and let others pay attention for us?  Or do we as Christians act, as our living Lord and Savior tells us to do, looking at the hearts and the fruits of the labors of each of the candidates.  If we are true to the message of the Bible and not to the message of fear and hate, then we will pick the right person to deliver our country from the failed politics of hate and division.  America is strongest when united we stand.