I want to apologize for what happened last week. I’m referring to the yelling preachers that preached condemnation for three hours on the Quad. I am asking for forgiveness on behalf of Christians who don’t portray God’s love accurately. I hope you will not attribute a lack of love from humans for a lack of love from God.
Last week, I felt so aggravated that Jesus was being portrayed as someone who hates. I love Jesus more than anyone or anything and when I saw other Christians yelling at people and telling them that God hates liars, idolaters, homosexuals, etc., I felt incredibly frustrated. I do not support the ways in which they tried to get the “message” across.
Let me be clear: The God that I love does not hate people in the slightest bit; he only hates their selfishness. There is a big difference between the two and unfortunately the line became blurred last week. If Jesus hated those people as the preachers claimed, there is no chance I would be a friend of that God.
No one likes being yelled at and told God hates them. The Jesus I know loves us more than anyone can imagine, even if, at times, it seems hard to believe. The Bible says that love is patient and kind and does not insist on its own way; screaming condemnation is certainly not love.
I am not saying that I love in a perfect way, but I try. Jesus had real relationships with people and cared for them genuinely. In fact, one time when Jesus expressed intense anger and yelled was against those who were exploiting people who were seeking a genuine relationship with God.
Again, I am so sorry for what happened. Please forgive us for the ways we don’t represent the loving God we claim to follow.
Timothy Honeycutt
Senior, political science
