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“Charlie Kirk … was a missionary with a noble spirit and a great, great purpose. He did not hate his opponents; he wanted the best for them. That’s where I disagreed with Charlie. I hate my opponent, and I don’t want the best for them. I’m sorry. I am sorry, Erika. But now Erika can talk to me, and the whole group, and maybe they can convince me that that’s not right, but I can’t stand my opponent.”
—Donald J. Trump, September 21, 2025
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
—Jesus of Nazareth, c. 30 CE
If I ever got up in front of the congregation and told you to hate anyone, you would be right to revoke the approval you offered me in this month’s vote. I would have forfeited the right to be any kind of pastor, settled or otherwise. And if anyone who claims to be a follower of Jesus Christ indicates that hate is his or her chosen response to opposition, we are justified in assuming that that person’s commitment to the way of Jesus is hollow. When that person wields great influence over the thinking of other people, he or she needs to be called out and have his or her words condemned. Jesus once said of those who claimed to live in one way but behaved in a different way, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits” (Matt 7:15–16). Let us therefore be discerning about those to whom we offer our trust.
Two final quotations on this subject, both by Martin Luther King Jr.:
“Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.”
“I have decided to stick to love…. Hate is to great a burden to bear.”
Let us choose our path wisely.
Grace and peace,
bob

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