Thursday, November 19, 2009

Christian Love Abiding. Not.

Which do I find more distressing, the various and sundry news releases generated by the United States Catholic Bishops? Online reportage about that news? Commentary posted by the so-called People of God? Forced to choose, I'd have to go with being disturbed by the continuing lack of civility. (Has The Catholic Civility Project folded?)

If you think I'm making this up, then please put on virtual HAZMAT gear and wade through what's posted in response to David Gibson's recent column at Politics Daily. Or don't. The title of his piece is, "New Catholic Sex Abuse Findings: Gay Priests Are Not the Problem," so it should be easy to imagine the range of comments. (By the way, ever notice how hatemongers stink at spelling? I hate that.)

So where, exactly, did Jesus command us to hate one another? Those of us who claim to be Christian really do need to stop behaving as if John 15:9-12 reads like this:
"As the Father has hated me, so I have hated you; abide in my hate. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my hate, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his hate.

I have said these things to you
so that my anger may be in you, and that your anger may be complete. 'This is my commandment, that you hate one another as I have hated you.'"