A Nation of Hate

--Bill Petite

In the book of Numbers, chapter 16, in the Bible, we read the account of Korah and his friends and relatives rebelling against God. They thought they were actually challenging Moses and Aaron concerning why they were the chosen leaders. Eventually, you will have this type of resistance in a movement. These people didn’t realize they were actually challenging God. He was the one who called Moses and selected him for this job. Moses resisted but finally gave in. It was evident that God didn’t like this rebellion against Him and in verses 28-33, we read that the ground opened up and swallowed them all.

Does this type of rebellion happen today? Yes. Have you seen or heard about the ground opening and swallowing anyone lately? No. (Well, maybe a sink hole here or there) Does that mean God is over His tantrum and won’t do that again? First, God wasn’t having a tantrum. He was showing His ultimate authority and making sure Israel knew who was in charge and Moses was His man. Did it stop the Israelites from whining and complaining? No. If you watch any news channel or local news, you will fully understand and know that yes, people still whine and complain about their leadership. But it’s not just complaining, it’s hate. Politics has driven a deep wedge in this nation and the ‘us versus them’ hatred is far worse than ever. For those who believe this country was founded on Christian principles and it still is a Christian nation, think again. I won’t argue the Christian founding but this nation right now is as far from being a Christian nation as a snow storm in 90-degree temperatures.

Paul tells us this in Romans Chapter 12:

Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.  Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.     Romans 12:17-18

Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,
“I will take revenge;
I will pay them back,”
says the LORD.
Instead,
“If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap
burning coals of shame on their heads.”

Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.     Romans 12:19-21

 

Some Christians struggle with these words. They have been caught up in this hateful division and just have to strike back.

Some will spend their time searching through the internet and social media just looking for an argument. There is something known as righteous anger; that was Jesus when He went into the Temple and overturned the tables of the money changers and threw them out. They didn’t belong there and Jesus made sure they got the message. We, as Christians can exercise righteous anger. When you know something is in opposition to God’s word or His commandments, we can exercise it. For example, you take your child to school only to find out that Drag Queens will be coming in to read to them. I know, that’s a horse well beaten but it is a good example. Would you be showing righteous anger when you discover this? You display this anger by approaching school authorities that same day and telling them why you don’t like this and you are taking your child home. You have explained your reasons why and your position but you don’t go on a rampage, call them all names and make stupid threats. They got your message; there is no need to act like the unsaved world before you leave.

The hate in this nation is so strong and so intense. If a person playing a professional sport refuses to wear anything which is part of the uniform and reflects the celebration of Gay people, that person is immediately labeled a homophobe. The person doesn’t agree with that lifestyle and doesn’t want to promote something he/she disagrees with. And that makes them, automatically, a homophobe. That word actually means fear of homo. The Gay community likes to use it to say the player is in fear of the Gay lifestyle and a bigot or racist. But there is no fear; they simply disagree with it. Why does such a small percentage of people in a lifestyle get to demand everyone else must agree with their unnatural lifestyle. Why do they insist on everyone agreeing with the Gay lifestyle. I don’t agree with people living together in a sexual relationship before marriage but I don’t fear it and I don’t hate them. Yet, some Gays demand everyone agree with their sinful lifestyle. I don’t agree with it but I don’t hate them. They are people like all of us and really should not be put into a separate category of human beings even though some of them seem to want that status. I can love them and still strongly disagree with their choice of a sinful lifestyle.

In my opinion, I believe the worst case which displays the hatred and demented mindset are the protestors who cram into streets and open lots demanding the right to kill unborn babies. Think about it; women holding up protest signs demanding the right to kill their unborn children. How sick is this? Well, if you’re not a Christian, you might not have a problem with this and think we Christians are wanting to deprive them of some right to kill the unborn child. And yes, it is an unborn human being. But these people try to polish it up by calling it women’s health. That’s ridicules. Then there is always the claim that rape victims and incest victims are being denied the right to abort these unwanted babies. Do the research on this; the percentage is extremely small. But some conservative states do have special allowances for this. But put those categories aside and think about all the others. Women and men who are not responsible in their sex lives and the woman is with an unwanted child and demands to be able to kill it and be free of the baby who will ruin her life. It’s an act of irresponsibility and then on top of that an act of selfishness by killing off the child. That probably all sounds kind of harsh and it is meant to be.

I think seeing these people protesting, men and women, for the right to kill unborn children is the lowest of the low when it comes to anyone’s mindset, morals and an extreme lack of values.

The hate runs so deep in this country that when one person disagrees with another’s ideology, ideas, or any comment, they simply shoot them to death. Charlie Kirk comes to mind. I never spent any time listening to him but in this country, we do have a right of free speech. But there were those who strongly disagreed with what Charlie was saying so the simple thing to do was to kill him. Just shoot him and shut him up and they did. But the voice of Charlie Kirk will live on through others who agreed with his message and the hate will become stronger.

Again, the hate is so strong within this nation that it bleeds into every part of life. If I read the comments following a sports story, I will eventually, about three comments in, see one bringing politics into the discussion. What does politics have to do with a story concerning an NFL team or MLB game? But there they are forcing their political opinions into the comments on the sports page.

And here is the sad part; God has blessed this nation down through the hundreds of years.  But I think those blessings have run out. How can the God of the Bible bless a nation who kills babies, kills the messenger they hate, approves of Gay marriage and the lifestyle and is always attempting to kill the person He has placed in authority. It’s alright not to like the person God has placed in that office but when you try to kill them, you are opposing God and trust me that’s not a good position to be in.

So, what’s the answer? It’s what Paul said in Romans 12:18: Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.  But I don’t see that happening anytime soon. I remember telling a friend back in the 1980s that the freedom we have in this country will be what brings it down. I think we are seeing that now. And for those Christians who believe this is God’s country, you’re wrong. He has, in the past, blessed and used this nation for His purposes but I think that time is over. One last thought; I just cringe when someone quotes 2 Chronicles 7:14 in reference to this country,

Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.      2 Chronicles 7:14

This is an answer to Solomon’s prayer. It has nothing to do with the United States and it only is meant for Israel. It sounds good when applied to our nation but it is not a statement by God to this country but to Israel. And look closely at the section of the verse which says…my people who are called by my name. Not everyone in this country is a Christian and are not God’s people. And, the United States is not mentioned anywhere in the Bible let alone as His people or nation. Having said all of that, we do need to pray for this nation and I mean pray hard. This nation has wondered so far from God’s blessings and grace that it is scary. So, keep this nation in your prayers and ask the Lord to bless it once again. And, ask God to remove the hate from your heart if you are one caught up in the hateful divide.