Why do people use faith as an instrument of hate?
612651
I think that people get caught up on one single aspect of their faith a lot of times.  This causes them to lose sight of their complete faith which can lead to misinterpretion or a lack of understanding of what their faith teaches and believes.  Homosexuality is a very good example.  I'm not saying that I believe its right, but you still have to step back and realize this person is still a person.  You also have to realize that you are not perfect either in some other way, and a lot of people forget that.
752221
The fact that religion, throughout our history, has mainly been used an excuse harm and abuse others. Be it Nazi's against Jews, or Islam against the western world (and vise versa) Catholics/Protestants we could go on forever. The killing, in the name of "God" (whichever your faith) never ends.
994638
im an athiest,a true athiest and all I can say is that many people become so called athiest when they want to hate other faiths or when something bad has happend to them and they choose not to believe in god.My reason for not believing are though facts.I respect all faiths but fake athiest tend to want to bully and self-assure them self though disrespectul and aggrisive questions.Bottom lilne no matter what you are,stupid people who cant respect will be on both sides and you need to know the 2 important rules in life;\nNEVER ENGAGE IN A RELIGIOUS OR POLITICAL DEBATE!
1024766
Hatred motivates them both, ignorance and arrogance causes their motivation, and narrow-minded bigotry underlies their ignorance and arrogance.\n\nBoth are brutal and cruel.  Physical violence is more obviously harmful and dangerous.  The "Christian" who does this, by the way, is not really true to his or her faith - and may be considered a cultist depending on which denomination is involved.
473215
First, it can certainly be argued that not all sin carries the same weight even though all sin is damaging.  Participating in the Holocaust and stealing a pencil are clearly not the same weight.\n\nIt is wrong to hate anyone.  I do not understand the evangelicals who do hate homosexuals.  If you are going to do that, then you also need to hate gluttons, adulterers, liars, vain people, greedy people, and so forth at least to be consistant.\n\nWhat you are seeing when you see hate is their own brokeness coming through and their own attachment to their own sins.  Unfortunately in the US, Christians tend to misread an important passage because of how it is translated into American English.  People see Jesus as "saving" them.  Unfortunately that has a specific theological meaning and so that translation is favored.  However, it is a slightly better translation to use the word liberated.  God liberates us from our sins is a closer idea.  You are saved if you actually permit God to liberate you.  As an early Christian writer said once, "most people carry their sins around with them like chains.   The chains are broken and they have been set free, but they won't totally let them go.  They drag them around on the ground and they get snared to their old sins."  Christians who feel a need to hate, have really surrendered their salvation in favor of their own sins.  But God does and will let them go again, if they permit God.  Submission to the will of the Father, kenosis, or disolving of self in favor of God, is the key.\n\nNow, there is a question of whether it is wrong to lie to children about Santa.  I have thought about it, but it is a lie like a parable.  Parables are not true, yet they are.  Santa is a similar type of thing, it isn't true, but it is.  You are teaching gift giving and the importance of goodness.  It has become distorted in American culture, but if you read the original story of Nicholas, really we are continuing his ministry 1700 years later.  It really is because of Nicholas this is occuring.\n\nIt is true that all the world sins and it is broken.  It is the experience of the writers of the OT, that the destruction was due to their sin and they recorded that.  It could be listed as a mystery.  It could also be thought of as even though we are imperfect, we have minimum standards of conduct we must not fall below.  For example, no slaughtering of innocents would rank up there no matter who you are.
1163846
Simple like the answer about realigns. People use what ever they can to put forth their beliefs like bl aiming religion or Bush. You have to understand that this part of the world has hate that goes back to the start of man in what we call the cave man then the cooper, bronze and then the iron. People have raped murdered and enslaved. Saddam was just like this and also Iran and other Muslims would like to finish what Hitler came close to with the Jews. Chi stains have been a apart of this on both sides and all party's share blame. But unlike the person who hates God he blames every one but him self. And theses people the news like to call insurgents are evil terrorist who wish to be head any one one is not like them.
678652
Because people in this world are stupid, fearful, and/or mean.  There is a lot more to it, but basically everyone who is expressing hatred of any kind falls into one of those three categories.  Stupid, fearful, or mean.
115166
I think that this is a very valid question.\n\nThe vehemence and anger behind some of these men is so deep that one wonders if all of these feelings are simply a result of their faith, or if there are subtler things at work.\n\nI'm the first to say that "I don't get it." Where does this fear and hatred come from? As an atheist who believes in tolerance, this type of attitude baffles me to no end.\n\nWhy hate? Because a book says it's wrong? The same book says that non-believers should be stoned to death. That is disregarded as part of the old covenant which no longer applies. Why, then, keep up this madness?\n\nI actually have a question currently in the Religion & Spirituality forum that you might be interested in.\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AmDxhdBqljUh3eJtEUXI8LXsy6IX?qid=1006022105916
396584
I am an ex-atheist, now Christian. I remember when I used to persecute Christians just because I wanted to make them squirm and cry at my insults and it gave me pride in just torturing Christians. There was no apparent reason for my hatred, other than just to satisfy my own perverse desire for entertainment.\n\nNow, I mourn for those who I had hurt in this manner.\n\n"Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me." - Matthew 24:9
552541
I believe it comes from a lack of understanding others.  People tend to hate that which they cannot understand.  Combine that with spiritual insecurity and it leads them to try to convince others that their path is the only righteous way towards God.  People speaking of religious tolerance have it all wrong.  To say that you tolerate someone else's religion means that you have pasted judgment on them.  This is something only God can do.  In the end, each person would be a better off if they lead by example and found the place that best allows them to worship and work on their relationship with God.
1154013
Hate is an emotion.  Everyone knows hate in some way.  It's impossible not to have some hate even if it is only in our thoughts.  Christians hate and they can't stop themselves from it happening.  It would be sinful to hate so a lot of Christians refuse to admit they hate at all.
269729
Thing is that are differences in all cultures and religions.  We are people with different ideas and different beliefs.  That shouldn't mean because I am different from some one else they have a right to hate the difference or me.  We are different, we should celebrate that not hate it.  The religious hatred has been going on as long as one can remember I am sure.  Why?  Does it make one better than the other? No.  Just makes you look like an ass when you scream hatred and have no valid reason for it.  \nAnd as far as on this forum goes.  Its sad, I am genuinely curious about other faiths.  Though I do not follow them I do enjoy learning about them and I am constantly bumping into people trying to convert some one.  This should be a place of education and nothing more.  If you are interested in converting people do it else where.. Thats my take on it.  and the VonJumbo character and Schneb, to me, fuel the fire for forced conversion and hatred on this forum.. But again this is only my opinion.
50300
My pet peeve is people that bash other religions, yet the religions they bash they think they know all about. Great question!
447913
I've often asked the same question. I suppose religion feeds our sense of spirituality and gives us "answers" to what happens to us after we die. But I think religion has caused, and will continue to cause, wars and other trouble. People should try setting aside their differences in religion and just work together. Besides, I think that religion is personal. It's what you personally believe. And atheists don't cause hatred, the term simply means they do not believe in any god whatsoever, that when you die, that's it. And I dislike those who always try to convert others. Just let people make up their own idea.
614971
First, to answer your question...some people hate other people because they're taught to.  They're taught to hate by their parents, and their parents are taught to hate by their parents and so forth.... These beliefs have been handed down through generations.  \n\nThese beliefs were created in order to make people feel "better" about the institution of slavery.  If you can "demonize" someone, it's easier on your conscience to justify enslaving them and breaking up their families and killing them, etc...\n\nUnderstand, these beliefs were promulgated and reinforced from about 1619 (when slaves arrived here) until TODAY.  People of African descent were only LEGALLY allowed to participate in society fully after 1964 (voting rights act -AND, Congres STILL has to renew it every few years.  People of European descent or women don't have to endure this scrutiny).  \n\nIf you want to focus on a "color", look at Green.  Those with money have pitted those without money against people of color.  People of color have been the socio-political-economic scape goats of people with money.  Whenever people of limited education and limited means start to ask those in power why their lot in life sucks, those in power simply point to people of color and say, "well, it's because of illegal immigrants, or outsourcing, or foreign imports".  It's easier to make someone ELSE responsible for your misery than to take ownership of it yourself.\n\nSecond, there is only ONE RACE:  HUMAN.  According to the Human Genome Project, EVERY HUMAN on the planet is 99.9% IDENTICAL!  Yep!  The only thing that separates us...is US.  We draw political, social, economic, racial, gender, etc...lines.  "The only sin is separation."  Thinking, BELIEVING that we're really that different from each other.\nAnd to think, we make that stuff up!  We create that separation.  And for the sake of what?  \n\nAs Ben Franklin said, "we must all stand together, or surely we will hang separately."\n\nI wish you Peace.
1035018
No, hatred is not a criminal offense.  The deeds you do and things you say as a result may be.
406251
Humans have disagreed about religion since there was such a thing.Everyone wants to believe they are right.That is just human nature.Hate maybe a strong word for indifference's because when you move from that to hate then you not worshiping a higher power,, you are worshiping the devil and everyone agrees he's bad.