Hate Buster's

Hate Buster’s

I have been doing some reading. At the prompting of a friend I took a look at a group called Hate Buster’s of Liberty, MO. they seem to be doing some great work. I also read a blog by my Pastor. He is a man that I trust and am growing in my love for him.
Both of the above actions have brought to mind a struggle that I have been having for years. How do we show the love of Christ to a world and at the same stand for the truth of this same Christ? That last line sounds like two different things and I know that it is not. The love of Jesus is all about truth. The worlds definition of love is not always based on truth, so what the world calls love is not really always love.

To lay out the struggle in some practical ways let me give you some examples. While looking at Hate buster’s website I came across an area with student essay’s from a class the founder of Hate busters teaches or taught at William Jewel. The first essay talks about the student being open to more ideas about faith after taking the class. The feel I get is that maybe this student has walked away with a view of all faith’s being valid. The very format of the class almost seems to push for that conclusion. I admit to a very limited knowledge of the class, all the information I have, I processed from Hate Buster’s website. I also, from the website, get the impression that the founder may be a Christian.

So what is my struggle? I don’t believe that all faiths are valid. I can’t come away from reading scripture and see any way that Christianity can be true if there is any other way to be “saved”. If Christianity was a lie than everything is up for grabs. But if it is true, it is what many claim it is, exclusive, if you have the Son you have life, if you don't you don't. John 3:36 and a host of other verses point to what most Christians understand,
” Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." So if busting hate involves interfaith organizations and even the possibility that we are promoting other faiths or “truths”, as Christians we must be extremely careful. We may join them based on values but not creeds. Let's be sure our alignment with groups does not send the wrong message. We must for example show the love of Jesus to homosexuals and adulterers. But while showing that love make sure we don't somehow validate a lifestyle that is in direct conflict with the teaching's of scripture.

So while I love the idea of busting hate, I wonder if the best way is to in any way lead people to believe a lie. What does light have to do with darkness is a scripture that comes to mind? In reading not only my Pastor but Hate Busters information I on one side so totally agree. But a check in my spirit brings up the struggle again. Yes “the church” has done some nasty crazy things. Things like coming off as being haters of homosexuals. Things like putting homosexuality and abortion as the end all be alls of faith. All the while putting aside the rampant infidelity in the church. The divorce epidemic in the church. Huge headlines of homosexual hating Pastor’s who are, guess what, homosexuals. I know the church condemns itself in many areas, doing the very things that they condemn.

But the truth of scripture is pretty clear, homosexuality is a sin. Just like adultery. Just like lust. Just like a host of other things we don’t seem to mind as much. A huge portion of the world is starving and dying from drinking contaminated water. Jesus was clear about visiting people who were sick being equal to visiting Him. Newsflash, Jesus is starving. Jesus is getting sick drinking bad water. Shouldn't this be a prominent part of a political platform somewhere? Shouldn't conservative Christians be all up in arms about that? I know that some are. But not as many as seem up in arms about prayer in school or abortion or homosexuals.

Let’s get up in arms about everything that God is up in arms about. Come on, there is enough of us to tackle all that needs to be tackled. Let’s do it in a way that makes even the hardest left winger shake their head (in a good way). Let us be as scripture says “sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.” Let us not be haters. We can not forget the truth that we came from the same background that so many are in right now. The Truth set us free. The Truth will set them free. But the Truth must be spoken in Love or it is ignored in most cases.

My Christian brothers and sisters, they have plenty to say that is bad about us. We have been percieved as haters. Let's work to fix that image. Let us be Hate Buster's in Jesus name.