By Ron Bowell
“It’s a beautiful thing, the destruction of words… if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.” — George Orwell in 1984
Words are meaningful only as long as there is common agreement about what they mean. When the meaning of words is lost, what results is the confusing gibberish of biblical Babel. When words are regularly distorted, communication breaks down and we end up with an exchange of propaganda rather than true discourse.
“Love” and “Hate” are two words that have been extensively abused in recent years. Both have been so cheapened by casual and careless use, they have become almost meaningless. That’s why it’s not really helpful to have these two words being thrown around like grenades in Salina’s LGBT ordinance debate.
Those who favor the ordinance maintain that it’s about love… that if one was really “loving”, they would embrace the LGBT ordinance. Even some who carry Christ’s name say Jesus would favor the ordinance because of his “love” for all people.
It then becomes logical and permissible to believe that those in favor of repealing the ordinance must be sub-human people of “hate”. Hence, the continuous barrage of “hater” comments lobbed at those in opposition to the City Commission’s action. It matters not that many of those who are opposed actually know and dearly love people who are LGBT. Judgment has been pronounced. If you’re opposed, you’re a “hater”.
These distortions of the words “love” and “hate” are prime examples of the “Babelization” of our language. “Love” and “Hate” have mutated to the point that they are almost meaningless.
Consider the word “Love”. If you had an earthly father who loved you, did you expect him to always approve your every action? Sane folks would answer, “No!” Permissiveness is not the same as love. In reality, love has boundaries or it is not genuine love. Parents who “love” their children, sometimes say “No”, and it’s not seen as “hate”.
God is the same. The Father’s discipline comes along with His love. When God tells us, “No”, it’s not because he hates us. It’s because he loves us. God is more interested in our wellbeing than He is in granting our every desire.
The Father made his will clear on the topic of sexuality. Nowhere does God ever say, “Yes”, to the behaviors associated with the LGBT lifestyle. Is this because God “hates” people? No! God loves us, but his love has never included His saying “yes” to everything we want to do. Saying “no” is not “hate” and in fact, may be love at its highest and best.
Jesus loved all people, but he never balked at telling them, “No”. To the woman caught in adultery, he said, “I don’t condemn you.” Everyone seems to know that part of the story. But, that’s not all he said. He also told her, “Stop this behavior. Stop sinning.” Was Jesus a “hater” because he corrected her? No! Jesus was the epitome of love. Still, he said, “No”, many times. The phrase, “Do not”, is found in the majority of the ten commandments. Are they “hateful”?
Many of us have learned how to love addicted family or friends without providing drugs for them or blessing their lifestyle. We are not “haters” when we tell them, “No!” We don’t have to agree with them or support their lifestyle in order to love them.
So, we can love people who are LGBT, but not be in favor of Salina’s overly intrusive city ordinance. And that’s the main problem with this ordinance. It’s coercive, especially for churches. It’s guaranteed to have a host of unintended consequences. There is just too much bad stuff mixed in with the good stuff.
Voting “Yes” to repeal the ordinance does not mean we “hate” anyone. That’s as silly as saying that every person who votes for Romney is a racist. The issue is more complex than that. There are many different reasons a person might vote yes to repeal. So, let’s drop the “hate” rhetoric.
Are there people who hate? Absolutely! If you don’t believe it, you should read some of my mail. “Haters” are found on both sides of any issue. But, loving people can vote “Yes” to repeal this ordinance. Anyone who claims otherwise has distorted both the words, “love” and hate”. They have arrived at Orwell’s “1984”, twenty eight years late.
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