Tuesday, October 2, 2012

How does a person overcome one's hatred towards "Christians"?

Someone asked in Yahoo Answers this question:
"How do I overcome my hatred towards Christians?
Two years ago I met God. He turned my life around. He helped me grow, He helped me mend seemingly un-mendable relationships. Last summer I was supposed to be a counselor/TA at a Christian summer camp. The application told me to write down what I was passionate about. I said that I am passionate about marriage equality, helping teenage drug addicts, being a part of stopping sexual trafficking, and treating animals with the same respect I treat humans with. I was basically "kindly asked to leave" because I supported marriage equality and thought that the lives of animals are worth just as much as humans. It has been several months and I still cannot overcome this anger and hatred that boils up inside of me when I see anything Christian. Right now at school I am learning about Christianity and just reading about it disgusts me beyond belief. I don't want to hate Christians but I don't know how to overcome this anger within me. Please help."
 Below is an excerpt of my answer.

"I am sorry to know about the unkind treatment you received from the Christian organisation for stating your beliefs that differ from theirs. I have had my fair share of being treated unkindly by some church members for believing differently from their mainstream church doctrines/teachings. I am no longer attending any church services today.

I have come to learn that it is okay to feel angry at them. Acknowledging our anger and hatred towards them for mistreating us (instead of suppressing our emotions) is actually a step towards finding healing and ensuring our emotions do not control us in the long run.

I would say our anger is directed not so much at Christians as it is towards what they represent. Some are more open-minded and gracious than others, and it so happened we have encountered the more close-minded ones. I can understand that having been hurt by them, anything that is associated with Christianity would leave a bad taste in your mouth, and you would naturally want to stay away from it as far as you can.

At a deeper level, I personally would want to see everyone as human beings, whether they call themselves Christians or otherwise, as I have come to see that Christianity is only a belief system like all other belief systems. One man's orthodoxy is another man's heresy, as the saying goes. Our beliefs about God are ultimately personal and subjective. I think this view helps me to see them from a bigger perspective and realise that the way the adherents in a particular religion treats others is mostly a result of incessant indoctrination by their system, and they were only projecting the bias and prejudices they have been taught onto us who were unfortunate enough to be in their presence at that time.

In the meantime, in order to overcome your hatred towards them, I think writing your thoughts in a journal or blog helps. Even as I am sharing my thoughts in my answer, I am helping myself to articulate my thoughts regarding Christianity at this point of my journey in life. Talking with trusted friends helps too, as we all need support and safe outlets to ventilate our thoughts and emotions."

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