Meeting ignorance with hatred...

Today I read an article published by Action to America, entitled:

Ted Turner's New Commandments to be Enforced by the UN

The new commandments, which Turner calls "Voluntary Initiatives," are in themselves rather frightening, and his hubris in daring to offer an "improved" set of commandments is irritating, even if he calls them "voluntary." Nevertheless, the comments offered by people representing themselves as Christians were the bigger disappointment. My comment on the piece is copied below:

It is sad to see so many comments in "defense" of the Ten Commandments filled with vitriol against a lost soul who has mocked God.

Jesus taught us, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ ²² But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire." (Matthew 5:21-22)

And He further told us, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be sons of your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:43-45)

Ted Turner is not the enemy. He is one of the captives, whom Jesus came to set free. When we condemn those who disagree with us, we lose our witness, and that is a violation of the third commandment: "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain." (Exodus 20:7)

I, too, become angry when God is mocked, but Paul told us, "Be angry, and do not sin." (Ephesians 4:26) We cannot dispel evil by name calling and hatred. Jesus told Pilate, "For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth." (John 18:37) Only the truth can dispel the darkness of the lost souls in this world.

So, in your most winsome manner, share the truth with your neighbors. Judiciously point out the errors of their arguments, even as Jesus did. Know your Scripture, so you have nothing for which to apologize. As Paul wrote to Timothy, "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. ¹⁶ But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness." (2 Timothy 2:15-16)

Soldier of God, in this battle for the minds and hearts of men, we are called not to destroy those who are lost but to be "fishers of men." I have never found it effective, when stalking the wily trout, to use "bait" that is repellent to fish. It is ever so much more effective to offer a delectable morsel. When will we learn to offer delectable morsels, instead of self-righteous vitriol?