Facts about Hatred: Why God Doesn’t Like It
I’ve summarized facts about hatred detailed below. These truths have a Biblical meaning as well which I’ll address later.
- What is hatred? It’s a strong emotion causing someone to want to remove the person or thing that spawns the feeling.
- The emotion can be long-lasting, consume the mind, induce other intense feelings, and lead to a hate crime. In some cases, it’s a learned emotion passed down from parents, other close relatives, teachers, and friends.
- Feelings of hatred can be implosive (turned inward) or explosive (turned toward something or someone else). When not dealt with, hatred leads to ill health, a crushed spirit and could lead to self-hatred.
- Hate can stem from feeling victimized and treated wrongly. Some people join hate groups to gain comfort from people who share their beliefs and bind together to fuel negativity.
- Insecure people and those feeling powerless more commonly fall to hatred.
- People allow hatred to empower them when someone betrays and hurts them.
Facts About Hatred Survey
Two women, one from Hawai’i Pacific University and another from the University of Hawaii at Manoa asked ordinary people their thoughts on hatred. Their most significant findings are below.
- Hate normally shows up at about age 12 but can also occur in ages six months to 40 years of age.
- People define hatred by describing their emotions to include extreme dislike, disgust, and anger.
- The most hatred includes ex-husbands, co-workers, friends, acquaintances, and family members. Sometimes those people who mean the most to us are hated more than others. Only 1 in 100 hate a significant other.
- In one’s lifetime, on average, people hate about five people.
- The majority of people never feel hatred.
Our next step when acknowledging facts about hatred is to find out what God thinks.
Scripture Lists Its Own Facts about Hatred
These scriptures identify how to stop hatred and how to stop heating someone.
Proverbs 10:12 (AMP)
Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers and overwhelms all transgressions [forgiving and overlooking another’s faults].
Leviticus 19:17–18
‘You shall not hate your brother in your heart; you may most certainly rebuke your neighbor, but shall not incur sin because of him. You shall not take revenge nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor (acquaintance, associate, companion) as yourself; I am the Lord.
Proverbs 8:13
The [reverent] fear and worshipful awe of the Lord includes the hatred of evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way, and the perverted mouth, I hate.
I John 4:20
If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates (works against) his [Christian] brother he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.
I John 2:9-11
The one who says he is in the Light [in consistent fellowship with Christ] and yet habitually hates (works against) his brother [in Christ] is in the darkness until now. The one who loves and unselfishly seeks the best for his [believing] brother lives in the Light, and in him there is no occasion for stumbling or offense [he does not hurt the cause of Christ or lead others to sin]. But the one who habitually hates (works against) his brother [in Christ] is in [spiritual] darkness and is walking in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
Proverbs 6:16-19
These six things the Lord hates; Indeed, seven are repulsive to Him: A proud look [the attitude that makes one overestimate oneself and discount others], a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
A heart that creates wicked plans, Feet that run swiftly to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies [even half-truths], and one who spreads discord (rumors) among brothers.
Facts About Hatred: Believers Avoid It
What does hatred do to a person? Obviously, God is against hatred. That’s reason enough to realize it’s not good for me. And,(when allowed) it’s capable of destroying my body, mind, and soul. More importantly, hatred destroys my relationship with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The scriptures above detail other facts about hatred inferring that we keep a safe distance from the emotion.
- Hatred is the opposite of God’s commandments of love: To love the Lord your God and your neighbor just like you love yourself.
- Staying in the light (fellowship with Christ) and loving others indicates that you don’t want to succumb to hatred.
- Any hatred in whatever form it arises (pride, lies, gossip, wickedness, evil deeds) indicates that you don’t love God.
Facts about Hatred: How to Stop
The joy of the Lord is what every Christian wants at least those intent on pleasing God. He gave us emotions so we’d feel and experience life to the fullest. For example, Jesus displayed a range of emotions. He angrily ran the moneychangers out of the temple with a whip and wept because people grieved.
I’m reminded of how eagerly and freely David expressed his emotions when writing many of the Psalms. He found answers by telling God how He felt and then took bold steps of faith.
When hatred enters our hearts, talking to God is an appropriate first line of response. We cast unhealthy cares of our hearts onto the Lord so He can help us deal with the emotion. His character is what helps to define our emotions so that we respond in healthy ways.
Christians stop hatred when they choose love over strife (Proverbs 10:12), andlove their enemies and pray for persecutors (Matthew 5:44). They do to others what They wish others would do for them (Luke 6:31), and let the Holy Spirit control their passions (James 4).
As sons and daughters of God, we aim high in God’s direction. For if we focus on anyone other than God, our spiritual foundation weakens and we cave to an emotion like hatred. Facts about hatred don’t change our responsibility to love others as ourselves. That simple act of faith stops hatred in us and others.