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Jason is the founder of Ignite Student Ministries, a dynamic ministry igniting youth, young adults and university students to passionately pursue Christ and transform society in high schools, work places and universities around the world.

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Theology of Hate

Jason VanaJason Vana

This past week, I think we experienced a huge setback in the way the world perceives Christianity.

I’m sure by now many of you have read/heard/saw all the tweets, blog posts, conversations, debates and general judgment brought on Rob Bell concerning the video promo for his new book. I know many people have been quick to label him a Universalist – meaning he believes all roads lead to the same destination and that Jesus isn’t the only way to salvation. Well respected pastors, Christian leaders, theologians, and passionate followers of Christ saw the two-minute video and skewered Bell as a heretic, heathen and false-teacher.

All over a promotional video.

Nowhere in the video does Rob state his beliefs. He doesn’t make a definitive statement. He doesn’t even say what conclusions his book draws. He simply asks questions – questions that most of us, at one time or another, have asked.

And because of it, he’s a false-teacher.*

I wonder how many of those people took the time to actually find out what Rob believes. I wonder how many visited the Mars Hill Church web site to read their doctrine. Or searched Youtube and found the videos where Rob explicitly states that their church DOES believe Christ came to save us from hell. Or understood that Rob has always been one to pose questions to get us to think about what we believe and why, instead of letting Christians just blindly follow what they’ve been told.

Instead, they took a controversial video put together by a publishing company looking make money off this book, and made it the basis of their attacks.

I’m sure the publishing company is ecstatic. The video did just what they wanted – increased controversy over the book and, therefore, increased sales.

And what gets me is, if you really believe Rob is in sin, if you really believe he is teaching false doctrine, there’s a way to go about it. The Bible tells us we are supposed to go to them IN PRIVATE and show them their mistakes. Not in public. Not plastered across Twitter or blogs or news pages. In private. Then we address it publicly. And then, if they still don’t change, we simply have nothing to do with them. But apparently, many this week didn’t want to follow THAT theology.

And while it bothers me that Christians are so quick to judge someone off a promotional video, and do in public what the bible tells us to do privately, what really bothers me is that, while many were busy arguing over Rob’s beliefs and Universalist theology, we completely ignored a more detrimental theology being perpetuated by so-called “Christians” this week:

The theology of hate.

The same week many Christians were wrapped up arguing about hell, the members of Westboro Baptist “Church” (and I use the term church lightly), were at funerals, on the streets and outside courthouses displaying signs reading “God Hates Homosexuals” (sorry, I refuse to even type out the derogatory “f” word), “God Hates America,” “God Killed our Soldiers,” God Sent the Killer,” and my absolute favorite (PLEASE read the sarcasm) “God Hates YOU”…and won the approval of our Supreme Court to continue their protests anywhere and anytime they want.

And I only saw 1 person even mention how horrible that is.

We spent time, energy and resources debating one man’s theology over hell, all the while a supposedly “Christian” church is out there telling people God hates them. I imagine the Enemy is pretty happy right now. He got us distracted so his message of hate could continue to grow.

No wonder people want nothing to do with the church. What they saw from Christianity as a whole this week was that we fight amongst ourselves, and tell people who don’t believe like us that God hates them.

Where are the Christians who are outraged over “churches” telling non-believers that God hates them? Where are the followers of Christ who love sinners like Christ loves sinners? Where are the angry tweets, blog posts and conversations over a group of people who have gained national attention telling people that God hates them?

This week the world saw an ugly side of Christianity – a side that cares more about everyone thinking right than they do about loving people. A side that says publicly denouncing a leader is more important than standing up for the outsider. A side that says God Hates You – as no one tried to tell them otherwise.**

Hopefully next week, we do better.

How can you show people around you that God loves them?

Please understand that I am not implying that false doctrine should be taken lightly. I believe we should be testing everything a Christian leader says against the Word. What I don’t agree with, though, is basing an accusation of false teacher on a promotional video made by a publishing company to increase sales of a book. I make no judgement at this point as to what Rob believes, as I have not read his book.

** Please note that I am talking Christianity as an entity and am NOT trying to imply that many of us on a daily basis are not loving others. I know many of you are amazing examples of God’s love.

Jason is the founder of Ignite Student Ministries, a dynamic ministry igniting youth, young adults and university students to passionately pursue Christ and transform society in high schools, work places and universities around the world.