The origin of the word “apology” comes from the Greek. It means “to explain.” So, here we go.
I don’t hate Christians. That’s never been my point. I think that anybody who knows me (personally) knows that I respect and admire the values Christ taught, and consider him one of those Three Men I Admire Most (Christ, Buddha, and Harry Chapin).
What gets me so mad — what really makes my blood boil — is when I hear people using Jesus’ name in vain. In other words, when they use the Bible to justify their own prejudices.
Jesus said, “Judge not, lest thee be judged.”
Jesus said, “Love thy neighbor as thy self.”
Jesus said, “When your neighbor raises his hand against you, give him your other cheek.”
Jesus said, “Forgive your neighbor seven times seventy times.”
Jesus said, “Love they enemy.”
Jesus said, “And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?”
Jesus said, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
Jesus said, “”Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.”
Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan and said, “Go do likewise.”
Jesus confronted the group ready to stone the adulteress to death and said, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” (You’ll note that Jesus — the Perfect Human Being Without Sin — did not do it. If he felt he didn’t have the right to do it, what right does anybody else have?)
Jesus said, “This is my commandment, Love one another.” Not Christians love other Christians… no, just everybody.
Jesus did not hate lesbians and faggots. Nor did he encourage people to use political influence to make them unemployed. He didn’t hate abortionists, he didn’t hate “pagans,” he didn’t hate anybody. And, I think its safe to say it was the last thing on his list to tell people to use political influence to get that woman fired from her job because she was a “sinner.” If anybody can find me Biblical evidence that proves Jesus would have done that (What Would Jesus Do?), please, show it to me. Otherwise, admit these people were being bigotted assholes who used Jesus’ name in vain.
In fact, the only evidence I can find of people Jesus hated were the ones who were using his father’s temple in a self-serving way. And I’m fairly certain if he showed up at one of their protests, he’d throw over tables, scatter the coins and tell these jerks to “Get out of my Father’s House!”
There’s a lesson here. And you don’t even have to look very closely to see it.