Love the sinner, hate the sin

[EasterJoy]

I do not like the phrase at all.

When people ask about being gay, and a Catholic’s response involves the word “hate”, you’ve lost them.

Technically, it’s true. But, it doesn’t win any converts.

It isn’t a sin to have a propensity towards some sort of sin, so a gay person is not a sinner merely because of who attracts them and who doesn’t.

There are also gays who aren’t going to be converted unless you lie to them and deny that homosexual acts are disordered by their very nature.

But no, the situation of someone attracted sexually to their own sex does not fit a simple phrase like “hate the sin, love the sinner.” Before using that phrase, run it by the Golden Rule test. If it isn’t likely to help, don’t use it.

In other words: the word “hate” has nearly the range of meaning in English that “love” does. It is not good to use it in situations where you need it to have a particular shade of one of those meanings.

 

[Irishmom2]

:thankyou:

I wish CAF had a way to “like” individual replies to threads. I’d “like” both of these!

 

[AdamP88]

It isn’t a sin to have a propensity towards some sort of sin, so a gay person is not a sinner merely because of who attracts them and who doesn’t.

There are also gays who aren’t going to be converted unless you lie to them and deny that homosexual acts are disordered by their very nature.

But no, the situation of someone attracted sexually to their own sex does not fit a simple phrase like “hate the sin, love the sinner.” Before using that phrase, run it by the Golden Rule test. If it isn’t likely to help, don’t use it.

In other words: the word “hate” has nearly the range of meaning in English that “love” does. It is not good to use it in situations where you need it to have a particular shade of one of those meanings.

I think perhaps the reason people don’t like the phrase is because for some reason, in this da and age, it has become associated with gay people. In reality, it could refer to any sin.

 

[Herculees]

I sincerely disagree with you.

We SHOULD love the sinner and hate the sin.

Example:

Having an abortion is a MORTAL SIN (NOT a judgement a FACT)!
IF you had an abortion it is a sin but I am not going hate you and tell you your going to hell.
First off you may or may have NOT committed a sin. I don’t know how much you know of God’s teaching. I don’t know what might be going on in your life that caused you to make the decision that you did. If I had been in your situation I may have made the same situation or a worse situation. I’d show compassion!

Abortion is still wrong and sinful but sometimes there are mitigating circumstances that make a sin less sinful or not sinful at all.

 

[Convert_in_99]

I’m sorry but what a stupid saying. Even as a Catholic this is a pretty bogus saying. When folks act like their recoil to people’s sinful behavior is JUST at the behavior meanwhile their heart is just bursting with love for the actual person. People need to knock this slogan off. It makes ZERO sense and there is ZERO honesty behind it.

Actually it works for me. I’ve been through a lot in life. I honestly love people, every single person with at least some felt love. Really! I’m not kidding. Most people I realize are not built this way. I didn’t used to be either. It’s a gift, a pure gift to be able to love others this way and I’m so very thankful that God has given me this grace.

 

[EasterJoy]

Actually it works for me. I’ve been through a lot in life. I honestly love people, every single person with at least some felt love. Really! I’m not kidding. Most people I realize are not built this way. I didn’t used to be either. It’s a gift, a pure gift to be able to love others this way and I’m so very thankful that God has given me this grace.

So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.
Luke 7:47

 

[porthos11]

Actually it works for me. I’ve been through a lot in life. I honestly love people, every single person with at least some felt love. Really! I’m not kidding. Most people I realize are not built this way. I didn’t used to be either. It’s a gift, a pure gift to be able to love others this way and I’m so very thankful that God has given me this grace.

It sounds to me the OP has some emotional/anger issues he/she needs to confront and address, and probably best off the boards. His (?) history shows a pattern of cynicism and what appears to be rage over things in his life, so I’d say let him be.

 

[PRmerger]

I think perhaps the reason people don’t like the phrase is because for some reason, in this da and age, it has become associated with gay people. In reality, it could refer to any sin.

Peter Kreeft said it best (paraphrasing)–something about the error of today is to be elitist about people and tolerant of ideas…when we actually should be elitist (or "critical) about ideas and tolerant (and "accepting) of people.

The Enemy has gotten us to hate the sinners (or, actually, hate the saints) and to love the sin.

Kreeft summarizes by saying liberals err by loving the sin in an attempt to love the sinner, while conservatives err by hating the sinner in an attempt to hate the sin.

 

[PRmerger]

Peter Kreeft said it best (paraphrasing)–something about the error of today is to be elitist about people and tolerant of ideas…when we actually should be elitist (or "critical) about ideas and tolerant (and "accepting) of people.

The Enemy has gotten us to hate the sinners (or, actually, hate the saints) and to love the sin.

Kreeft summarizes by saying liberals err by loving the sin in an attempt to love the sinner, while conservatives err by hating the sinner in an attempt to hate the sin.

More Kreeft:

“Spanish Inquisition wrongly destroyed heretics so as to rightly destroy heresies. Today, some wrongly love heresies so as to rightly love heretics.”