I have mentioned a lot of distinct issues in this column from ethnic origins to moral behavior. I put them together because they are intimately connected in two important ways. The first is that when a preacher teaches hate of any person, he or she opens the gate for all hate. If hating an abortion provider is morally justifiable then so is hating a Jew. If hating gays is preached from a pulpit, hating anyone is preached from that pulpit.
Any hate justifies all hate.
The second thing which unites these various issues is that these are the issues which divide us, either by race, belief, or life style. We have to learn to live with people who not only disagree with us, but who may well be totally opposite of us. We have to become a mature enough society to know what we believe, be able to discuss and even debate with those who disagree, and never become disagreeable. We who are Christian pastors must never misuse our pulpits to teach hate, condemn people, or tolerate indifference. We who are Christians must call our pastors to account if they misrepresent Jesus Christ to justify hatred, bias, and prejudice.