Who Would Hate Christianity?

Some people hate Christianity, and justifiably so. It might be violence masquerading as the Lord’s cause (i.e., the Crusades). It might be criminal activity among church leaders. It might be immoral behavior that is tolerated or ‘swept under the rug’ to keep a church scandal hidden from the public. Where high ideals and moral behavior are preached but hypocrisy is seen, it is found to be highly distasteful. For that reason, some do not hate Christianity without cause. (See last week’s article.) And yet, those displays of ungodly behavior are not real Christianity.

More confounding are those who hate Christianity when God’s people are following God’s word. Those who are saints live by the Golden Rule, live the Sermon on the Mount, strive to love God and love their neighbor. They may not lead perfect lives, but they are not hypocrites. Nor do they wear their holiness like a badge of honor. Rather, in humble sincerity, they stive to live like Christ. And yet, some people still hate Christianity and those who are Christians, and there is nothing we can do about it.

The reason is rather simple. It is rooted in the character of God and the human conscience.

We understand that fellowship with God is based on living according to the divine character of God (compassion, grace, forgiveness, faithfulness, kindness, love, justice). Anyone who goes against the character of God naturally breaks fellowship with God. Said another way, God cannot embrace anyone who is foreign to His divine character of purity, holiness, love, and justice. So, those who oppose God are rejected by God. However, it is not because God rejects them. Rather, by their values and decisions, they choose to reject God.

The sad truth is that many people do not wish to live in harmony and fellowship with God. They wish to be independent of God and live according to their own standard. They oppose the very character of God and His holiness.

However, when they oppose God’s character by sinning, they feel guilt in their conscience. That is because God placed within every human being a moral code that does not require oral or written law. Paul refers to it in Romans 1 as the ‘ordinance of God’ (v. 32). This unwritten moral standard forbids murder, disobedience to parents and immorality, among other sins. So, even those who reject God know that some things are wrong, and their conscience informs them of their guilt.

Since they do not wish to live by God’s standard, they attempt to justify their sin or rationalize it. Yet, Christianity (and Christians) are a stark reminder of God and His standard of holiness. So, they despise Christianity.

The following Scriptures inform us of our responsibility toward those haters:

If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.

--Romans 12:18

He who corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself,

And he who reproves a wicked man gets insults for himself.

Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you,

Reprove a wise man and he will love you.

--Proverbs 9:7-8

Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine,

or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

--Matthew 7:6

If you discover that a person is a scoffer, one who mocks God, mocks the teachings of Jesus, and mocks the people of God, your best response is generally silence. By engaging in debate, especially publicly (including social media), you may be the one providing them a platform for openly mocking God. The exception may be if naïve listeners would benefit from your correction.

Be wise and do not provide haters an opportunity to further mock God.

Mark Stinnett

September 20, 2026

A Handy Guide to Hate

One: To hate something or someone (this is really about hating someone), you must first settle on a distinction that differs from YOU. (It’s all about YOU!) The particular distinction is immaterial. It could be ethnicity, nationality, political stance, age, clothing preferences, automobile choices, music preferences…anything.

Two: Once you’ve decided on a particular category of distinction, you heighten your skills of observation. You take notice whenever those who are NOT a part of your distinctive group say foolish things, make poor choices, or fail. You also take notice when those of your distinctive group do and say things that you approve.

Three: You verbalize your disapproval of the other group and mock their mistakes and failures even if there is no connection between their group identity and their failures. At the same time, you champion the successes of your distinctive group even if their success has no connection to your group’s identity.

Four: Make subtle biased suggestions to those outside of your group to influence them to embrace your viewpoint. Be patient and look for opportunities to persuade them to come into your distinctive camp. One important aspect of your evangelistic efforts is to frame your comments in terms of ‘us’ and ‘them’ so that your intention is clear, but your language is indistinct. That makes denial of hatred easier.

Five: If you have kids, by all means indoctrinate them to embrace your prejudices and to follow your example so that your ideals will be perpetuated into the next generation.

Hint: Social media offers a broad range of tools to spew your hatred without ever using the word hate. 

Bonus: Social media comes with the protection of the sacred first amendment.

I hope that my sarcasm is apparent.

One of the most confusing things about our current society is that some of the most forceful haters are those who oppose hate.

What can a Christian say and do?

On one occasion Jesus was asked about the greatest command. In his extended response He said that the second great command is to love your neighbor. A man challenged Him asking, “Who is my neighbor.” Jesus responded with the well-known parable of the Good Samaritan. He set the parable up beautifully to expose and diffuse hatred. The good man who extended selfless assistance was a Samaritan, one among a distinctive group hated by the Jews. Two beloved Jews were featured, a priest and a Levite. Both ignored the man in need.

A priest was normally engaged in the offering of sacrifices and services in the temple while the Levite was involved in other services relating to the temple. Both were numbered among the religious elite in Jewish society.

So, the hated Samaritan was presented in a good light as one offering help. Yet, the accepted holy men were seen as uncaring.

Let’s not forget the injured man. In the parable he is faceless and unidentifiable. The Samaritan responded on the basis of need, not any distinctive category. He saw a person; he saw a need.

When Jesus concluded, He asked who proved to be a neighbor. It was obvious, the one who showed mercy. When Jesus said, “Go and do the same,” He gave us a peek into the heart of God, who is not fond of haters. God approves those, like the Samaritan, who respond to people and needs...with no distinctive categories.


Mark Stinnett

November 19, 2023

The Seventh

   There are six things which the LORD hates, 
   Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him....
   --Proverbs 6:16

This verse introduces a list of seven things that the Lord hates. We should perk up and give attention to this list. If God ‘hates’ a specific action, we should avoid it at all cost. If God ‘hates’ a specific kind of person, we should do everything within our power to keep from becoming that kind of person.

Abomination...
'Abomination' is stronger than 'hate.'
Question: Is the use of the word hate followed by abomination simply a poetic device or is there something more?

If the ‘number’ had not changed, that would be an easy explanation. But the number did change, from six to seven: Six things hated, seven an abomination.

   There are six things which the LORD hates, 
   Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:
      Haughty eyes,
      A lying tongue,
      And hands that shed innocent blood,
      A heart that devises wicked plans,
      Feet that run rapidly to evil,
      A false witness who utters lies,
      And one who spreads strife among brothers.
                                                               --Proverbs 6:16-19


Recent Hebrew scholarship suggests that the change in number, from six to seven, along with the more intense wording (abomination) in the second half of verse sixteen is a way of emphasizing the last item in the list. Accepting this idea, the overall sense of the verse would be:

   There are six things which the Lord hates, 
   but a seventh is an abomination to Him.

So, the seventh item in the list stands out as something that is hated by God above all the other things that He hates. We might say that it is at the top of His list of 'Things Hated.'

Read the entire list.
Think about the things that God hates.
Look carefully at the seventh!

Of all the things that God hates; among pride, lying, murder, and an evil heart; more than anything else, a person “who spreads strife among brothers” is an abomination to God.

Do your actions and your speech promote peace and unity among your fellow Christians, or are you promoting something else?