Article May 5, 1997 Issue

Healing hate

Jessika Benedict-Gill

Sometimes hate seems so natural to people. A person might think, I have a right to hate so-and-so because he is cruel to others. But that person needs to realize that hate is not natural. And he or she needs to be alert not to justify it.

Hate is hypnotic. It is the result of a belief in a mind apart from God. There is no legitimate reason to hate anyone, because God has made everyone perfect and good, like Himself. And it's a lot easier to love unconditionally if you're keeping in mind God's image and likeness.

A year or so ago I had an experience that required me to heal hateful feelings. I had a friend who was very close to me. We did everything together. Then one day—it seemed overnight—she got involved in drugs. Our friendship went downhill fast. I felt we no longer had anything in common. We still talked to each other, but every day she bragged about all of her "fun times" smoking up and getting drunk. I never said anything to her, but this really made me mad. I thought she was stupid to be doing drugs, and even more stupid because she changed her entire lifestyle to be "cool." And she gained such an ego.

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