Article April 14, 2003 Issue

Love subdues anger and brings peace

By Subhash Malhotra—Bombay, India

Anger is often taken lightly as an individual character trait. Sometimes people believe that anger is justified. And sometimes it is used simply to make a point. Too often, anger is used as a weapon to rule over others in a family or work situation. Sometimes anger is used to intimidate in the governance of whole countries.

But Christianity teaches us to rule and govern by love, for love is a quality of God, divine Love itself. Therefore, Love, not anger, is the most powerful and effective tool for ruling and governing. Henry Drummond, a 19th-century theologian from Scotland said in an address, "Love is the greatest thing in the world, and it is the summum bonum—the supreme good."

In the same address, Henry Drummond condemned anger or ill temper as "one of the most destructive elements in human nature." He described anger as an ingredient of a dark and loveless soul and said that it indicated some rottenness underneath, revealing an unloving nature. He went on to say:

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