Reply #22: First of all, you are making a shitload of amazing assumptions there.

[MADem]

You're assuming I 'hate the man.' You're assuming, too, that I don't know him, haven't met him, or talked to him. For all you actually know, I could be 'his' evil twin.

You're also assuming that the object of this hate, that I haven't even personally expressed, is the recently deceased Falwell.

You need to go BACK, read what I actually wrote, and then read what YOU wrote.

It's not a question of the reactions of me, myself, and I at any rate. I was discussing the topic generally. In fact, my 'human' example was the Monkeyking, not Falwell.

What you're doing with your little lecture directed my way is playing the "I'm better than YOU" card--(the "You" being a generic you, mind you) by scolding people for expressing feelings that might be deep seated, genuine, and be a reaction to real insults that strike at the heart of their being.

I imagine if you were in one of the groups that Falwell excoriated, quite viciously, too, you might find a touch of hate in your heart. I certainly wouldn't second-guess the reasoning of anyone , or blame or scold them, who had to listen to that hateful shit he spouted for returning the emotional favor. I think of people whose families listened to Falwell and disowned their loved ones for being different, because they listened to that guy. His message was "Toe the line, or go to hell." He didn't preach that love, suffer the little children, feed the poor, care for the sick stuff that the Jesus fellow he claimed to follow did.

If someone came into your home and beat the shit out of your family, maybe torched the house, would you then hate them? Or would you be still turning the other cheek? How about if they killed your family in brutal fashion? Still got forgiveness working in that case?

How about if someone killed your dog? Shit on your carseat? Spread lies about you in the workplace and got you fired? Told you you were never gonna git to Heaven because of something intrinsic to your nature, like say, your eye color or your height? And made everyone around you believe that, too, so they pointed and laughed at you? Would you hate them then?

Are you saying you NEVER hate anyone, for any reason? Or are you simply reserving it to the "Names will never hurt me" arena? Well, names DO hurt people--ask anyone who's been a victim of discrimination.

I can understand how people who have been the victims of some of that Fundie Hate can return the favor. I can understand it completely. And I'm not gonna sit in 'better than thou' judgment of someone for feeling that way.

But hey, whatever--am I to assume that you're apparently perfect in every way, is that it?