Overheard: Christian Love Hate

Today, I was shopping at one of my favorite stores. While I was shopping, a group of teenage girls was shopping and talking in the next aisle over. Mostly what I heard was, "Blah blah *giggle* blah!" But, my ears picked up when their conversation turned to church.

One girl said to the other, "You've got to come to my church. You'll love everyone there."

The other girl said, "I don't know. I have my own church I go to."

Then the rest was, "Blah blah *giggle* blah."

I thought, "That's nice. Inviting a friend to church. Well, ok."

Then their conversation took a turn for the worse.

"I hate Stephanie! I wish she wouldn't come to our church!", one girl said.

Another said, "Yeah! She's a whore!"

Yet another girl said, "So is Kelly!"

I was apalled. Not one of these girls looked older than sixteen. They go to church, where supposedly they learn to love their neighbors as much as they love themselves, like Jesus commanded them to do (Matthew 22:39). Maybe, I am a little harsh, but it was an ugly thing to overhear. What a witness for Christ! They should realize that an atheist could be listening to them and later write all about it. LOL!

I am an atheist. I do not believe that God is real. I no longer think that prayer is effective, so I do not pray. But, I do not tolerate HATE! Hate is such a strong word. To me, it means that you want someone to die, if you hate them. I may say that I don't like someone or that I'm not friends with a certain person, but I never say that I hate. Hate is the one thing I censor my own mind for. I try the hardest to give everyone respect for being a thinking, living human being. That doesn't mean that there aren't a few people who I don't care for. It just means I will not go so far as to hate.

These silly little girls, may have said the word hastily. They are probably just being dramatic. But, they are christians. Christians hold themselves to a high standard. Some christian churches even criticize people who believe differently (like atheists), for not holding such a high standard. Then when they're not at church, they just live and talk like there is no God. That is what a hypocrit is. At least when it comes to hate, an atheist like me can hold himself up to a higher standard.