The dangers of teaching hate
I’m feeling a little feisty this morning. Could be because of a certain story I read in the Houston Chronicle.
Murder suspect says he was doing God’s workA Cypress man charged in the death of a Southwest Airlines flight attendant said Saturday that he was doing God’s work when he went to a Montrose-area bar last month, hunting for a gay man to kill.
“I believe I’m Elijah, called by God to be a prophet,” said 26-year-old Terry Mark Mangum, charged with murder June 11. ” … I believe with all my heart that I was doing the right thing.”
Interviewed in the Brazoria County Jail Saturday morning, Mangum said he feels no remorse for killing 46-year-old Kenneth Cummings Jr., whom relatives described as a “loving” son who never forgot a holiday and a devoted uncle who had set up college funds for his niece and nephew. He worked at Southwest for 24 years.
This incident is a perfect example of what can happen when you teach someone to hate. Only, he believed he was “doing the right thing,” because the hate in this case was being taught through the use of the Bible. If you think this is an isolated case, think again. This is not a rare example. This kind of thing is happening more and more, and what’s worse is that the people committing these crimes truly and wholeheartedly believe they are justified in doing so.
Think about some of the more radical Christian Youth Camps where kids not only swim, eat pillowy marshmellows by the campfire and sing songs while holding hands, but are also taught, through interpretations of numerous passages in the Bible, to hate.
Now, I know these are extreme cases. But, they exist. The whole basis of Christianity is to “Love thy neighbor.” Not “Kill thy neighbor.”
Besides, last time I checked … committing murder was also a sin. I guess there’s an exception if the victim is homosexual.
houston chronicle, cypress. christian youth camps, terry mark mangum, kenneth cummings jr.
July 17th, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Now I feel ill after reading this quote from the guy: “It’s not that I’m a bad dude,” he said, expressing concern that people might view him as “strange.” Pausing briefly, he said, “I love God.”
Too bad he couldn’t learn to love his fellow human beings tool