I came across a post from a Christian nationalist and then a thought from Thomas Merton in New Seeds of Contemplation.

And Merton:

Hell is where no one has anything in common with anybody except the fact that they all hate one another and cannot get away from one another and from themselves.

Before I get more comments on where hatred is used in the Bible (like, “hate sin”), understand two things: 1. the Christian Nationalist raises it to a level of “virtue” and 2. he is far more concerned with losing “the West” than losing Christianity.

What drives me more than anything in these years of my life is the radical love of Christ. I am trying to focus weekly on the Affections of Christ because it is his love that captures hearts. It is not hatred. It is not anger. It is not exclusion.

My faith doesn’t terminate in a theological statement. It terminates in God. Faith and love is to have the eyes of our heart opened to lavish presence of Jesus. Faith, as Merton wrote, is the final meaning of human existence.

I want to turn “Give ’em hell” into “Give ’em heaven!”