“In time we hate that which we often fear.”
~William Shakespeare
Fear laid the foundation. Fear and frustration that there was nothing we could do to stop the growing pandemic. Then in America, a hater arose, one man brutally, mercilessly kneeling on the neck of another until he died. Here, finally, was a lightning rod for our fear and frustration—here was an even older evil, one that we could fight! Many—rightly—turned to fight it, and many joined them.
But some began to fight hate with hate. Why? Because that’s hate’s oldest trick: convincing people a devil can cast out a devil (Matthew 12:26).
And now hatred is threatening to become our newest pandemic. But this one we can stop. And we must. Why? Because hate cannot cast out hate, just as COVID 19 cannot cast out itself. What can?
The only permanent cure for viruses is herd immunity, surrounding a virus with so many healthy people, people who are immune to it, that it can no longer find anyone to jump to, leaving it nothing to live on. Great, but…
Surround it with what? Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. observed, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”
Each of us must choose how that looks for us. What drowning hate with love looks like will vary from place to place, from group to group and person-to-person. But if we refuse to succumb to hate’s oldest trick, if we consciously choose to drown it with love,
Hate will lose.
φ
“Hate looks like everybody else until it smiles.” ~Tahereh Mafi
“As long as you hate, there will be people to hate.” ~George Harrison
“I will permit no man to narrow and degrade my soul by making me hate him.” ~Booker T. Washington
“If we claim to be in the light, yet hate others, we remain in the darkness even now.” ~1 John 2:9
“I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.” ~Mother Teresa
“Love lights more fires than hate extinguishes.”
~Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Mitch Teemley 
Reblogged this on Blue Dragon Journal.
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I love this. there was one that I heard on the radio, sort of connected, about ‘if you are in pain and not healing then you will always looking to be giving pain a name or a face.’ And I think a lot of this has to do with pain and mistrust and things like that which we as a society are dwelling on purpously even ifnitndoesnt directly relate to us and it is stirring up this cloud of dissention and hate that is ugly and unnecessary and wont accomplish anything but division. I think all we should be doing is working together to make a better future because ultimately that is all that will make real change. Thank you for this beautiful piece.
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Thank you, and amen, Hannah.
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Excellent! I’m glad I read this before I started writing today. I was just on the verge of sitting down and drawing a comparison between the corona virus and the viruses of fear, racism, and hate. You did it so much better than I could have.
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Oh, I doubt that, but thank you, Russ.
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A very timely post right now, such truth! Thank you!
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Bravo! Active, vocal, peacemakers are too rare right now.
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Excellent post and we we all need to understand. Satan will use our fear to drive his purpose…he does it all the time. We must understand this premises and stand on truth and love helping each other.
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Absolutely, Anita.
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Absolutely agree! Hate is a wildfire that grows and destroys us from within – burning anyone it touches. We can put out this flame of hate with love, forgiveness, and reconciliation
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Second the motion.
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That’s a fantastic concept, Mitch, of developing herd immunity towards hate. Each one of us must step up and not allow a breach in the wall. What a high calling.
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Amen, Hannah. Love the breach in the wall thought.
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I like your analogy with herd immunity. Simple, direct and to the point. Continue to let light shine and spread peace.
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You too!
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Very well put. I have shared on Facebook. Thank you, Mitch.
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My pleasure, Cindy.
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I always appreciate your perspective. And I nominated you for the Liebster Award. https://pianogirlthoughts.com/2020/06/09/liebster-award/
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Thank you so much, PG, I’m truly honored. However, I don’t do blogger awards anymore. I very much appreciate their value for those who are building a following, though, and enthusiastically support others’ awards posts.
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You’re welcome! And thanks for your response. 😊
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Your article was spot-on. It was very meaningful. I shared it on Facebook. I felt your words should be seen by my contacts, as well. Thank You!
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I’m honored, John.
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Reblogged this on A Blog About Healing From PTSD and commented:
“If we claim to be in the light, yet hate others, we remain in the darkness even now.” ~1 John 2:9
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Honored, Linda.
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Hi Mitch,
Amen. I love that we can stay in the center of love of God and not be pulled into the fringes. The Lord, as always will bring good out of this and His redeemed bride.
Thanks, brother!
Gary
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I really like the quotes you chose. I hadn’t seen most of them previously.
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Well said. There are many good conversations being broadcast…just watched Oprah’s first hour of a special on this topic. Thank you for making this contribution, and lets work toward making lasting change, one person at at time, starting with ourselves.
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Excellent post! Thank you. I get so frustrated. I need to remember to be kind and show love to others. 💙💛💜💚❤🤎🤍🧡
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Hello there Mitch. Hope that all is well with in your neck of the woods. You know Mitch I never looked at the going ons this way. Every bit of what you have written and shared is happening. Being confined makes us anxious and impatient, what a conditioning. Hate is the new pandemic. But we have prayer to ward evil off!
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You hit the nail on the head with this one, Mitch! I completely agree…the way to beat the pandemic of hatred is to have enough people become immune to it. Which means that we can’t join it, but we can counter it with love and understanding. I hope that enough people follow that path!
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A masterpiece post thnx to share this lovely post
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My pleasure, Nitin. And thank you.
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Love can turn the world! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yABoahkMbOs
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Hatred never ceases by hatred;
But by love alone is healed.
This is an ancient and eternal law.
From the Dhammapada, Buddhist scripture.
Lovely post. Thank you!
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And a lovely quote.
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Bravo! Brilliantly done!
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Thank you, Eve.
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Written very well. Good article and a good read!
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12:21
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