A new study says 250,000 hate crimes occur each year

[powerpress]Don’t see the audio player? Click here.

Our U.S. Justice Department recently issued a report that said more than 250,000 hate crimes occur each year in our country. That’s an average of about 5,000 from each state. Yet even with these startling numbers, most hate crimes are never reported. Victims include those with disabilities, religious differences, gender, and ethnic hatred. What a shame! Hate crimes contradict the clear teachings of Jesus our Lord. He calls us to love one another. This not only applies to those who profess faith in Him as Savior; but the Bible teaches that we should love everybody as we love ourselves. Here is what the Apostle John wrote to Christians (1 John 4): “Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God… Anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. God showed how much He loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him… Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other.” Hatred often starts by demeaning and demonizing others; then come discrimination, exploitation, and violence. All such conduct shows that we do not have the love of God in our hearts. We might fool the public but not God. Make no mistake; He will judge those who do such things—either in this world or in the world to come.