Hate.  Any use of the word hate catches my attention.  Individuals have used the word hate to express their not liking some thing, some person, or some event for as long as I can remember.  And now it seems, at least to me, that I hear and read the word hate much more than ever.  In casual conversation, in the media, with increasing frequency.  Recently, the word hate has become a legal term.  Apparently, Americans are no longer allowed to hate.  At least not other people.  A person can end up in jail for hating.  On second thought, that’s a little simplistic, and not completely true, at least not today.  Bear with me.  I’m trying to make a point.

In all probability the average person doesn’t mean they hate when using the word hate.  “I hate this”.  “I hate that”  You know, kind of like, “I love this”, or “I love that”.  The misuse of these words has been going on such a long time, that I think these words have lost their actual meanings and have become slang.  I’m probably as guilty as the next person, although I do try to be cautious when using the words love and hate.  We apply these words to people we have never meet, to pets, to celebrities, to songs, to books, to food, to television shows, to cars, clothing, and on and on and on.

Webster says that hate is a verb meaning to dislike intensely; abhor; detest, or a noun meaning hatred or intense aversion.  Love, on the other hand is a noun meaning a strong feeling of affection, especially to one of the opposite sex; courtship; devoted affection for or attachment to; parental care; a sweetheart.  Love may also be used as a verb meaning to regard with strong affection; feel devotion toward; delight in; to be in love; have strong affection.

While I agree that these definitions describe simple love and hate, I’m not certain either completely describes the terms in ways that I fully comprehend emotionally.  Neither covers the intensity of my own feelings of love or hatred, nor the vast range of emotions included in all of my life experiences.  When I consider what the terms hate and love mean to me, I’m almost at a loss.  First, I really don’t have feelings for inanimate objects, so why would I use the word hate when describing an object with no life?  Then, what about animals, or insects?  They are alive, but do I really hate a living creature that spends all or most of it’s life operating on instincts?  I really dislike ticks and mosquitos, but do I hate them?  I see no need for either species.  They are really a nuisance, but do I hate them?  They carry and spread a multitude of diseases, but do I really hate them?  If I use Webster’s definition, well, yes, yes I do hate them.  What about the animal who bites, or otherwise attacks because it’s scared, or defending it’s turf, or protecting it’s young?  Maybe?  But when I thoughtfully consider, as opposed to lazily consider what hate means to me, I don’t hate these creatures.  Would I ever consider killing a tick, or a mosquito?  Yes.  Every time that I have opportunity, but I don’t hate them.  In fact, I have no feelings what so ever for ticks or mosquitos.

So, the only living things remaining on this planet to love or to hate are people.  What about people?  Do I hate people?  Do I hate some people?  Do I hate any people?  To really understand hate, I need to really understand love.  Why?  because, I think, they are polar opposites.  And because love and hate are opposite extremes, to understand love, we must understand hate.  To understand hate, we must understand love.

I’m no language expert .  I struggle enough with English.  English, it seems to me, is a very complicated language.  One of the complexities of English is that the language has so many words that sound similar, but are spelled differently, and have different meanings.  English is further complicated because of words with multiple levels of depth and no way of explaining what level of depth is being expressed outside of connotation.  One would have to be a mind reader to understand the emotions of the speaker at that precise moment in time the speaker used love, or hate, or both.  When I’m completely honest with myself, I’m thinking that if I say that I hate another human being, I’m saying that person doesn’t deserve to continue living.  That they are so far below me, so unfit a human being, so despicable, such a sinner, that I could kill them and feel no remorse.  Now, I’m not referring to war, or self defense, or trying to protect another human being.  I believe that all, or at least most of us, could take the life of another in those situations.  That’s survival, that’s not hate.  How can I hate when I haven’t had time to think about it?  To explore my feelings.  No, I’m not thinking of a your life or mine situation, not at all.  I’m considering that nosey neighbor, a rival at work, the guy who took my starting spot on the football team, an inconsiderate family member, or someone who says they hate me.  Do I really dislike any of those so much, abhor them, detest them to the point that I could put a gun to their head, pull the trigger, and feel no remorse simply because I am a better example of humanity than them?  Do I actually hate anyone?  I hope I’m not that selfish.

That’s the definition of hate in the Butch Alexander personal dictionary.  If I truly hate someone, I think that I am being very selfish.  I feel that if I hate someone, I am elevating myself above that person.  In all honesty, I don’t feel that I am better, or more important than any other human being.  I think that we are all just human beings, made in the image of God.  In the third verse of the second chapter of the Biblical book Philippians, the Apostle Paul reminds me, “Do nothing out of vain conceit, but in humility consider other better than yourself”.  So how do I explain my very real negative feelings about others?  Well, I may dislike some folks.  I may know some folks who are difficult to deal with.  I may have a personality conflict with a co-worker, or a classmate.  There are people that I don’t enjoy being around.  There are those who may think that they hate me, and the world tells me to hate back.  But if  I really think about it, I don’t hate anyone.  Do you?