Spread Love Stop Hate

Love Wins

This is the voice of the Plainview Old Bethpage Interfaith Clergy Council:

“We stand together to renounce all acts of hate
and affirm mutual respect, cooperation and love.” 

We came up with this in response to the persistent efforts of evil to use good people to perpetuate true harm like celebrating a Day of Hate, and stuffing mailboxes in the Plainview and Freeport, N.Y., areas this past week or so with antisemitic/pro-Nazi statements.

Our stand is Biblical:   

  • Exodus Chapter 19 says, “keep my covenant.”
  • Psalm 100 says, “For the Lord is good.”
  • Paul reminds the Roman Church that, when persecuted because of our stand for what is Godly and good, we know that “... suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.”

In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus brings it together in his call to the Twelve Apostles to join the harvest of people who seek to live God’s love, starting with the lost sheep of Israel. They are the ones who have heard and know God’s Word and Law; they are the ones who need to remember and return to their Covenant. It won’t be easy. Many will reject you. If they do, don’t try to coerce them, simply accept their choice, and “… shake off the dust on your feet as you leave that house or town.” 

He said you are going “… like sheep into the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” Stick to your plan, don’t deliberately provoke, don’t give them a reason to convict you of anything but faith in action. Expect the worst from people closest to you, but still do your best, because God is good, God is love, and in the end, love wins.

So we, the Plainview Old Bethpage Interfaith Council of Churches, are addressing hatred by lifting up mutual respect, cooperation and love. We are not directly confronting evil; there is no point in talking to people who only want to win an argument. We are standing for good. We are hosting a Day of Love Community Picnic on August 6th. Join us, show your love for our Church and our Neighbors by gathering, breaking bread together, and building relationships of hope. If you can’t attend that event, find other ways to build relationships of mutual respect, cooperation and love. It’s what Jesus did, and it’s what Jesus needs us, the Body of Christ, to do, no matter what. 

Amen.