Many people, in an effort to show support of things their religion reject, share a statement to summarize their philosophy.
Hate the sin, not the sinner.
My own philosophy was based off of this statement, but not quite in the same way. I found this statement to not only seem close minded, but also a tad pessimistic. I felt that it was a glass-half-empty idea. As a result, I formed my own idea of how to take people in, using a statement I've borrowed from my friends.
Love thy neighbor.
Let's first address a possible thought that would immediately spring to mind should one read this: I understand that my friends did not come up with this statement, but instead it is from the Bible. Let me make clear: The Bible is part of my friends; indeed, it is the very heart of their beliefs, and thus it is my friends. While it may not define their every thought, it is still a part of them as though it were a limb; one's arm does not define their body, but it is vital to their identity as human.
After having watched a film in a class about the emotions and actions that take place to soldiers while stationed over seas, I have realized that my own philosophical summary is rather closed as well. Not being familiar with the context of the quote, I looked it up.
Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
Leviticus 19:18
Love thy neighbor as thyself. But what does one do if thy neighbor does not love thee? There is no address of this. Do we simply respect those who wish or inflict harm, despite their actions? Or do we treat them as they treat us? My small amount of research says both; the two main interpretations of this are conflicting with each other. Human emotions call for the latter, yet divine expectations call for the first. Humans are flawed.
"I do not believe in immortality of the individual, and I consider ethics to be an exclusively human concern with no superhuman authority behind it." -Albert Einstein
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