WARNING!

*This blog may contain photos and language that some will find offensive.

The old hatred is in our midst again.

A news article in the September 29th edition of the Bozeman Daily Chroncile reports that White Supremist groups are once again on the rise here in Montana.

Racist literature is being distributed through out Bozeman. Some pamphlets are being left at the library and at area businesses.

Lies are being told about our current president, fueled by fear and rage over the current economic situtation.

I take offense at the young man featured in the photograph for this blog. The language on his shirt causes my stomach to heave and my face to burn red.

Whatever side you fall on politically (and our political environment is becoming increasingly polarized) this act of "free speech" is really an act of hate speech.

Children learn to hate from their parents, and from the adults around them.

I commend you to make a commitment not to speak words of hate.

In our order for baptism there is a section of the service where we ask baptism candidates or their parents and sponsors these words "Do you renounce the forces of evil, the devil, and all his empty promises?"

We hope candidates, parents, and sponsors cry out "We do!"

When someone is attacked, whether its our president Barak Obama, or any other person of color, we all are demeaned, belittled, and made less than fully human.

A wise old Christian taught me when "you speak words of hate you are speaking against what God has created and has made in God's image."

When a Jewish synagogue was vandalized in 1994 in Eugene, OR I stood with 100 of my fellow citizens in solidarity with that community of faith. Collectively, we renounced racial hatred in our midst.

Let us once again, renounce the forces of evil, the devil, and all his empty promises.

And let's speak of God's love for a broken world.