Fighting Injustice Without Hate
If you’ve been living under a rock, this week Larry Nassar, USAG (USA Gymnastics) doctor who sexually abused hundreds of girls, was sentenced to 175 years in prison.
I’ve been an avid gymnastics fan for several years. I remember seeing Nassar on TV or in photos from every event. I remember when the first accusations started to surface, and USAG brushed them under the rug. I remember when the more prominent gymnasts, the ones whom you’ve probably heard of even if you aren’t a gymnastics fan, started to speak out and could no longer be ignored. All of this led up to last week, when over 150 athletes testified in court. Among them was Jordyn Wieber, one of the first gymnasts I ever fell in love with and started following. I cried when I watched her video. Something of this magnitude is difficult for anyone to hear about, but so many of the survivors’ sentiments resonated with me personally.
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This is basically all that has been in my Twitter newsfeed, and I was incensed about the whole thing. But when I started to find myself thinking the same kind of sentiments about Nassar that I saw on Twitter–which I won’t repeat because they’re so ugly–I was brought up short. As a Christian, how should I respond to this issue? I hate what Nassar did and I am all about empowering the survivors and educating the next generation to prevent any child ever being abused again–but is it okay to hate Nassar himself?
The Bible says no. (Luke 6:27-28, Matthew 5:44, Matthew 7:12, Romans 12:14, Proverbs 20:22) I know it’s an easy call for me to make, because I didn’t stand up in that courtroom and speak. If you’re going to hate someone, Nassar is an easy target and a worthy one. I will never condone his actions or attempt to justify them. But my life as a Jesus follower is supposed to be about love. If you’ve been following this case as well, and maybe you’re not a Christian and plan to continue hating Nassar with a vengeance, I am 100% not preaching at you. Please do not get the impression that I’m saying “everyone has to love child molesters!” I am saying, though, that I was personally convicted this week about the way I was approaching the whole situation. I can be passionate about injustice, yeah–but without hating its perpetrators.
Christians are supposed to abhor what is evil (Romans 12:9), and if that isn’t clear by now, I do. I completely abhor what happened to these 150+ women; I abhor any kind of abuse, and I hurt for anyone who has a story of it. But we’re also commanded to love. So simple, and yet so difficult when you hear about someone like Nassar.
Empowering girls has been a theme in my life lately and I am all about it. I was making a birthday card this week for an elementary school girl in my life; she speaks five languages and translates for her parents. Their financial situation is so bad, they couldn’t even buy her a cake for her recent birthday. I told her I think she’s a fantastic writer and artist and I know she’s going to go far in life, because I don’t think anyone has ever told her that before. Then recently I was having a conversation with a girl at church who complained that her “boyfriend” (insert me rolling my eyes into my head because she’s in FIFTH GRADE) won’t stop hugging her even though she asked him to stop, and I told her that she needs to get an adult to back her up because no one should touch her if she doesn’t want them to. And also, I’ve been asked to be the head coach of an 8U softball team this spring (dream come true!!!), and there is so much I want to teach them on and off the field that I don’t even know where to start.
I don’t necessarily agree with all of the connotations that come with the word “empower” and how it is used today. But, I am ALL about telling girls they have value and they are worthy and LOVED. I am all about USAG (finally) making steps towards change. I am all about applauding the 150+ brave survivors who spoke in the courtroom. I just think that I needed a perspective shift this week. Because as a Christian, I can fight fiercely all day long for the causes I believe in–which I 100% plan to do. I just don’t want to hate anyone.
Have you been following the Nassar case? Do you think it’s okay to hate the people who commit crimes? How do you empower the young girls around you?
