I Just Don’t Get It

“It’s the story of a decent LDS man…”  That’s how I start my pitch at book signings for “The Unwilling”.  It was Friday night two weeks ago.  The first couple to stop by was a middle-aged man and woman.  The man said, “Tell me about your book.” 

So I handed him a copy and said, “It’s about a decent LDS man…” 

He slammed my book down, stuck his face up to mine, and said, “There’s no such thing!”  Then he swore at me and stomped off, obviously enraged. 

I was astonished.  I didn’t know what to say.  After a moment, I said, “Sorry?”  What else was there to say? 

So, I suppose his point was that there is no such thing as a decent LDS man.  That’s like saying there’s no such thing as a decent Muslim, Catholic, Democrat, or Captain-Picard-fan.  Having a philosophy or religion whose tenets are not my own doesn’t mean I think you are inherently evil.  I briefly wondered what could possibly have happened to that man to engender such hatred. 

Then I stopped wondering. 

I stopped wondering, because hatred isn’t rational, especially not when it’s directed at an entire group of people because of their race, skin color, belief-system, faith, or favorite starship captain. 

I had a similar experience a few nights ago.  I started with, “It’s the story of a decent LDS man…” 

This time, the guy said, “So it’s fiction?”  Then he walked off.

At least he didn’t swear at me. 

It’s not like I haven’t encountered this kind of hatred and bigotry before.  I have, many times in my life.  I will most likely encounter it again and again. 

I just don’t understand it.

For the record, I did not celebrate when Osama Bin Laden was killed. 

I believe that he was an evil man who led others to murder.  I vehemently disagree with everything that monster stood for.  I don’t care what motivated him.  His beliefs don’t make him a monster; his actions and stated intentions do.  The blood of the innocents that he and his followers murdered cried out and still cries out from the ground, and I believe that it was our duty as a nation to track him down and execute him for his crimes.  I also believe that his followers should be stopped, not only because of the innocent blood that they have already spilled, but also because they have stated their intention to slaughter more innocents.  They have stated their intention to rid the planet of those who disagree with them.  I believe that, had I been a member of Seal Team 6 and had received the assignment to kill Osama Bin Laden, I think I could have pulled the trigger and slept very well that night. 

However, I did not celebrate when I learned he was dead. 

We, as a nation, did our duty, and the heroic men of Seal Team 6 did theirs.  I thank them and honor them for their service.  Earthly justice, in Osama Bin Laden’s case, has been served.  Now we can leave the fate of his immortal soul to the judgment of a just and omniscient God. 

I don’t think Teancum hated Amalekiah or Ammoron; he simply hated what they had done.  Teancum gave his life to save his people, and like his commander, Moroni, he did not delight in bloodshed.

I can honestly say that I hate what Osama Bin Laden did, but I do not hate the man.  I don’t understand hatred of any human being.  Perhaps that is why I cannot sympathize with those who do. 

This week, I read the statement of a fellow American, a man to whom I am related by marriage, proclaiming that he is celebrating the death of Margaret Thatcher.  He also declared that he will dance in the streets when Dick Cheney dies.  I get it that he disagreed with their politics, but why the hatred?  This is a man who preaches tolerance as a virtue, yet tolerance doesn’t seem to extend to those who possess opinions that differ from his own. 

It makes no sense to me, but then, neither does hatred.