to fear the lord is to hate evil
 

I saw this messgae on a church billboard. I was amazed that somebody (or a group of people?) thought that this messgae made any sense whatsoever.

Off the top of my head, I first wondered whether fear or hate are useful states of mind. Next, I wondered whether evil even exists. Then, I wondered...the connection? :::baffled:::

I am impressed that they managed to get absolutely nothing right in this message. And yet there it is, out there on the roadside, advertising: this is what we stand for. Join us.

Fear leads to anger, and anger leads to hate. So to fear the Lord is to hate the Lord. Therefore, the Lord is evil. QED.

I'm e-mailing that to my wife! ha ha ha (she saw it with me)

It's a direct quote from the Bible. Proverbs 8:13:

"To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech."

it's good to bear in mind that "fear" is a pretty thin word for what is a pretty thick concept in hebraic literature. Don't assume that what we see on quick read, 3,000 years later, is what was meant by the writer.

For my part, I don't assume anything. But I am interested specifically in that this is what is being marketted to the masses.

Meanings of words change with time.

In King James Version terms, to 'Fear', when talking about God, is synonymous with 'respect', 'reverence', 'piety', 'awe toward a supreme power', rather than 'afraid of.'

I think we had a discussion of when gay used to mean happy, somewhere ...

I've seen a lot worse things...advertised on billboards...things that are portrayed to the mass media. Is it because it's a church? Or is it because the wording didn't seem to make sense?

Because the wording doesn't make sense, compounded by the fact that people presume to "live by" these words.
IE, how can you "live by" something that doesn't make any sense? It's like voluntary insanity.

When I read signs like that I think it means if you are afraid of god sending to hell you will hate evil. Evil meaning anything that church finds unacceptable.
It could be anything. Gold earrings, body peircings, tatoos, rock and roll music Well those examples are on the extreme end but you get the idea.

I think the word 'fear' is suppose to mean what wolf said but people are sheep with grown up sheep leaders leading them. Regurgitating the same ole spin.

Fear and hate are not useful states of mind.
If there is a thing as evil then I am pretty sure it's my brother and we should seek to understand how it operates in us?

By "Church Billboard", I'm thinking the signs they put out at the church....on the building or free standing on the lawn? The sign wasn't meant for you, it was meant for people who belong and understand.

Those signs aren't recruiting posters, they're notices for those that have already enlisted....or been drafted. Mostly for the enlisted that have been derelict in their duties.

That sign makes as much sense to you, as your tech manuals make to the janitor.....the words are familiar but the sentence doesn't make sense.

You seem to think these "billboard" messages are some king of prophetic or profound ideologies. No, they're gimmicks to catch the attention of the recruits.....to get them thinking about the church....prod them to feel guilty about their dereliction of duty.

You also seem to think the recruits take the tricks of the trade, seriously.
Silly bunny...tricks are for kids.:lol:

All I know is that I find it fun driving through the boonies of Alabama and seeing all the church billboards... both the ones outside the churches and the big advertising boards along the highway.

Very insightful. It's obvious in hindsight, but it never would have occurred to me.

I was thinking he meant an actual advertising billboard. They're very common down here in Texas.

Here in Central FL we get a lot of nutty church billboards.
As for me, don't believe in evil and hate is poison to be avoided at all cost.