Do Christians hate [fill-in-the-blank] (i.e. people of other religions, pagans, atheists, homosexuals, etc…)?
Heavens no!!! When Jesus was asked which of the numerous commandments given in the Old Testament where the most important, he replied “'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Mt 22.37-40). Jesus explained in another passage that your neighbor is basically anyone you encounter (Lk 10.29-35).
However, God also teaches us in Scripture that He hates sin & wants us to hate sin (Pr 8.13). So we are to hate the sin, but love the sinner as one whose life God values. Not always easy to do, but we are to do it nonetheless. Truth be told, we are all sinners & in God’s sight, all of us have fallen short of His righteous standard even if we sinned only once (Isa 53.6, Rom 3.23, Jas 2.10, 1 Jn 1.10).
Sadly, most people & especially the liberal media incorrectly equate hating sin with hating the sinner. Not so. Unfortunately, there are some so-called Christians who do actually hate such people & provide liberal media outlets plenty of fodder. It’s entirely & highly likely that these so-called Christians may not even be true Christians at all (Mt 7.21-23). Christ, Himself, warned about such folks & noted that you could identify them by their behavior (Mt 7.15-20). It’s also possible these “haters” are just immature or uninformed Christians (See: Why do some Christians act ungodly?). Altogether, the net affect of hating other people is a misrepresentation, a pollution of true Christianity & worst of all, a sin itself (1 Jn 3.15).
As a result, either based on the attitudes of false Christians or on an outsider's misunderstanding of God’s directives, Christians are sometimes called “bigots” or “intolerant”. Though its worthy to note that the definition of “tolerance” has changed: once understood to put up with another’s behavior or belief even though it was not agreed with; now means you must fully accept that behavior or belief & you had better not say anything negative about it. This is an aspect of what’s called moral relativism – the idea of what’s right or wrong for you is not always right or wrong for me. However, only God can define morality & He alone gets to call the shots on what’s right & wrong (Lev 20.23, Dt 28.1-2, 15, Isa 5.20, Mk 10.18). It is inherently self-deceiving & unhealthy to blur the lines between right & wrong (Isa 5.20, Jer 17.9, Mt 15.19).
Furthermore, God’s idea of loving others is so extreme that He even calls Christians to love our enemies (Mt 5.44). God doesn’t want anyone to sin because sin is detrimental to the individual & separates them from God (Isa 59.2, Rom 6.23, Jas 1.15). God wants Christians to make people aware of their dangerous conditions & show them how to be restored to God (Pr 27.5-6, Gal 6.1, Jas 5.20). God even mercifully loved us while we were sinners & enemies of Him (Rom 5.6-11, Col 1.21) & wants to spare us from the agony of sin’s affects & ultimately death (Jn 3.16, 2 Pet 3.9).
As with anything, don’t take my word for it or anyone else’s, but do take God’s Word for it (Acts 17.11, Tit 1.1-2). The truth is told in the Bible if anyone would choose to find out for themselves.
"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." – Jesus in Mt 5.43-48