Bible does not condone hate toward another

I am writing against two letters to the editor, “Opposition to same-sex marriage is right” and “Biblical teachings reject same-sex marriage” (Telegram & Gazette, July 5).

In those letters the writers used the Bible to justify their beliefs against homosexuals. I found that in 1 Corinthians it does in fact state, once, that homosexuals should be considered wicked. However in more than 690 passages the word “love” appears, clearly showing what is more imperative to God. It’s stated in 1 Corinthians that the greatest of these values is love. Why then should one statement outweigh 690 proclamations of love?

In “Biblical teachings reject same-sex marriage,” the letter writer wrote, “Evil is anyone who opposed God’s values.” Yet by speaking out hatefully against homosexuals, one is opposing God’s values. What right does anyone have to say that they are God’s faithful if they ignore certain predominant values? It states clearly in Psalm 5:5 that the arrogant cannot stand in your presence. By exclusively choosing who is worthy and who is not, they are playing God, and I would call that arrogance.

This letter was written out of frustration. Nowhere in the Bible does it mention that one should be hateful toward another even if they are different. This passage, I think, is self-explanatory, “So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment?”