HATE

RACHAEL AND MELVYN 8.
on Hate

R. Uncle Melvyn?

M. Mm?

R. Why do people hate each other so much?

M. Which people? Some people love each other.

R. Jews and Arabs; Fascists and Communists; Shia and Sunni Moslems; Hutus and Tutsis; Catholics and Protestants for a start. Even some Mums and Dads and brothers and sisters.

M. That's quite a bagful! I suppose Christians would say that it demonstrates the fallen nature of mankind, and only Christianity could save them.

R. But Catholics and Protestants both call themselves Christians.

M. Most of them get on pretty well.

R. Not in Northern Ireland they didn't! And Shias and Sunnis are both Muslims. And they are killing each other in Iraq.

M. Maybe there are other factors.

R. Such as?

M. Competition for resources: Water, Food, Power, Money, Oil, Minerals....

R. What else?

M. Pride, Revenge, Utopian dreams, Fear, Laziness...

R. Laziness??

M. It's easier to blame, and therefore hate, others than to try and sort yourself out. Or your own society for that matter...

R. Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but not the beam in thine own?

M. Exactly. Well remembered!

R. It stuck in my mind.

M. Your Jesus said it needed effort to do that. The effort of love.

R. He's not my Jesus! I believe in the Big Bang!

M. Oh yes; I forgot.... Anyway, He was right.

R. So what about all those other factors?

M. They all lead to power. And power corrupts. The one thing power cannot abide is losing the advantages it brings.

R. What advantages?

M. Freedom, feeling superior to others, self-indulgence....

R. Pleasure in bashing up people who are weaker or different....

M. Persistent infantile behaviour....

R. Things are pretty awful, aren't they?

M. Nothing that wont be cured by a marmalade toastie and a mug of tea.