Glorifying Revenge: Reversing Societal Patterns of Hatred

Our society teaches us who and how to hate and values individual vigilantism. When God says, “Justice is mine,” when is it wrong to seek justice? In this audio talk, Bill Smith maintains that hatred is a personal and societal issue. Where does seeking justice leave off and revenge pick up? Smith examines the influence of society on our understanding of justice, including movies, books, and stories. He considers how hatred plays out in politics and religion, and argues that hate rhetoric always distorts, segregates, and isolates. Smith concludes with a vision for three ways we can move away from revenge and hate in our culture and toward redemption.