Yes, but is it Hate?

You really don't have to go very far to hear this. "You people who try to tell us that homosexuality is a sin are haters! Stop spewing your message of hate!" Every even-remotely-public personality who makes some moral statement against homosexual behavior or the like is a hater. Every pastor who says, "You know, the Bible says that homosexual behavior is a sin" is a hater. Anyone who stands by the biblical standard is simply standing by a message of hate. It's as simple as that.

And I hear echoes of The Princess Bride in my head: "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means." According to the dictionary, "hate" means a few things. As a verb, it would mean to dislike intensely or passionately, or to feel extreme aversion or hostility toward. As a noun, of course, it would be that intense dislike or extreme hostility. Okay, so, let's go with that. The suggestion from all sides is that those who agree with the Bible on the topic of the morality of homosexual behavior are expressing an intense dislike or extreme aversion or hostility toward those who practice such behavior. I think that's a fair expression of what they're trying to say. But is it a fair assessment?

The behavior (because, remember, we're talking about a behavior here, not an "orientation" or a "preference" -- an actual, active practice of something) is listed multiple times in Scripture. Indeed, there is very little disagreement about what the Bible says on the subject, and it is not approval. In the Old Testament God (famously) says that the act is "an abomination" (Lev 18:2; 20:13), right alongside incest, adultery, bestiality, and idolatry. Indeed, the latter reference (Lev 20:13) calls for the death penalty for such behavior. Now, if you told me, "I'm thinking of going over to the local liquor store, killing the clerk, and robbing the place," would I be "hateful" in suggesting that you don't? Would it be unkind of me to point out that such an act was immoral? Would it be evil of me to tell you that it wouldn't be good for the clerk, the store, or you? Would my recommendation that you avoid such an act be hateful?

The New Testament is more drastic.

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor 6:9-10).

The Old Testament says it's immoral, that God hates it, and that it is bad enough in God's opinion that a nation under His government (a theocracy) ought to connect the death penalty to it. The New Testament says that it doesn't merely fall in the "immoral" category and could kill you, but will damn you. "The unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God." What is "unrighteous"? Who are they? Well there are the sexually immoral and the idolaters and the adulterers. There are thieves and drunkards and swindlers. So far, so good, right? I mean, at least for the most part we're all on the same page. These people are "unrighteous". And the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God. That is, they go to "the other place." So, warning off the idolatrous or the adulterer from continuing in that behavior because they will not "inherit the kingdom of God" would not be an act of hate, would it? I would think it quite obvious that anyone with any heart for someone in that category would be doing them a favor to warn them of their final destination. "Turn, turn! You're headed for a cliff!!!"

So why is it that warning people away from this one particular thing the Bible calls "abomination" and worthy of death and, worse, worthy of hell is considered "hate"? Why would they form organizations to tell us to stop warning people about the consequences of this particular sin? In what sense is it "hate" to care enough about people to urge them to avoid a horrific outcome to their choices? And, if it is what the Bible says, in what sense is agreeing with God on the topic "hateful"?

They keep using that word; I do not think it means what they think it means.
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Postscript:
In considering whether or not it is hate, I have two additional things for you to think about.

1) It doesn't matter in the question of whether or not it's hate if I'm right or wrong. If I am convinced that X is going to harm you (especially as seriously as eternal damnation) whether or not it actually will, it would be hateful of me to not tell you. Telling you would be love.

2) There is a sense in which it is "hate" ("to dislike intensely or passionately, or to feel extreme aversion or hostility toward"). The Bible calls certain behaviors "sin". The Bible says, "O you who love the LORD, hate evil!" (Psa 97:10). Hating sin is biblical. It's not the same as hating (fellow) sinners.