Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Catholic
We Must Resist The Demonization Of Others

We Must Resist The Demonization Of Others

Last updated on: April 30, 2026 at 1:53 am by Henry Karlson

0 Comments

We Must Resist The Demonization Of Others 2026-04-30T01:53:29-05:00 Henry Karlson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Demonization of the other has us neglect their humanity and the love we should give them. Photo: Marsilar: New Year’s Demons / Wikimedia Commons

Sadly, it has been, and continues to be, quite common for Christians to demonize others, and they do so to justify hate, and with it, the sinful actions which flow from such hate. For example, many demonize non-Christians, and once they do so, they deny non-Christians the love and respect they should be given. Others become political, and embrace nationalism, so much so, they declare anyone who is not their nationality as inferior, if not their enemies, even fellow Christians. Historically, we see both were at play when the Jews were demonized, turned into scapegoats, rounded up, tortured, and killed. Today, many Christians in the United States are doing something very similar to those born in Arab countries (Muslims and Christians alike). This kind of demonization not only is morally wrong, not only something which should be obvious without need of any religious affiliation, it goes against the express teachings of Christ. Jesus said Christians should bo be known by their love. While not dealing with the issue of antisemitism itself, the spiritual elder John (from Barsanuphius and John fame) told someone who asked if it were permissible to use a wine press owned by a Jew that it certainly was fine:

If, when God sends rain, it rains in your field but not in that of the Jew, then do not press his wine. If, however, God is kind and loving to all and sends rain on the just as well as upon the unjust, then why do you prefer to be inhumane rather than compassionate; for he says: “Be merciful, even as your Father in heaven is merciful.”[1]

While the premise of the question was wrong, and John could have and should have addressed it, he probably did not because he was probably influenced by antisemitism himself. Nonetheless, we can find value in John’s response, as it went beyond the antisemitism which he accepted. Of course we can use a Jew’s wine press. Why couldn’t we? But the answer to this question is dealing with a presupposition many Christians have, that is, they believe they should not associate with known sinners, that they should keep their distance from them because if they did not, they would be defiled by those sinners and their sin. John is rejecting that presupposition, at least to some degree. If we paid attention to the Gospels, the answer should be obvious, as Jesus constantly removed those barriers throughout his ministry; he constantly engaged those society shamed, those who were demonized, and indeed, sometimes with those who really were sinner. He explained why it was right and just for him to do so: both because the sin (sinners) need a doctor, but also because God’s love is for everyone. He was not defiled by his contact with them, rather, they were aided by his love and respect. John, however, responded to his questioner, by using a different quote from Jesus said: God sends rain to everyone, the just and unjust alike (cf. Matt. 5:45). God is compassionate and loves everyone, and God certainly is not tainted by such association. Jesus, despite what his critics claimed, was not tainted by his association with sinners either. And we certainly would not be, if we engage them, work with them, and even use the gifts which they are willing to share with us: indeed, they show themselves following what is good and just more than those who would avoid contact with them when they are willing to share their gifts with others. Thus, if we would do as Jesus told us to do, what Jesus showed us by his own example, we would follow God, seeing everyone as our neighbor to be loved: “When God’s kenotic love overcomes us, we realize that everyone is our neighbor.”[2]

The Gospels reveal to us that the way to overcome evil, the only way to truly conquer it, is by the path of love. When we treat with love, they will more likely respond to that love in a positive fashion, making them better, than they would to our hate. After all, when people love us, showing kindness and mercy to us, we are more likely to react positively to them, accept that love, and be made better by it. Similarly, if others treat us with contempt, if they are hostile towards us, we will likely reflect that hostility back at them. Love brings people together, while hostility causes more hostility, having people end up further and further away from each other. As sin seeks to divide up the world so as to destroy it, love works to overcome the destructive power of sin and have us seek unity with everyone else. This is why love can and will overcome sin, for it is through love, the divisions established by hate, can be overcome. Jesus demonstrated the truth of this by responding to the hostility he received with love, taking the abuse which hate promotes to the limit, showing, indeed, it has a limit, while love does not, which is why love is greater than sin:

But we shall respond briefly in this way: evils were erased not by the wickedness of the murderers but by the virtue of the Messiah in suffering evils. For this reason, the love and power in Christ’s suffering was greater than the hatred and vice in everyone’s wrongdoings, and the life of the one Christ was more worthy than everyone else’s lives. Therefore, when He gave up His life for everyone, He made a satisfaction that was far more than satisfactory: one can make satisfaction for another. We see this done every day in civil matters: for satisfaction rests in outside acts; for these, both bonds and friends can be employed. But since penance consists in an internal act of the mind and will, it depends on the very person who sinned. Therefore, as it is necessary that every sinner give penance for their crimes, only in this way was it that the Messiah made satisfaction for everyone. [3]

Christ looked upon those who crucified him with love and mercy. Try as they might, they could not undermine his love for them. He verbally forgave them even as he was dying. Indeed, he let himself be taken upon the cross and take on the sins of the world to present to us the extent of God’s love. But in doing so, he also showed us the way to overcome the cycle of hate by embracing, with and through him, his love for all.

Christians should become like Christ. They must not demonize others; when tempted, they must resist such demonization. Like Christ, they should do what they can to end such hate in the world. Demonization happens when groups are unjustly criticized, when they are accused of things they have not done, and that hate is used to justify mistreating them once that demonization is accepted as fact. We see this in the way the Jews have been mistreated by Christians (with all kinds of horrible legends and myths used to excuse and promote such hate), in the way Christians treat Muslims today (often repeating myths and legends previously used against the Jews), and in the way Christian nationalists attack all migrants, all those born on foreign ground, trying to have them all identified as criminals in order to justify governmental abuse of such foreign-born people. Demonization, and the results it brings, differs from an honest examination of verifiable facts, because demonization uses rumors and gossip to make generalized conclusions, having innocents identified by the few who have caused problems. Christians, instead, must promote justice, and so examine the world around them, find out where systemic injustices exist, and work to overturn them. The facts have to be properly presented, and the interpretation of those facts have to be justified. Then, society can and should work for justice, but Christians need to remind societies, engaging such injustices, that the best way to do so is with love, granting mercy to those who need mercy, helping those who need help, while making sure those who have benefited from or embraced such injustices make some sort of restitution, so that those who have been unjustly harmed can be healed.

[1] Barsanuphius and John, Letters. Volume 2. Trans. John Chryssavgis (Washington, DC: CUA Press, 2007), 242 [Letter 686; Response from John].

[2] George Maloney, SJ, God’s Exploding Love (New York: Alba House. 1987), 135.

[3] Marsilio Ficino, On the Christian Religion. Trans. Dan Attrell, Brett Bartlett, and David Porreca (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2022), 187.

Stay in touch! Like A Little Bit of Nothing on Facebook.
If you liked what you read, please consider sharing it with your friends and family!

N.B.: While I read comments to moderate them, I rarely respond to them. If I don’t respond to your comment directly, don’t assume I am unthankful for it. I appreciate it. But I want readers to feel free to ask questions, and hopefully, dialogue with each other. I have shared what I wanted to say, though some responses will get a brief reply by me, or, if I find it interesting and something I can engage fully, as the foundation for another post. I have had many posts inspired or improved upon thanks to my readers.

General Christian

Previous Post

April 29, 2026

How Our Nothingness Allows For Theosis

Next Post

May 3, 2026 Reflections for Paschaltide 2026: The Samaritan Woman

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"First things first is the easiest way forward. "If someone is bleeding profusely, we must ..."

Dr.Cajetan Coelho

Why We Must Embrace Empathy, Sympathy ..."

"Gosh, did that hit the spot. I have been having great anxiety lately. And I ..."

Mark Wilson

Rejecting Doom: Christian Hope And Human ..."

"Justice and peace are two sides of the same coin. Where there is justice, there ..."

Dr.Cajetan Coelho

Justice First, Charity Beyond It: Serving ..."

"Thank you for your very, very powerful and very, very insightful analysis of the relationship ..."

alwayspuzzled

Justice First, Charity Beyond It: Serving ..."

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Abortion Abraham abuse Aesthetics AI Aliens Ambrose Ancestors and Everything Andrew Angels Animals Anne Anthony Antisemitism apologetics Apophatic Apostle John Aquinas Artificial Intelligence Asanga Ascension Asceticism Assumption Atheism Attachment Augustine Authority Avarice Balthasar Baptism Beauty Biden birthright citizenship Bishops Black History Books Buddhism Bulgakov Byzantine Calendar C.S. Lewis Calcidius Catholic Catholicism Catholicism Celibacy Charity Chastity children Chrismation Christ Christmas Christology Church Climate Change Common Good Communion Confession Confirmation Conscience Constantine conventions conversion councils Covid Creation Cross Dead Death Death Penalty Debate Deception Demagogues Demons Desert Monks Desert Mothers Desire destruction development Dialogue Dignity Dionsyius Dionysius Discipline Diversity Division Doctor Who doctrine dogma Dormition Dualism Easter Easter Series Ecumenical Councils Ecumenism Education Election Empathy Environment Error Eschatology eschaton Eternity Ethics Eucharist Evangelism Eve Evil evolution Faeries Faith Fear femininity Ficino Florence Florensky Folktale Fools Forgiveness Freedom Future gender Gentile Gentiles Glory Gnostic God gods Good Samaritan Goodness Gospel Government Grace Great Fast Guns Halloween Hate healing Health Heaven Hell Hellenism Heresy Hierarchy Hildegard Hinduism History Holiness Holy Spirit Holy Week Hope Horror Human rights humanity Humility hypocrisy ICE icon icons Identification Identity Idol II Nicea Immigration incarnation Individualism Informal Reflections Inklings Intention Inter-Religious Interfaith Internet Interpretation Intrinsic evil Irenaeus Islam Israel Jacob Jerome Jesus Jews John Chrysostom John of Damascus John the Baptist Joseph Judaism justice Justification kenosis Kindnesss Kingdom of God Kingdom of Heaven Law Law of Moses Lazarus Leaf by Niggle Lent Lenten Reflection Liberation Theology Lies Life Listen Literature Liturgy locutions Logic Logos Love Marriage Martyrs Mary Mass Maximos The Confessor Meanness Meditation Mercy Middle Path Migrants Mind Miracles Miriam Morals Moses Movies Music Muslims Myths Names Nationalism Native Americans New Year Nicea Nicholas Nothing Novatian Obedience Occam's Razor Ordination Origen Original Sin Orthodox orthopraxis Pagans Palamas Palm Sunday Paradise Paschaltide Paul Peace Pentecost person Peter piety PKD Plato pluralism Plurality Poem Poetry Poiltics Politics Poor Pope Pope Francis Pope Leo XIV Post Office Prayer Pride Pro-life Prodigal Son propaganda Prophecy Prophets Providence Putin Racism Reading Reason Reflection Refugees Relationships Religion Religion Series Religious Liberty Repent Republicans Rest Resurrection Rich Rites Russia Sacraments Saints Salvation Salvian Santa Science Scripture Self-Giving Sexuality Sibyl Sick Silence Sin Singlehood Social Justice Society Sodom Solovyov Speculations Spiritual Reflection St. Cyril of Alexandria St. Justin Martyr Suffering Sunday of the Paralytic Man Sunday of the Samaritan Woman Superhero Supreme Court Teaching Technology Thanksgiving The Father the Universe Theological Reflection Theology Theosis Theotokos Thomas Timaeus Time Tolerenace Tolkien Tradition Transfiguration Trinity Trump Truth Uncategorized Unity Universities USCCB Vainglory Value Vatican II Vegetarian Vices Violence Virtue Vocations War Water Welcome Wisdom Womanhood Women Work World View Worship Writing Zacchaeus

Select a Month November 2026 October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz