People hate those who fight evil much more than those who are evil

You would think that anyone with a functioning conscience and some degree of compassion would hate communism. But that wasn't the case. In fact, there were many people in the non-communist world who supported communism. And there were an even larger number of people who hated anti-communists, dismissing them as “cold warriors,” “warmongers,” “Red haters,” etc.

Currently we are again witnessing this phenomenon – hatred of those who oppose evil rather than those who do evil – with regard to Israel and its enemies. And on a much larger level. Israel is hated by individuals and governments around the world. Israel is the most vilified country both at the United Nations and in the Western media and of course in universities.

Israel is a liberal democracy with an independent judiciary, an independent opposition press and equal rights for women, gays and the Arab population (20% of Israel's population). Its enemies – the Iranian regime, Hamas and Hezbollah – grant no such freedoms to those under their control. More relevantly, their main goal – indeed, their stated reason for being – is to wipe out Israel and its Jewish inhabitants. Hamas and Hezbollah have built nothing, absolutely nothing, in Gaza and Lebanon respectively. They exist solely to commit genocide against Israel and its Jews.

Why did so many people hate anti-communists more than communism? And why do more people hate Israel more than Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah?

The general reason is that it is emotionally and psychologically difficult for most people to face evil. Evil is generally described as “dark.” But it's not dark; it's easy to look into the dark. What's far harder to see is blindingly bright light. Perhaps that is why Lucifer, the original name of the Christian devil, comes from the word “light”.

Why this is the case – why people don't call evil “evil” – probably has to do with a lack of courage. Once you declare something evil, you are morally obligated to resist it, and people are afraid to resist evil. The fools who make fun of Christianity – whether through a “work of art” like “Piss Christ” (a crucifix in a urine jar), or through the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics that mocked the Last Supper, or through the Los Angeles Dodgers, who honored the “Sisters of” “Perpetual Indulgence” (men in costume dressed as nuns) – would never mock Islam. They fear the wrath of the Muslims; They are not afraid of the wrath of Christians. But Islamic anger has done far more evil in our time than Christian anger.

And there is another reason to hate Israel – one that is specific to Israel – and not to those who want to eradicate Israel: Jew-hatred, better known as anti-Semitism. The people who introduced a judgmental God and gave the world the Ten Commandments have been hated for thousands of years. Not those who systematically violate these commandments.

Prager is a nationally syndicated radio talk show host whose column is distributed by Creators Syndicate. He can be contacted at dennisprager.com.