Howard Thurman , who died on 10 April 1981, was an influential American author, philosopher, Baptist preacher and theologian. He was the first African American to hold the position dean of chapel at Harvard University and Boston University, a predominately white institution in the United States.
He played a leading role in many social justice movements and organizations and his commitment to a spiritually and physically integrated society, and to the methods of Gandhian nonviolence had a great influence on Martin Luther King.
In his works he often dealt with hatred. He said:
“Hatred bears deadly and bitter fruit…. Once hatred is released, it cannot be confined to the offenders alone…. Hatred cannot be controlled once it is set in motion….”
“Hatred destroys the core of the life of the hater… who does to other human beings what he could not ordinarily do to them without losing his self-respect. This is an aspect of hatred that has almost universal application during a time of war and national crisis….. [which make] it seemingly necessary to discipline men in hatred of other human beings”
“During times of war, hatred becomes quite respectable, even though it has to masquerade often under the guise of patriotism.”

Howard Thurman, morto il 10 aprile 1981, fu un autore, filosofo, predicatore Battista e teologo americano. Fu il primo afroamericano a ricoprire la carica di decano di cappella all’Università di Harvard e a quella di Boston, un’istituzione prevalentemente bianca.
Svolse un ruolo di primo piano in molti movimenti e organizzazioni per la giustizia sociale e il suo impegno per una società integrata spiritualmente e fisicamente e per i metodi di nonviolenza gandhiana ebbero grande influenza su Martin Luther King.
Nelle sue opere ha spesso parlato di odio. Ha detto:
“L’odio porta frutti micidiali e amari… Una volta che l’odio è stato liberato, non può essere limitato ai soli colpevoli… L’odio non può essere controllato una volta messo in moto…”.
“L’odio distrugge della vita dell’odiatore fino al midollo… che fa agli altri esseri umani ciò che normalmente non potrebbe fare senza perdere il rispetto di sé. Questo è un aspetto dell’odio che ha un’applicazione quasi universale durante un periodo di guerra e di crisi nazionale… [che rendono] apparentemente necessario educare gli uomini nell’odio verso altri esseri umani”
“Durante i periodi di guerra, l’odio diventa abbastanza rispettabile, anche se deve spesso travestirsi da patriottismo”.
lo conosco per via di Martin L.King,leggendole sue biografie spuntava spesso il suo nome! l’ultima frase che riporti è terribile nella sua verità! bravissima Luisa ci voleva questo post! buona domenica!
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Pensa la coincidenza: l’anniversario della sua morte, l’angoscia del periodo attuale, e la menzione a “odio” e “guerra” fatta da Papa Francesco anche alla fine dell’omelia di oggi.
Nonostante ciò, mi auguro che la tua domenica sia piena di gioia e serenità
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Spero anche la tua sia serena! È davvero un periodo brutto ma troppo!❤️❤️🌼
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🌺🕊️🌺
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True quotes for sure. On a related topic, we saw a sign on a camper van in New Zealand that said Revenge is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die. Hatred is wasted emotion and effort and destroys everything indiscriminately. Stay well Luisa. Allan
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‘Hatred bears deadly and bitter fruit’ , a line written by Howard Thurman , and a blog by you on that , appears to be a reminder for those wisemen of the world communities who talk of war and peace— both without forgetting the fact that the war always generates hatred . And hatred can’t bear a sweet fruit at all . It will always bear a bitter and dreadful fruit for the Mankind as such . Destruction , thy name is war . Devastation , thy name is war . And war is virtually a weapon of a weak person , a person who never thinks of others . Only a self-cetric person thinks of war and destruction as such . Never a person of human instucts ar all . Anyway , your blog is nice and beautiful and always compells me to write back something . Thanks !
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Thanks for this beautiful reflection.
I completely agree with you, war is wanted by selfish men who do not care about the life of their people. They think only of personal interests: fame, money, pleasure found in violence and aggression, etc
US President Hoover once said: “Older men declare war. But it is youth that must fight and die. And it is youth who must inherit the tribulation, the sorrow, and the triumphs that are the aftermath of war.”
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War is hazardous for the youth .
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🙏🙏🙏
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The sign you quote is really wonderful and thought-provoking
Thanks a lot, dear Allan ❣️❣️❣️
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l’ultima è quella che più si addice ai nostri tempi: la Patria non come piacere che altri la conoscano, l’amano conoscendo lingua e tradizione, ma qualcosa che dobbiamo rinchiudere e far valere che è meglio di un altro territorio!
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Purtroppo è una triste realtà, caro Stefano ❣️❣️❣️
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[…] Hatred & War […]
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Thanks a lot for reblogging 🌺
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Another wonderful post. Thank you for the quotes and again, an intro to an author and obviously great man, who I didn’t know about.
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Thank you again, dear Shehanne!
…. and thank you most of all for always being so encouraging😚😚😚
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Thank YOu for the great posts.
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🙏😘🙏😘🙏
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I truly agree with him, I think life is too short to waste it in hating someone and it is best to forgive for your own mental sake. Great post as always dear Luisa 💖🌸
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I totally agree with your point of view, Daphny, and I thank you very much for your kind words
💓💓💓
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Always a pleasure Luisa. 💝💞
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🤗🌺🤗🌺🤗
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Thank you, Luisa, for this introduction to a remarkable man.
Joanna
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Many thanks to you, Joanna, for your kind words
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You are more than welcome.
Joanna
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🙏❣️🙏
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L’ultima è un’immagine molto attuale di quello che si sta vivendo oggigiorno, 😔. Buona Domenica delle Palme cara Luisa, 🌸☺️🤗.
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Sì, è per questo che l’ho citata… non so fare altro. per esprimere il mio disgusto per la guerra 🕊️
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Hai fatto molto, invece, cara Luisa: condividere citazioni come quelle nel tuo post è anche questo un modo per lanciare un messaggio condiviso da tanti: “La guerra fa schifo ed è ora che tutta questa sofferenza e questo dolore abbiano fine.” Davanti ad un post così non posso che dire: chapeau, tanto di cappello. Peace&Love, ☮️❤️☮️❤️☮️❤️, sempre, 👍l
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Grazie, Eleonora cara
Peace&Love, ☮️❤️☮️❤️☮️❤️
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🤗🤗🤗
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Hatred is such a strong word. There are people who I have really disliked but never hated, but then again, I’ve never met anyone who I’ve disliked so much that I could hate them.
War however is different. I don’t think I could hate a man who was trained to kill another soldier, but I find it difficult not to hate a man who tells someone else to pull the trigger or drop a bomb while he lives a life of luxury, especially when there’s no reason for it. It’s what I regard as being human.
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You’re absolutely right: you can’t help but despise those who order someone else to pull the trigger or drop a bomb while living a life of luxury.🕊️🕊️🕊️
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🕊️🕊️🕊️
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Violence…..the inability to change anything for the better. As John Lennon once said, if everyone demanded peace instead of another tv set, then there’d be peace. I believe I would change tv set to the newest iphone as it would be more appropriate today.
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Lennon also said to give peace a chance, but it seems that the powerful of the world don’t really want it 🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
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So true.
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🙏🏳️🌈💙🏳️🌈🙏
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So inspiring story about Hatred and war 🌷🙏👍🏻 you also clearly written the true story of a great Author and
philosopher and nicely explained the fact and war defeated him 👍🏻🌷thank you and blessed Sunday 🙏✨
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Thank YOU for taking the time to share these thoughts with me!
Have a nice Sunday: I’ve just seen it’s raining, there. here in Italy this is a sunny afternoon 🤗💓🤗
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So welcome dear friend 🌷🙏❤️ here everyday morning shine and evening or
Night raining ☔ nice and cool weather here !! There sunny also cold weather
Can feel , my son told , before Covid my son came to European countries for
Work purpose , he visited Italy ,came back told me there sunny days also felt cold !!
So beautiful country he admired 🌷😍have a nice weekend 🌷🙏🌷
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Thanks a lot for your nice comment,💙🙏💙
Sending you a big warm Italian hug 🤗💞🤗
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So welcome dear and sending lots of love and hugs 🌷🙏❤️🌷☕
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Sadly these statements are very true. Maggie
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I know, Maggie, and I feel so helpless to do anything to stop hatred 🕊️❤️🕊️
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Howard Thurman was brilliant and his quotes are so true for right now. Malc summed it up well.
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I agree, dear Pat
Thanks for your kind comment🌺
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L’odio distrugge davvero in tutti i sensi.
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Proprio così 🏳️🌈
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La guerra fa compiere azioni malvage anche a chi, in condizioni normali, non si sognerebbe mai di compiere.
Entrano in una specie di catalessi, cervelli lavati e prosciugati, morale nel cestino.
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Lo penso anch’io, quando sento parlare di atrocità quasi impensabili
Deve scattare qualcosa di atrocemente perverso nelle menti dei soldati che fa considerare la condivisione delle malvagità un fatto quasi ordinario
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I love his ideologies and aversion towards hatred and war. Such a great person the world was blessed to have.
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I totally agree with you, Lamittan 🌹
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Glad you agree ❤
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Purtroppo è tutto così vero e attuato in tutto questo scempio che sta accadendo, nel 2022 è davvero inaudito!!! 😘
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Quando l’umanità sarà abbastanza evoluta da capire cose così semplici?
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…credo mai altrimenti jon ci ritroveremmo in questa situazione…😌
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༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ
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His words are truly wonderful. Hatred only created problems in this world, but has not solved one yet.
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I am very grateful to you, Ritish, for sharing your precious thoughts. I wish you a good week
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Have a blessed week to you as well 🙏🏻
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Thank you again 🙏
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A beautiful post, Luisa. I was unaware of his mentoring of Dr. King. Thank you for sharing his legacy of love. 🌞
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Dear Lusa, thank you for your lovely and appreciative comment.
It is a pleasure to hear your words and feel the understanding.
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l’odio è una brutta bestia. Una volata liberato è difficilissimo controllarlo, specialmente in guerra.
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Purtroppo ce ne accorgiamo: anche chi nella vita civile sembra una persona normale può lasciarsi trascinare ad atrocità inaudite
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vero
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