Anger is  " the desire to hurt another for the purpose of vengeance"[1]

Modern culture has elevated the notion of anger to somewhat of a virtue.  The call to “express one’s anger” has been seen as a sign of health for some time.  Despite this freedom of expression, problems related to anger increase as exemplified in the various forms of abuse.  Common sense would say that before one expresses something it would be wise to know the nature of the thing that they are expressing and the moral implications of that expression.  A proper understanding of anger and its remedy, forgiveness will help to provide the necessary foundation for dealing with anger and helping others control their anger.[2]  It will help the pastoral counselor to understand the reasoning involved in the anger and how factors compound the vehemence of the passion.  This will increase the possibility of mitigating the passion of anger and increasing the use of reason to resolve the difficulties.

The sole motive of anger is an insult or slight

One is angry because one is hurt.  Without an injury anger cannot exist.  The only cause for anger is the consideration of an injury that is unjust.  A person is given less than is just, i.e. what is due to them.  This could be any word or deed that insults them.  E.g. “I deserve to be treated as your wife and you treated me like a piece of property.”

Injury is inflicted in three ways: willful, ignorance or in passion

1.       The insult (word or deed) may be done as a clear, willful choice.  This type of insult and injury would be the most difficult to forgive.  E.g. Without any provocation, one says in rational indifference, “I want to hurt you and I hope that you never recover.”

2.       The insult may have been done in ignorance, e.g. "I didn't know I was hurting you."  This would be easier to forgive than the willful choice. 

3.       The insult may take place in a passionate moment.  During an argument, something may be said that was not meant.  This would not be as easy to forgive as in the case of ignorance but still easier than the willful choice.

 Man’s excellence is the cause of his being angry

Our esteem of ourselves is the personal cause for our being angry.  The more excellent we think we are, the more insulted we might be by treatment that is less than we think we deserve. 

The anger may be justified, as in the case of Beethoven being considered inferior to Bob Dillon.  The anger may be unjustified, as in the case of Bob Dillon being considered inferior to Beethoven.

A person cannot be angry unless he/she is hurt and that hurt causes grief.  A person who has wounds within him may be more easily hurt. For example, a girl who may have been ridiculed and insulted by her brothers and father about her intelligence might be easily hurt by her husband's light-hearted and unknowingly tease about her misspelling of a word.

Hatred is different from anger. 

Hatred wishes evil for the sake of evil.  Anger is the desire to hurt (which is an evil) for the sake of justice (vengeance for the insult which injured).

There are three types of anger

1.       Quick tempered anger:  A person may have a quick-temper and be easily aroused. 

2.       Bitter anger:  A person may be bitter after an insult and refuse to forgive and to let go of the memory.  A person keeps it in mind so as to arouse the anger.

3.       Ill-tempered anger:  A third person may be ill-tempered.  This person is easily aroused and experiences other emotions as his/her general disposition.  The ill-tempered person is generally "in an angry mood."  His/her anger never rests.

Effects of Anger

Pleasure

Anger causes pleasure because vengeance satisfies justice for the injury, which brings pleasure. 

Thinking about vengeance also brings pleasure because it brings to the mind the hope that it may come true.  This is why people think about such things repeatedly.  However, such gratification is self-destructive.

Fervor in the heart

The passion that begins in the soul affects the body. "The blood starts to boil" and adrenaline pumps one up for action. 

Anger hinders the use of reason

Anger is the greatest obstacle to reason of all the passions.  It disturbs the sensitive powers that are needed for reason.  The greater the passion, the more difficult it is to think clearly.  This is helpful to remember when thinking about expressing anger and discussing relationship issues.   If the anger cannot be mitigated and reason restored it is unwise to continue discussions in anger for injuries will increase and reason will decrease. 

The greater the anger the less reasonable will be the discussion and the more likely the situation will reduce itself to quarreling and bickering, which inflicts further injury.  It is best to pull back until reason can prevail in the discussion.

Taciturnity

Anger causes difficulty in the ability to speak.  “I was so mad that I couldn't talk.”  Vocabulary is reduced to basic words and sounds.  The English professor is tongue-tied and “is reduced to grunting and spitting.”  This is another reason for discontinuing discussions when anger prevails.  If one cannot speak and think clearly, one is unlikely to communicate well and likely to communicate badly.