Hi Kevin,

You said:

• Why is it man's nature to hate, distrust and fear when it's better to love and trust?
• Why don't people follow those other instincts instead?

It's not man's nature to hate, distrust, and fear. It's man's nature to love, trust, and hope.

• A better question is why don't you see this on the 6'o clock news every night?

The answer is because of the inclination to sin after one has been baptized. In addition, some in the world have never been baptized into the Body of Christ and live with original sin. Paraphrasing from the Catechism:

Although it is proper to each individual, original sin does not have the character of a personal fault in any of Adam's descendants. It is a deprivation of original holiness and justice. That said: human nature has not been totally corrupted: it is wounded in the natural powers proper to it, subject to ignorance, suffering and the dominion of death, and inclined to sin — an inclination to evil that is called concupiscence.

Baptism, by imparting the life of Christ's grace, erases original sin and turns man back towards God, but the consequences for nature, weakened and inclined to evil, persist in man and summon him to a spiritual battle.

If you talk to any Protestant friend they will most likely claim that what you say is true:

That it is man's nature to hate, distrust, and fear.

They base this on a false theology started by Martin Luther.

Through receiving the sacraments on a regular and, if possible daily, basis we will be more drawn to love and trust others as we live out our vocation.

I hope this helps,

Mike