hashkafah philosophy - May one love a non-Jew?

May one love a non-Jew? Not romantically in the sense of marriage, but rather in the sense that one loves a friend or family. May a Jew love his Gentile father, for example? May a baal teshuvah continue to love his non-Jewish friends?

I realize the question sounds a bit ridiculous, but it is sources like those cited here that lead me to seek a clear answer.

Answer

The No'am Elimelech on parshas Vayishlach writes:

והצדיק גם כן אוהב את השם ואת כל אדם בעולם, ועל דרך שאמר רבי יוחנן (ברכות יז): מעולם לא הקדימני אדם שלום בשוק, אפילו נכרי

A tzadik also loves Hashem and every person in the whole world, as is said about Rabbi Yochanan that he would great every person in the market with Shalom..even non Jews.

Undoubtedly the quote from Rav Chayim Vital that Hacham Gabriel brought factored directly or indirectly into the the No'am Elimelech's presentation: "ויאהב את כל הבריות אפילו גויים"..."and he loves every living being, even a non-Jew." which is listed as the opposite of the trait of hatred which he says prevents one from cleaving to G-d.

So while there are very real concept of hating the wicked, which can apply to a Jew or a non-Jew in theory and may not be entirely mutually exclusive with an obligation to love, it is very clear that one is playing with fire since hatred is such negative middah (character trait).

With that in mind it is necessary to recall the words of the Holy Divrei Chaim of Sanz, "First although the poskim have made clear to us that the prohibition against following in the ways of the gentiles, the intention is not, G-d forbid, to belittle the honor of the other nations; for, on the contrary, we are strictly enjoined to honor the nations, both the rulers and the general populace. Even concerning the nation whose yoke rested the most heavily on our necks--that is, the Egyptionas, who imposed a crule servitde upon us -- nevertheless, after the Creator, Blessed be He, took us from there, and we were at the height of exaltation, without fear of any human being, He commanded us, blessed be His name Do not abominate and Egyptian (לא תתעב מצרי; Deuteronomy 23:8), and instructed us not to belittle their honor because in spite of all, we did derive benefit from thir country. All the more so, then, are we obligated to show honor to those countries in the shad of whose protection we rest, and where Hashem, Blessed be He, has caused us to find favor in their eyes, so that they have eased their yoke upon us....." (Divrei Chaim YD 178a, translated in The Sanzer Rav and His Dynasty, Artscroll).

[Finally is should be noted that the entire premise of the post cited in the question has been disproved by the quote from Hacham Gabriel, since the source of the Tanya vis a vi the metaphysical sources of non-Jewish souls has been shown to state one must love gentiles.]