Hate Mongers

I use the term hate mongers...only because it is the term that was used by ABC News...and I guess, like television I use it for sensationalism. Last night I saw two minutes of television that made my heart weep. You may have heard about Westboro Baptist Church (They are not actually associated with the Baptist denomination). They spend much of their time protesting funerals of fallen U.S. soldiers. The protests are not anti-war protests. What they are claiming is that the soldiers are evil because they fight for and support a nation that supports homosexuality.

The Church, started by Fred Phelps, consists of about 70 people or so...most of which are his extended family. They have protested numerous funerals over the past couple of years. They hit the news recently because they were ordered by the courts to pay around $11 million to a family who's sons funeral they protested at. They will appeal. The interesting thing is that they have hired got the ACLU to support them. This is slightly humorous to me. They protest soldiers and call them evil for fighting for a country that supports homosexuals...yet they are willing to employ the services of a group that spends much time doing the same thing.

Their signs say things like, "God hates you" or "God hates fags" or "Fags die, God laughs". Their message, while sounding harsh and...well...mean, is seen as kind by those who preach it. They feel that it is a message that needs to be spread all across the world. And...from the sounds of it they will continue to spread this false gospel.

I think this group can easily be considered a cult. At the very least...they are not preaching the Gospel message that we call Christian. However...like many cults, they too claim to get their message from the Scriptures.

I mentioned before that this two minutes of programming made my heart weep. The real reason that my heart wept was because of how they are raising their children. The segment of the news program that I observed was focused on the children. They protest too. The mother was arrested, in fact, because she allowed her ten year old son to trample an American flag at a protest.

These children are so young (some younger than ten). And...they are brainwashed. Here are some excerpts from the interview (you can find the entire story on abcnews.go.com/2020):

"They just want to kill us pretty much," said 8-year-old Noah Phelps-Roper, one of Shirley's 11 children. "Because we're preaching the message. … Because they don't like our message."

Ten-year-old Jonah Phelps-Roper says his favorite flag is one that says "Fags Doom Nations." "I like that sign," he said.

When asked what the word "fag" means, Jonah replied "A fag is someone … who … I can't really explain."

"A fag is someone who does not obey the word of God," said Noah.

What is not recorded in the transcript online (which was posted before the broadcast so not everything is there) is the final words in that conversation by Noah. He said..."A fag is someone who does not obey the word of God. A fag is like a Jew."

Wow. This breaks my heart. These poor kids don't even know what is meant by "fag" as their parents use it. They seem to have no idea. At the conclusion of the show a young girl...maybe two years old...sang a song. It was a song of hate. It spoke of God's wrath and how we are all going to hell.

I am left speechless and saddened at such a horrible reality. Is there a difference between them and the KKK, White Supremacy groups, Skinheads, etc.? I am troubled at the unfortunate fact that there are many funerals that people are seeing these protests...and that is their interaction with...well so-called Christians. Will they use the same brush to paint our churches as they use to paint Westboro? Will we be seen in the same light? Also...who will be the ones to reach out to the poor children who have been wrapped up in the hate and intolerance of their families?

My heart continues to weep, knowing that the name of Christ is being used in such a way. May this never be.

I know that the issues of homosexuality is a polarizing one. I do not wish to delve into this topic...only to say that I believe it is incompatible with Christian teaching. I do not believe, however, that our soldiers are being punished for our nations support of homosexuals.

Here is what I do believe. I believe that all people are made in the image of God. There is nothing about anyone that is beyond the redemptive work of Christ.

As we have two sides to this issue...the answer is not hate...nor is it blind tolerance or pluralism. We must, as the Body of Christ, find a way to love all people and speak truth. This is possibly the most difficult choice. It is much easier to enter into pluralism as to avoid the issue or begin to hate as this group has chosen. It is more difficult to love and speak truth in a loving way. But...this is the way of Christ...and therefore the way of the Body of Christ.