Kelly: I just read on Yahoo! that the main front runner for Westboro Baptist church passed away today. If you are not familiar with WBC, please spare yourself the images and their viewpoints. To sum them up in the Kelly Korb fashion, Westboro Baptist Church are a family based in Kansas who's websites displays "God Hates Fags." They picket at soldier's funerals, thank God for the death of soldiers and other individuals and preach in my opinion messages of sheer hate and intolerance. But yes, the main church leader has passed on. Without a doubt he has met Jesus face to face and has gotten what God will give him. I will be completely honest, when I first read the news I had mixed feelings. Anger, relief, pity, the lot. I'm ashamed to say at first I thought to myself that perhaps this guy got what he deserved. But the more I thought about it, the more I thought of this; it doesn't matter what I think or feel about this guy and this "church" and their views of others and the world. This guy claimed to follow Christ, as I do. He read his Bible, prayed with his family and went to church every Sunday. I do the same thing. So really, we are the same, but perhaps not. I think it's our understanding of God that makes us different.
I have ZERO tolerance for hate or disrespect of any kind, because the God and Jesus I know and have read about does too. I also know that God is a vengeful and jealous God and He hates sin and sinners...have you read the Old Testament? But here's me; I will flat out say that picketing the funerals of soldiers and saying God hates "fags" is wrong. Flat out wrong. The Bible says Jesus loves all of us, each and every one, right down to the hairs on our heads. I will not picket this guy's funeral or parade around Berea holding signs that say "God hates Westboro Baptist Church," because frankly God loves them too. But I will continue to spread the love of Christ in what I say and do to others, no matter who I meet. I will continue to show the world of the God that I know and love. I will pray for WBC not that they would be changed, but that they too would learn or re-learn of the same love that God has extended to the "fags," the soldiers they protest and to them.
Holly: I'll admit, the first thing I thought when I read of Mr. Phelps passing was something like "I imagine he and Jesus had a pretty interesting conversation." Then again, I can't claim to speculate what our own encounters with Jesus at the end of our lives will be like.
Straight up, I do not agree with the views of Westboro Baptist Church. I think it's even a bit of a stretch to call Westboro Baptist Church a "church". I don't think Mr. Phelps was leading a church; I think he was leading a cult. But that's just my opinion. Some of the things he said were just downright frightening. It's frightening to go on their website and see "God Hates Fags" as plain as day, plastered all over it. That is NOT the love of Christ I've learned about. That is NOT the love of Christ which drew me into a relationship with Him.
He and his church were notorious for picketing and protesting funerals of soldiers, celebrities, and others. I've read numerous comments saying his own funeral be picketed. But how does that make us any different from them? We're "fueling the fire", so to speak, and you and I both know that that doesn't solve anything. The truth is that people, ALL people, are going to think, speak, believe, feel, differently than we are. Perhaps that message never quite got through to WBC. Maybe it did. I'm not really sure. On the flip side of all of this, my human, Christ-following, compassionate side comes out: Mr. Phelps was a father, a grandfather, a leader of a church, someone's friend. This father, grandfather, leader of a church, someone's friend, has passed away. Death is a sad thing, regardless of your immediate feelings.
Having said all of this, I will say that because of WBC, I will strive to further spread the love of God, the God who is a God of LOVE. I will show love to my neighbor: my gay neighbor, my Hindu neighbor, my male neighbor, my black neighbor. No exceptions. I will pray for WBC, that they would come to know the God of love that I love.
And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love. -1 Corinthians 13:13
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