I am fed up and sick of sitting by while groups like this totally trash the faith I have. It’s hard work to walk this thing out, and harder to make good choices. I am not perfect and I have no stones to throw at anyone. It’s by the grace of God that I live and breathe. Who is this group and what gives them the right to interpret the Word in such a negative manner, and why do we not speak up? I don’t get it. We disagree with this Phelps message yet we sit silent as the ones around us get the message that God hates them. That is the biggest lie, and the one that will turn anyone off, even me! If you google search the name of this church you will get something you never dreamed would be on a church page…and if you google “God” you will be surprised as to what you find. Westboro baptist church of Topeka KS can be found at..now make sure you are sitting for this…I am not sure you are ready…but here goes.. www.godhatesfags.com I told you that you were not ready for this! Go to www.friendlychristian.com and read the news article and how the media covered their Hate/Christianese example. If nothing else will get us off the couch and doing something in the name of Jesus to reach our friends and neighbors, even our family members…then this should get us moving in the right direction. People need to see a different Christian/Christ follower. This is one community and it is speaking for all believers. For crying out loud!! I am not part of that thinking and I am not one of them!
A friend of mine once commented here and said..if you want someone to see your faith, imagine a camera following you around 24/7, and televising it to all your worst critics. That ought to motivate everyone.
My apologies go out to all that have been hurt by this jerk and his church. God does not hate you, HE loves you so much, and although that is hard to believe that is truth! People of all walks of life are lumped into categories, do you (Christians) really want what this church is saying to reflect on you or your children? Is this the God you serve or is HE different..do we even know?
**Update** here are some more Christian/Christfollowers who are feeling this today too. http://praise365.wordpress.com (my HUBS) http://1godsgal.wordpress.com share the love y’all! visit them and show a little love! thanks
ponderings of a princess... 
I couldn’t agree with you more. I am completly disgusted that these people can grab so much publicity with their hateful agenda. 1 John 4:8 says: “whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” I just wonder where the love of Westboro Baptist church is because it is the one word I didn’t see when I was checking out their web site!
Oh Darla,
I just clicked over to the site and after reading a bit, was looking for a button where I could leave a comment. There was none and I left because it made me sick to my stomach. No compassion there. I would not have left a nice comment, but a true one from my heart.
It seems to me that in taking scripture to fit their vile, they excluded how Jesus hated the sin but loved the sinner. We are to be like Jesus. Shame on these people for preaching this crap and the people who follow. How self righteous!!! No wonder people label all Christians as hypocrites and want no part of it. I don’t want to be a part of religion, I am so thankful to be a believer in Jesus, the one that helped me out of the pit, and has given me compasssion for those who are still in the pit. The grace of God is all that keeps me from still being there. These people preaching this vile better watch out. They may be the ones who end up in the very place they are damming souls to!!!! Okay, you got me going and my spirit is so chapped right now. I don’t want any part of these people and their hate. It just makes me more determined to show Jesus to others by the example that I live. I know the Lord will help me.
I am nothing without Him and I KNOW IT. I will be praying that God spanks this group of haters big time. They need it big time and SHAME, SHAME, ON THEM. I love you Darla and thank you for lighting a fire under my behind. I am angry but I won’t sin.
Love your heart so much,
Laurie
All I can say is… WHAT????? I couldn’t agree with you more!! Ugh… that just frustrates me!
Thanks Darla, you’re an ocean away from me but not nearly as far away as WBC. I swear that if I lived in the US and they were picketing a soldier’s or an actor’s funeral I’d be right there picketing them. They have a right to protest the things that they don’t agree with but then so do all the “good” Christians out there who are sickened by these people.
Morning darla….sleepy girl today! 🙂
Hov: I don’t know what to say except I’m sorry, to every non-believer, and right on Christian, I can’t even imagine the heart of my heavenly Father….grieved I’m sure. I’m glad He’s allowed this to come into our path so we can make a stand. You rock froginess!
Went to the site. What a waste.
As far as leaving a comment. First off I would caution that because I have a feeling, after perusing around, they’re just looking for a fight. The best thing we could do, IMO, is speak against it from our own camps in a loving Christ like manner. BUT – for those of you who like to quarrel (and I do, really) at the top of home page there is a contact link you can leave a comment on. There’s also a blogs link too. Watch out when you go directly to their personal blogs though – terrible!!!
Hi Darla, sorry for being a stranger. 🙂
Tam, is right they are looking for a fight, just like the trolls of the internet.
The danger of what they represent, blind hate, can’t be ignored. They got kicked out of the church they use to be members of.
Like most cults that have one dominent leader surrounded by weak willed followers, mostly his own family.
One of the sad, unfair, things is that they a make good news story. They get in the headlines.
The stories of caring Christian like yourself, GG and Tam don’t get in the headines. Thank God for the internet. 🙂
Non-believers read these headline stories and get a negative view of the Christian lifestyle.
It is up to Christian leaders to correct that image.
I had a very negative view of the Christian lifestyle until I started reading blogs like yours.
Keep up the good work.
All- I saw all I wanted to see, and lots that I didn’t, I really see it as a virus that breeds hate, and I would rather breed love. I think my frustration comes in to play…because of the lies! But God has been sweet to me, and has reminded me that the dupe here is to make us quarrel with the body, and that God is not in control…they have some serious answering to do. WE have to continue to be real and keep on keeping on, and just let people know we are not part of that thinking. Fortunately! Jesus showed loved to sinners and still does…and HE quarreled with the religious self righteous leaders. It’s still very sad, and we need to make sure we are doing the thing right and out loud.
ED- thank you, you encourage me, we love having you lurking and commenting! 😉
My browser would not open the link. That’s okay. I agree with Tam that they’re probably looking for a fight and then we’re no different. I’ve learned that God will take care of leaders who do the wrong things. King Saul is an example. I will pray for them and God’s mercy upon them and I will pray the people who listen to them and fall into that snare. There will always be tares among the wheat; wolves in sheep clothing. It is prophesied in the Word that apostasy will come. I suggest we keep walking in the love of Christ in us. Like you said, “doing the thing right.”
Blessings in Christ–
I agree to a point, we don’t have to fight, or even respond to a comment to them, and the comment can be firm but not ugly. Not doing anything to me is worse.
When I think of the eternal ramifications of not doing anything, I’m not ok with that. They need to know that there is not a tolerance for this kind of garbage against the true teachings of Christ and sitting back doing nothing is not something I feel we’re called to do. There’s nothing wrong with overturning some tables, the right way.
GG- you know that is why I love you so much! I thought about this all day..and prayed about this…Jesus totally took on the religious leaders and totally trashed their agenda when they turned HIS fathers house into a scam. Doing nothing is not what I am thinking about, but trying to make sure I do not fall into thier pit of hate..I don’t want to be like them, but I don’t feel I need to tolerate them either..how about Larry King..meets FC/Bill and Hover. 🙂
LOL, this is what I wrote…I have no intention of going back….but they’re crazy people…definately on the wrong side of the track! ahhhh Larry king with bill and hov…I’d have to be there for that!
“I’m really puzzled over where you get your information from or why you think what you are doing is ok. It seems as tho, you guys want nothing but a good fight, which I intend not to give you….but it doesn’t sound like you actually read God’s Word…or live by it. You are fully of hatred and I can’t see where anything that you stand for could be pleasing to God. There are thousands who just shrug and move on when they read this garbage…I hope you will really get into what God says, so you can know His heart….His real heart. How can you derive such pleasure from such evil hatred? It’s the goodness of God that leads people to repentence….not this. I feel sorry for you, you just don’t get it.”
GG- I wrote someting similiar yesterday to them. I do feel sorry for them, but I guess more for the people who have felt thier self righteous wrath. I see them as a vile poison that subtly invades a mind, and serves the enemy..you know that tad of truth with a whole lot of lie. Love you Girl!
🙂 Road trip! FC goes to Larry King..why not take everyone! LOL
I just deleted a long comment cuz I didn’t want it to sound like I was against you all commenting over there. I’ve chosen not to. I don’t believe that translates into me sitting back and doing nothing. Girls, we ARE doing something. We are showing the ones who are looking and who care what God looks like. That counts for something. Brent was saying earlier that this silly church has already been land blasted in the media and endless blogs. Let’s step up to the plate where we’re at. Lets continue making His presence known. Let’s continue fostering a safe place for people to come and talk openly and honestly and respectfully about their opinions, fears and doubts about God.
So as to not be misunderstood… saying lets step up where we’re at doesn’t mean not go out and reach the community or others.
Love you Tam! I understand and you are right about this..we need to keep pressing on, and maybe put out a little more effort..God is still in control, and HE will win.. 😉 we know how it all ends! 🙂
I understand what ur saying Tam, but when the Lord puts something like this in front of me, I’m not one to say oh, ok…I made my comment, it was nothing horendous, but I made a comment. It’s important like Hov said to speak up. I’m one lost in hundreds to them, I don’t intend to go back and see what they have to say about it, but I will not remain silent when something like this comes up. I was respectful, and firm at the same time and will take a stand for Christ anytime against anyone who is misleading His people, and potential followers. It’s just the way I’m programmed… 😉
That’s great Deb. I didn’t say I was against you doing it or wanted an explanation. i know you…I know why you went over to leave a comment. I wanted to communicate that just because there are some of us who will not go over and get involved with them; me, other commenter’s here, Brent and several others does not mean we aren’t against what this “church” stands for. It does not mean we are not taking a stand for Christ…I’m just not gonna do it there. No one is wrong here. I’m glad you did what you are wired to do and what you felt the Lord called you to do.
I think it’s great that there is this diversity in the body. God uses different people in different areas at different times and you’re right there is no wrong here….except for that stinkin’ “church”. Did I sound like I was judging anyone? If I did, I apologize, it’s always between us and God, not anyone else.
This is why I am where I am with this…
2 Tim 3 1-5
1 You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!
Excellent scripture…amen and amen. I’ll share my heart as well….
So, we leave them alone…is that really what we’re called to do? What if one of our comments reaches and changes the life of one of those Baptists, and they become a powerful witness for those who are misled as well…that is my hope and my heart.
Also, if you read into chapter four it says this..
“1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at* His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
We have a calling to keep the false teachers in check…and make it known to men what is true, what is not. How else do we do this than invading their teritory?
I saw this tonight and thought this was a great way to respond…
http://blog.ministrygrowers.com/2008/01/24/true-love/
dang! that East coast time! I slept through the best discussion this blog has ever had!
GG-rebuking is scriptural, and we did do it.
Tam-the hardest part of any rebuke is not to listen to the argument that they might put up..thier words are infectious.
I also commented and have not been back..praying for the same as GG that God will plant a seed in someone and cause Truth to run through their little loud circle. Also for everyone that has been touched by their hate to have someone come along side them with a true Picture of JESUS. The worst part of all is that whatever is taken in from these people causes torment to the soul. That is the reason I will not be back o thier site. It sticks to the mind, and causes a turmoil within. Such as-questioning like-am I loving the body of Christ, are they believers that have been duped, Can God handle his own reputation? Once it becomes a question of God I know the enemy has used his own to cause distraction. We really need to believe God on this, and distance our selves from looking anything like them. These are the signs of the end times.
that is so sad. I am so sorry too that is out there.
LOVE-God is LOVE!
Much love,
Ang
i agree. but you know what i’m not ready to hear even more? that though Jesus is hurt and angry with these people…He’s as sick as all of us are, even more so…He still passionately loves them and longs for them THE SAME as He does us.
that hurts my pride.
trust me, they will get what’s coming for them…God will make sure of that. the day of reckoning is coming…let’s just love and pray that they come to Jesus before that day. cause no matter how upset i am…i wish no one an eternity separated from God.
and love is the only chance we have that something will get through…