Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Speaking the Truth in Hate

I need to begin by saying that I believe homosexuality is wrong. There are many passages in the Hebrew Bible that speak of homosexuality as being an abhorance. Also, I believe that it is wrong for a Christian to act as if there is nothing wrong when they come across a homosexual. We need to speak the truth in love.

It is precisely these last two words "in love" that Pastor Fred Phelps seems to have missed. I don't know how many of you are familiar with Fred Phelps, the pastor of Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas. To say Mr. Phelps is hateful is the understatement of the century. While he and I both agree that Homosexuality is a sin [Leviticus 18:20, 20:13], he seems to have an element of hatred for homosexuals added on top of his moral convictions. His comments at events that he protests rarely get any farther than insults and mockery. He is very offensive in his methodology, and he gets the media's attention...but for all the wrong reasons.

One of my favorite authors on the Boundless blog is Denise Morris. She always has some interesting thought, or uncovers some interesting story. Today, she has uncovered more hatred from Fred Phelps. I don't know how many of you remember the New Life Church shootings in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Apparently, Phelps and company are going to be there to protest this funeral. Why is that you may ask? Because, last year, New Life Church discovered that their pastor was gay, and excommunicated him. Apparently, he paid a male prostitute for sexual relations and drugs, and was found out. He has apologized, accepted his excommunication, and is getting counselling for his addictions. Here is a man who is, as far as we can tell, penatant for his actions, and is desiring to change. I pray that this man will conquer his sin by the grace of God, and I ask that the Christian community give him all of the help in the world in so doing.

Of course, repentance from sin is not enough for Phelps and company. Anyone who is fighting homosexual desires is simply the skum of the earth to these folks. So, Phelps has said that he intends to spew his hatred at the funeral of two young girls, Stephanie and Rachel Works, who were killed in the shootings, and whose father was just released from the hospital only one day before his daughter's funeral. Here is some of the wonderfully hatred filled message Phelps and Co. sent to a local television station:

"Thank god for sending this tragedy,” going on to include, "God hates New Life Church," before including Biblical references and anti-gay language.

Pastor Phelps, it is wrong to murder anyone, whether homosexual or not. Genesis 9:6 tells us that every man is created in the image of God, and thus, no one has any right to take another's life, no matter how bad their sin might be, unless God says so. God, obviously, does not sanction the taking of human life in this instance. Second, you seem to have noted well the condemnations of homosexuality in the Bible. Did you ever stop to notice the proper perspective that Paul gives to this topic?:


1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

You see, Pastor Phelps, Jesus Christ is capible of taking upon himself the sin of homosexuality, and bearing the wrath of God for it. There are many people who are coming out of homosexuality every day. If you believe that God cannot redeem this pastor, then you are seriously questioning the ability of God himself to save. I would say that this pastor, who is seeking help for his sin, and desires to change, is in a far better position then you are for the hate that you show towards these people.

The sad thing it that I heard of the story of this pastor last year as well on Gene Cook's radio program, The Narrow Mind. I had totally forgotten about it. Apparently, Phelps keeps a database on his computer of people against whom he can rile his hatred. Doesn't this guy have anything better to do with his time?

I hope that these men get caught in a snow storm or something. They are a cancer to the body of Christ. I would encourage the people who are giving these folks money to stop doing so. This behavior is not Christian. The sad thing is that the media equates the two whether we denounce what they do or not. This is why folks like Phelps are a cancer in the church, and that is why they need to be isolated from the Christian community until they repent.

3 comments:

Nate Phelps said...

Wow! Well your blog took me through the entire gambit of emotions. It appears you are still pursuing some type of divinity degree so I would assume you are steeped in the traditional, conservative, religious dogma. That would explain a lot of the thoughts you expressed here.

So where to begin.

First, you stated "Also, I believe that it is wrong for a Christian to act as if there is nothing wrong when they come across a homosexual." That troubles me so much. I see someone who is hovering on the tipping point between the Christian who "acts" like nothing is wrong and my family. In my mind none of those positions are tenable! The only way I can think to drive home the point I want to make here is to ask, in all humility, what business is it of yours, or any other human, whether this or that person is gay?? If God is the one who saves or rejects...let it go!

Then you said: "no one has any right to take another's life, no matter how bad their sin might be, unless God says so". I must confess, those last 4 words literally sent a chill down my spine. To move from an absolute ban on murder to a provisional ban, contingent on whether "God says so", is the stuff of lunacy. It is the HEART of faith spawned human cruelty. Is this what the fundamentalist educational institutions are teaching?

Finally, part way through your blog I realized you were making the assumption that my old man is picketing the New Life Church killings because a previous pastor was found to be involved in sexual activity with another man. You couldn't be more wrong! Simply put, my father believes every human on this earth, save those in his building on Sunday morning, are going to hell. This includes YOU! It has NOTHING to do with reality. I would be willing to bet good money he doesn't even know about that old pastor.

Any blog about my family's motives must flow from several assumptions. First, that they are seeking maximum media exposure, and second, they make no distinction between the most vile criminal and the most devout seminary student. ALL OF US ARE GOING TO HELL in their minds.

Songbird said...

Adam,

This is not the first time WBC protested at Colorado, though. Ted's church got protested several months backs in March or something. I am impressed on how his church handled the potentially acrimonious and embarrassing situation. Still, it was scary that they have such a low view of humanity. They are no different from many nilihists I'm familiar with.

RedKnight said...

I thought that if Fred Phelps and his church were to find out about this shooting, he'd be there demonstrating. I actually met the shooter, Matthew Murray, on-line, as freaky as it might seem. We met on a messageboard, which he posted under the user name of Nghtmrchld26. He claimed that at YWAM, which he was apart of when he was younger, there was rampant homosexual conduct. "nightmrchld26
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Re: My YWAM Horror Story

I did my DTS at YWAM Denver and Dale Lambert was my DTS school leader. I witnessed all kinds of insanity. Men would be making out with other men in the hallways, listening to all kinds of "metal music"(non-christian), smoke pot with each other while off base, there were rumors of sexual activity, both hetero and homosexual.

Not that any of those things are bad...but.......
Why was I told that I couldn't be a missionary because I wasn't "social enough"? I was told that I was "an introvert."
Everyone else got to go on their outreaches except for a few who lied about smoking (cigarettes).

The authoritarianism and hypocrisy is outrageous. The YWAM leaders would always believe that they had some special "connection to God" to be able to dictate and rule over student's lives. I'm not talking about simple rules like "no drugs allowed" but rather "we prayed and we feel like the spirit says that you're not loyal enough" or "we prayed and we feel like God says you're not to go on any outreaches." For just asking the question "why are we having a special group meeting tonight?" I was told "we prayed and we feel that you have a spirit of rebellion and if you ask or question anything any further we may have to send you home..." I was told that I could not watch an "R" movie at a movie theater even though several of the other students did...and yes, the leaders knew full well about it.

The lack of knowledge and thinking is another story. Almost none of those people ever questioned the things they were taught. They always assume it's true and in matters of contradictory teachers and teachings, they'd just believe and follow whatever everyone's emotions were feeling. I remember "holy spirit week" where they tried to get everyone "baptised in the holy spirit." I went along with it just to stop people harassing me and asking me "are you still speaking in tongues? you better not stop doing that or you might lose the holy spirit....." I now know that the Divine Spirit is within all of us no matter what our religion is. Very few actually had answers in regards to salvation or "hearing the voice of God." A lot of the "prophesy" in those groups was/is nothing more than lower psychism. Sure, they can be accurate once in a while, but even then it's on a lower level. Just because someone is psychically/spiritually sensitive doesn't mean they know how to exercise it or have a trained mind. It also does not mean that they understand spiritual principles. It only means that they are sensitive to the lower astral levels.

1 person did get sent home for making an amateur sex video of homosexual nature....6 or 7 people were involved but only that one person got sent home. I know 3 or 4 others were sent home simply for smoking a legal nicotine cigarette. A few people got "talks"(slaps on the wrist) about their openly homosexual behaviour in front of everyone. They all went on outreach. For the record, when I was told by the YWAM staff 1 week before I was to leave on outreach that they did not want me on outreach, I asked them if I had done anything wrong. I ask them to clarify their reasons and they did make it clear to me that I had not commited any "sin" or done anything wrong...except for the one time I questioned, but that that was not the reason they were sending me home. They made it clear that they were sending me home because they "prayed to God" and felt that I was "not social enough" and was "an introvert." After having left I of course found out how true all those words about "we all love and care about you very much" and "we do care about you." really were.......
I never heard back from them and when I got home....well.....back to the usual christian insanity at home and my parent's church.

The fact is, in YWAM, and christianity, it's all about the Beautiful People. No, it's not just "one group of bad christians" but rather....almost every group of christians except for a few open minded non-evangelical churches. If you're an extrovert, and popular, then yes, there is plenty of love waiting for you in christianity. If you ask questions and want to understand things and/or desire a real and deep spirituality, or if you're just not popular...well.......you are considered as one of the horrible people and are either going to be abused or kicked out by "holy spirit love filled" christians. it's all about......
the Beautiful People........

If any YWAMer believes that I'm on the wrong path and that they have "The Spiritual Truth" and answers then feel free to send me a message, I'd love to discuss these things with you and discover "truth"(If I indeed have not found it yet)." This was what he posted about his experience. So corruption was alledgely involved overthere. Though it doesn't excuse his behaviour.