Westboro Baptist Church located in Topeka Kansas is lead by the controversial Fred Phelps. If you don’t know, Westboro Baptist is the church famous for its provocative signs like, “God Hates Fags!” There latest one is “God Hates Lady Gaga!” The popular pop singer is performing in St. Louis and Fred Phelps and his followers have decided that they are going to protest her concert in January, and urge other believers to join them.
I couldn’t believe the story so I did some research. Reports show that Westboro church spends more than $250,000 a year picketing and protesting. This group doesn’t just think that God hates fags and Lady Gaga, they also called the Reverend Billy Graham a “hell-bound false prophet.” Wow!
We have all heard the phrase “hate the sin, love the sinner.” What does that really mean? In 1 John 4:7 John tells us that we are to “love one another, for love is of God.” (v.8) goes on to say, “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” Now here is the million dollar question. Does what Westboro Baptist Church is doing, sound like love to you?
Forget about that passage for a moment, maybe John is telling us to only love those who are like us, NOT! But for arguments sake lets try another one. Colossians 4:5 says, “Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.” (v.6) Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
God is the only judge, and I have a hard time saying to someone who Christ died for, that His Father hates them. God sent Jesus to die on the cross for all of us. That is the greatest act of love ever displayed. God hates sin, not sinners. Whose really the false prophet?