Tuesday, August 16, 2005

WHAT THE ?????????

This is one of those entries that are hard to put a catchy title to. I thought of "What are they thinking?" But, it's pretty obvious and I don't want to get any deeper into these folks twisted little psyches than I have to. I considered " The Sheep and the Goats." But even though it's in the bible I don't have anything against goats. They're great animals. Very bright, sometimes very funny. I remember watching them watching us at the fair. Comparing them to these folks would be insulting. To the goats.

Sorting the pieces had an entry last weekend about the funeral of a the brother of a family friend. The young man was in the service in Iraq and died in the line of duty. If you’ve heard of Westboro Baptist Church’s “ministry” of picketing anything and everything to do with gays, you may not have heard of their wider ministry. (Incidentally the “church” consists of Fred Phelps, most of his children and their families.) Their websites have to be seen to be believed. I think I’d feel cleaner if I took a dip in the castle moat at high noon on the hottest day of the year or dove headfirst into the trash pile at the local dump.

Apparently their church was fire bombed recently and they have announced that along with God hating f@#’s He also now hates America, too. In a way you kind of have to admire their chutzpah. Their latest schtick is to show up at the funerals of service people with their picket signs and venom. They blow into town, spend an hour or so spreading their own unique brand of “fellowship” and get the heck out of Dodge leaving the opposite of sweetness and light behind. Personally, I believe that dragging small children along on these little minesterial visitations is very close to emotional abuse but I guess you can claim freedom of religion and get a free ride on that. That, and their habit of sueing the pants off anyone who opposes them.

For a long time I've believed that heaven or hell is having to truly face the fruit of your actions. A time will come when these people will have to face the pain they've caused others. Matthew 25 is very clear about how the sheep and the goats will be divided. I don't remember seeing picketing funerals on the list. The activities do include caring for the sick, visiting the prisoners, feeding the hungrey, comforting the widows and orphans (falling down on that one folks) and clothing the naked. "By their fruits you shall surely know them. "

I truly believe hell would be being able to see the Creator but your spirit has become so alien to what the Creator envisioned that you are invisible. Forever on the outside, looking in, unheard and unseen. I gotta chew on that one for awhile

I was wondering how these folks would react to a nice silent prayer vigil. Apparently all they got at this location was turned backs. Apparently it didn’t faze them at all.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think we're coming to the End Times.  Here in Kansas, we have to deal with Fred Phelps who leads his sick little band of followers all over to protest the funerals of gay victims of AIDS or bashing.  I don't believe in God, but I believe that these folk would not meet his approval.  SIGH.  Duck and cover!!  Apocalypse now.

Russ

Anonymous said...

Truly a bunch of idiots.  These are the types of folks that the media is doing no one any favors writing about.  It might be helpful for us to hear there are assholes like that out there, I suppose, but I think it does way more damage than help to give them any recognition at all.  Lisa  :-]

Anonymous said...

I am astonished at their activities. How can they believe Jesus would condone what they are doing?

Anonymous said...

What I worry about isn't Phelps- but it is those who probably believe pretty much the same hateful things as Phelps but present a softer image like Falwell.

Anonymous said...

These idiots were scheduled to attend a funeral here of a soldier killed in Iraq.  For some reason they thought better and didn't show.  Thank God, because I bet the police would not have been able to properly protect them.  I wrote an entry about it entitled....This Beats All.  Lisa