Not much has gotten me as angry the activities of Westboro Baptist Church. I cannot even recognize Christianity in their actions. They seem to go out of their way to promote hatred.
Now it is reported that Fred Phelps has died (although there is some question about that). How should Christians respond to this? Should we rejoice that Phelps’ ministry of hate has come to an end? Should we be happy that his family gets to suffer the way so many others do? Should we picket his funeral (according to his family, there won’t be a funeral anyway)?
I think we need to respond with compassion. The story of Fred Phelps is a sad one. He went from being an effective civil rights lawyer to a pastor filled with hate. I have no idea what caused him to go in the direction he did but now he has to answer to God for his actions. We need to keep his family in our prayers. Not only have they lost a father and grandfather, that family is split over the approval or opposition to Westboro Baptist Church. We need to pray for that church. This is a major turning point in this church. Perhaps God can use his death as a way to completely change the direction of the church or even bring it to an end.
Our natural inclination may to respond to Phelps with hate and rejoice at his death. But Jesus calls us to go beyond our natural inclination. Jesus calls us to love, to love even the unlovable.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:43–44 ESV)
- Compassion
- Death of Fred Phelps
- Fred Phelps
- Prayer
- Westboro Baptist Church
