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The Westboro Baptist church have their own way of protesting and their own way of believing things. Personally, some of the things they say I find are mostly extreme and twisted in doctrine. However, keep in mind that Jesus wanted us to keep peace with other people and not stir up anger. The Westboro Baptist church does their protests in a way that seem to stir up a lot of anger among people, push them away from God/Jesus/The Holy Spirit, and tell people things that will naturally harden their hearts and make them hate believers of God. Sadly, they are also a well-known group because they travel so that they can do these protests and spend thousands just to show up somewhere for 30 minutes or so. Also, because of the hate they press on others - it often makes it in the news. This church seems to love attention more than anything else from man so they already have their reward because they want to get man's attention more than anything else.
Protesting at funerals I honestly find to be offensive. The family is mourning the loss of someone that they loved incredibly and it's okay to mourn over the loss of others. As believers, we should hope to save others, not provoke anger and drive them away. Even if the soldier that died was gay - I don't feel that they have the right to praise in their death and inflict possible emotional damage on their loved ones.
By looking at their signs, we can tell that they crave attention, put people down and make themselves look more superior, make them seem like the way/truth/life, and pass heavy judgement on others because they are insecure with themselves.
*Craving attention of this sort from man is not good as we can read in verses where it tells us to do things in private in the eyes of God:
Matthew 6:1 - 4 NIV:
“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Matthew 6:16 - 18 NIV:
“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Matthew 6:19 - 21 NIV:
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
*No church is ever the way, the truth, or the life/light. Only Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life/light. Some churches sadly (and I grew up in one) twist doctrine and think they are the only church that is going to Heaven. This is obviously not true.
John 14:6 NIV:
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
*As believers, we should never judge others. Only God is the true judge that will judge every soul. If anything, by judging others - we condemn ourselves. Sadly with this group, they seem to make generalizations against such groups such as the military - not everyone in the military is gay like some have said in the documentaries and in the Bible, there were armies that went to fight battles.
Romans 2:1 - 3 NIV:
You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment?
*Also, some of their signs say, "God Hates You", which is a false statement and isn't anything that should ever pass through a believers lips because Jesus died for everybody's sin in the world and gave us all the chance of salvation! God truly wants what is best for everybody! By making these statements in a public place - it is so generalized that they can be directing this to other belief systems that do believe in God, too.
Galatians 2:20 NIV:
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
1 John 4:9 - 12 NIV:
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
*We are called to keep peace with others and not to provoke and cause anger.
Proverbs 9:12 NIV:
If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.
Proverbs 10:8 NIV:
The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin.
Proverbs 11:12 NIV:
A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue.
Proverbs 12:16 NIV:
A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.
Proverbs 20:3 NIV:
It is to a man's honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.
Proverbs 1:22-27 NIV:
“How long will you who are simple love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate knowledge?
Repent at my rebuke!
Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,
I will make known to you my teachings.
But since you refuse to listen when I call
and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand,
since you disregard all my advice
and do not accept my rebuke,
I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you;
I will mock when calamity overtakes you—
when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
2 Timothy 2:23-24 NIV:
Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.
*I also concern for the language that they use and teach their children. Some of the language they end up using I don't think God would necessarily delight in. There are many verses against using such language, but here are a few:
Colossians 3:8 NIV:
But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
James 3:10 NIV:
Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.
Bottommline: This group honestly needs all of our prayers so that they may learn to soak in God's love and to share that love with others! Nothing is impossible with God! If this group went out and witnessed to people God's word and with love every time they went out on the streets, they would be successful in leading people to the Lord!
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