Does God Hate Those Who Hate Others?

I wanted to wish the three Westboro Baptist Church members who stopped by our quaint town of St. Charles a loving welcome. I know that you three probably did not hear this when you were protesting at the soldier’s funeral in the face of hundreds of anti-Westboro protestors. I wanted to tell you that the Christian God you claim to worship is a merciful one and even when you spread hate, God still loves you. Even when you twist the Bible to try and justify your actions, God still loves you. Even when you make outrageous claims and act like you have some profound knowledge, as if God sent you an email on why he does what he does, God still loves you.

The Westboro church is nothing new; according to their website www.godhatesfags.com (how sweet) they began doing demonstrations at funerals in 1991. This church claims that God is angry at America for allowing tolerance of the homosexual lifestyle. They also believe Barack Obama is the anti-Christ, that God Hates Israel and most Jews as well as hating the media, and basically all other religions. They blame natural disasters, AIDS and many tragedies on these groups of people including blaming the recent Arizona shooting as being engineered by God. To support their position, they will take a verse like “Arise, O LORD, in your anger, rise up against the rage of my enemies. Awake my God; decree justice. (Ps 7:6 NIV). In context, King David is writing for protection and favor for his kingdom of ancient Israel against their political and rival enemies, not a 21st century war on terror where soldiers are dying because of gun blasts and IED’s.

The thing about the Westboro Baptist church’s teachings is that they are missing a very important aspect of Christianity. The majority of Jesus’ ministry was breaking down the walls of racism, sexism, social taboos and religious hierarchy. The parables and stories such as The Good Samaritan, The Samaritan Woman at the Well, The Tax Collector Zacchaeus, The Adulteress, The Prodigal Son, The Sinful Woman and the Righteous Man, etc., are all examples of Jesus breaking through the stereotypes and loving, not the act of sin, but very much the sinful. The Jewish religious leaders, which were called Pharisees, would try to avoid these kinds of people because to them they were filthy and disgusting. The Pharisees put themselves on a platform where they saw themselves as greater. Jesus’ response to the Pharisee’s position: Hypocrites!

You see time and time again Jesus rebuking the Pharisees for their lack of love. “These people honor me with their lips, but there hearts are far from me (Matt 15:8 NIV).” Westboro Church members, does this describe you? How many homosexuals do you think would want to visit your church? I remember reading a history book that was teaching about the brutality of the conversion of the Native Americans by the Spanish in the early history of the Americas. There was a Native who was about to be burned alive but was given one last chance to repent of his heresy to a priest. His response, if you [Christians] are going to Heaven, then I rather go to Hell. I believe in living a life according to God’s law, but the reason I believe is because of the unfathomable love of the Sacrifice and the implications it had for mankind. Love is what made me a Christian, not hate.