God Hates Fags?

Westboro Baptist Church is renowned for their anti-gay protesting. They crash funerals chanting, "God Hates Fags." and waving signs vilifying the military. They've picketed at high visibility events, including the funerals of Micheal Jackson, Steve Jobs and Whitney Houston. Somehow they connect these events to homosexuality, often with the thinnest strand of imagination available. Their message declares that God is pouring out his wrath on America for the decay of our nation's moral values. But their platform is rather singular, focusing on homosexuality.

It's pretty easy to see that the people of Westboro Baptist have a few screws loose (maybe all of their screws are loose in fact). They've earned the well deserved moniker, "Church of Hate." Most people would likely rank them somewhere between Nazi Germany and the Klu Klux Klan for their contributions to the world. Simply put, they are a misguided hate group.

Westboro Baptist Church might barely be relevant or current except for the sudden prevalence of same-sex marriage in the media. Barack Obama changing his stance and North Carolina's ban have brought the subject to the forefront recently. While the country is divided on the issue of same sex marriage, it's fair to say that we're fairly galvanized in our disapproval of Wesboro Baptist Church. Clearly, their methods are all wrong. What about their poorly delivered message: Does God really hate homosexuals? Does God really hate America for our failing moral values?  Or, is it more likely that he hates the people of Westboro Baptist?

Clearly the leadership at Westboro Baptist read their Bible up to at least Genesis 19 where God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. It might be their favorite part. The two towns of Sodom and Gomorrah were singled out for corruption, especially sexual immortality. Foremost among the charges levied against them by God were homosexual acts. If one were to read simply this portion of the Bible it might be construed that God does indeed hate homosexuals. Happily, there's a whole lot more Bible than this one chapter.

Let's put this into a different context. Let's suppose that Sodom had a catchy marketing slogan to the effect of, "What happens in Sodom stays in Sodom." Now Someone who is omnipotent (God being the only One who comes to mind) might think to Himself, "I know what happens in Sodom and I don't approve." Does that mean God hated the people who lived there? Not at all. God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because of their influence on everyone who heard their message of, "Do whatever you like, it doesn't matter." More importantly, he destroyed a place which symbolized a conscious decision to sin. Those who chose to live there, chose to separate themselves from God's love, which doesn't mean He didn't love them still.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. - Romans 5:8 (NIV)

I am certain that God loved everyone of His children who died in Sodom and Gomorrah. He destroyed those cities to protect those who loved Him, not to punish those who flaunted their defiance of His will. If God loves us enough to sacrifice his only Son, why shouldn't he be willing to protect us from that which He deems self destructive? The God I follow wept for every soul lost in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Jesus wept. - John 11:35

Similarly, God loves the people of Westboro Baptist Church--which is a good thing for them because really, who else could? The simple fact is that all of us do wrong and God loves us still. God even loves Americans in spite of our continuous moral decline. His love of Americans is likely something the people of Westboro Baptist Church would vehemently debate. But even though God loves Americans, that wasn't the question that I posed previously. The real question was whether God loves America.

I'm not about to render that judgement. It isn't my job. But I will point out that as a nation, America has increasingly attempted to remove God from our culture. Our constitution's first amendment stipulates that there will be no official state church, such as Catholic Church in France, Spain and Italy, or more relevantly,  The Church of England. Remember that the founders of our country opposed a tyrannical King George who was essentially the head of the English church. The bill of rights was added to our constitution so that we'd remain a nation under Christ rather than a nation under a church run for the profit of the government. In fact the entire Bill of Rights was created to protect the people of America from the types of oppression they fought to free themselves from in the Revolutionary War.

Look at how we've twisted our First Amendment freedoms:
Separation of Church and State was meant to keep the government establishing a state religion. Now it is used to remove every vestige of our Christian heritage from any and every entity associated with our government. The first amendment has been reinterpreted and perverted to censor Christianity, the very faith it was intended to protect.

Freedom of Press, Speech and Assembly was intended to keep people from being imprisoned for questioning the practices of their government in the hopes of improving a democratic nation by holding it accountable. Now it means that we have to tolerate people spewing destructive agendas of hatred with no positive value, whether by publication, ranting or picketing.

As America runs from a God who loves it's people, we increasingly embrace tolerance. Don't get me wrong, it's a good thing that words like retard, cripple and faggot are now unacceptable to describe people. But it's foolish to believe that we can force people to love one other through legislation. The goal is correct, but as so often happens when the government is involved, the route is completely wrong. Laws cannot erase hate.

It seems like we continue to expand American's rights under the law. But do we consider the expense of expanding those rights? I'm angry at Westboro Baptist Church for doing repugnant things and calling themselves a church. But I'm more angry at the nation that allows them to crash the funerals of soldiers who have fought for our rights. It isn't Westboro's right to point fingers and to judge. But we as Americans have decided that we need to tolerate insane, hateful, destructive drivel because of how we've distorted the very foundations of our county. I have no doubt that if Jesus were to visit a Westboro protest, he'd slap down their picket signs and give them an earful for spreading hate in his Father's name.

On the other side of the equation is the question of same sex marriage. Jesus would no doubt handle this with much more aplomb. I suspect if confronted with the question he would answer with one of his own, "Who are you seeking your approval from, God or people?"

There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor? - James 4:12