SPRINGFIELD -- As reported in today’s Springfield News-Leader, members of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan, known for its “God Hates Fags” and “God Made IEDs” signage, will continue to picket the funerals of solders killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. An IED (Improvised Explosive Device) is a home made bomb or booby trap.
The pastor, Fred Phelps, and the church body are protesting at these fallen soldiers funerals, not because the soldiers were gay. That has nothing to do with it. According to the article, the church believes that God is allowing our soldiers (and the coal miners) to die simply because the United States tolerates homosexuals.
This congregation used to protest the funerals of known homosexuals, but has since moved on to soldier’s funerals. And the notoriety is climbing. In response, the Missouri legislature passed a law prohibiting the protests and pickets “ion front of or about” any funerals. However, according to the News-Leader, the church is interpreting this as only applying to protests directly in front of the church where the funeral is being held. The crime is only a misdemeanor.
The group is apparently preparing to test the new law by protesting across the street or down the road from the funeral
MY RESPONSE -- I was raised that a man never wears a hat in church. I can feel my father’s firm smack to the back of my head, knocking my hat to the floor, just thinking of wearing a hat in church. So to conceive the very idea of protesting a church is beyond me. I cannot think of anyway to earn my father’s disappointment than to protest the funeral of a soldier killed in combat.
Apparently this group did not get enough notoriety by protesting the funerals of homosexuals exclusively, so they moved on to soldier’s funerals. Not that the soldiers were gay, mind you. If you follow this church’s teachings, you believe that soldiers and miners are dying because of the homosexual-tolerant sins of the United States. To continue the logic the church has no choice but to then protest the funerals of the victims of the US’ sins.
So this issue is really about more than homosexuals. Beyond the issue itself is the ideology: How involved is the Lord in our daily lives. It really all comes down to the details. Does God punish us (soldiers, or miners, etc) for sins?
Before you answer that question, think about this. I work with persons who have disabilities. I have had discussions with families who had a child with a disability. Sometimes those parents believed their child had X-disability because of some sin they (the parents) or another family member (grandparents or great-grand parents) committed. This is a prevalent belief in the Ozarks. We don’t run into it very much in Springfield and Greene County. But you will run into this much more in the rural counties. Do you really think that God punishes people for their sins by giving them a child with a disability?
Recently, Pat Robertson stated on the 700 Club that New Orleans was hit with the hurricane because of the decadence and depravity of the city. It was punished for it’s sins.
US tolerates homosexuals = soldiers die
New Orleans is a depraved city = killer hurricane
Mom and Dad commit sin = child born with disability
This group, may indeed seem extreme and bizarre to some, but this idea that God is actively punishing our society for it’s sins is a prevalent one. It is not underground and cultish. It is taking hold and sweeping the nation in fundamentalist churches. Not all fundamentalist churches, but many of them subscribe to some version of this sin-equals-Gods punishment. When you understand that, then you realize that the Westboro Baptist Church’s protests may very be supported quietly by many a Christian. Pat Robertson has called for the execution of Mexican President Chavez, spewed that New Orleans got what they deserved.
The sin-equals-punishment theology is further promoted by Pat Robertson in his quote about the terrorist attacks on 9-11 “We have imagined ourselves invulnerable and have been consumed by the pursuit of ... health, wealth, material pleasures and sexuality... It [terrorism] is happening because God Almighty is lifting his protection from us.”
So how much does God Almighty play in our day-to-day lives? Does he, with the New Covenant, actively kill, maim, terrorize, disabled or otherwise victimize others in order to punish us? In all of these cases, the assumption is that God is sending down punishment on an innocent victim in order to punish someone else.
Today, I offer you the news story and some observations and questions regarding the issue. I am not prepared to offer an answer yet. I am not quite ready to decide just how closely God is involved in the details. But know this: The Westboro Baptist Church’s protests may be demonized in the public, but don’t be so sure about how folks really feel behind closed doors.
The pastor, Fred Phelps, and the church body are protesting at these fallen soldiers funerals, not because the soldiers were gay. That has nothing to do with it. According to the article, the church believes that God is allowing our soldiers (and the coal miners) to die simply because the United States tolerates homosexuals.
This congregation used to protest the funerals of known homosexuals, but has since moved on to soldier’s funerals. And the notoriety is climbing. In response, the Missouri legislature passed a law prohibiting the protests and pickets “ion front of or about” any funerals. However, according to the News-Leader, the church is interpreting this as only applying to protests directly in front of the church where the funeral is being held. The crime is only a misdemeanor.
The group is apparently preparing to test the new law by protesting across the street or down the road from the funeral
MY RESPONSE -- I was raised that a man never wears a hat in church. I can feel my father’s firm smack to the back of my head, knocking my hat to the floor, just thinking of wearing a hat in church. So to conceive the very idea of protesting a church is beyond me. I cannot think of anyway to earn my father’s disappointment than to protest the funeral of a soldier killed in combat.
Apparently this group did not get enough notoriety by protesting the funerals of homosexuals exclusively, so they moved on to soldier’s funerals. Not that the soldiers were gay, mind you. If you follow this church’s teachings, you believe that soldiers and miners are dying because of the homosexual-tolerant sins of the United States. To continue the logic the church has no choice but to then protest the funerals of the victims of the US’ sins.
So this issue is really about more than homosexuals. Beyond the issue itself is the ideology: How involved is the Lord in our daily lives. It really all comes down to the details. Does God punish us (soldiers, or miners, etc) for sins?
Before you answer that question, think about this. I work with persons who have disabilities. I have had discussions with families who had a child with a disability. Sometimes those parents believed their child had X-disability because of some sin they (the parents) or another family member (grandparents or great-grand parents) committed. This is a prevalent belief in the Ozarks. We don’t run into it very much in Springfield and Greene County. But you will run into this much more in the rural counties. Do you really think that God punishes people for their sins by giving them a child with a disability?
Recently, Pat Robertson stated on the 700 Club that New Orleans was hit with the hurricane because of the decadence and depravity of the city. It was punished for it’s sins.
US tolerates homosexuals = soldiers die
New Orleans is a depraved city = killer hurricane
Mom and Dad commit sin = child born with disability
This group, may indeed seem extreme and bizarre to some, but this idea that God is actively punishing our society for it’s sins is a prevalent one. It is not underground and cultish. It is taking hold and sweeping the nation in fundamentalist churches. Not all fundamentalist churches, but many of them subscribe to some version of this sin-equals-Gods punishment. When you understand that, then you realize that the Westboro Baptist Church’s protests may very be supported quietly by many a Christian. Pat Robertson has called for the execution of Mexican President Chavez, spewed that New Orleans got what they deserved.
The sin-equals-punishment theology is further promoted by Pat Robertson in his quote about the terrorist attacks on 9-11 “We have imagined ourselves invulnerable and have been consumed by the pursuit of ... health, wealth, material pleasures and sexuality... It [terrorism] is happening because God Almighty is lifting his protection from us.”
So how much does God Almighty play in our day-to-day lives? Does he, with the New Covenant, actively kill, maim, terrorize, disabled or otherwise victimize others in order to punish us? In all of these cases, the assumption is that God is sending down punishment on an innocent victim in order to punish someone else.
Today, I offer you the news story and some observations and questions regarding the issue. I am not prepared to offer an answer yet. I am not quite ready to decide just how closely God is involved in the details. But know this: The Westboro Baptist Church’s protests may be demonized in the public, but don’t be so sure about how folks really feel behind closed doors.
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4 comments:
Good post. I have been shaking my head about this church since I first read about them. I hate when churches pull this publicity crap.
Do I think God is involved in the details of our life? Most definitely. Do I think that God still brings punishment? Yes. I do think people take this and abuse this view. Yes very much so. I don't think that Katrina, soldier's death, or child being born with a disability has anything to do with it. No I don't. It is hard to balance it and I can not say that I can do this very well at this time. Thanks for the post.
Tulsa Jay,
Thanks for responding. I really agree with you about that. I am amazed, however, at the number of people who view their child with a disability as a burden placed on them because of their "sin". You were probably right not to address that lady as it may have turned into an ugly ordeal. I think all our children are a blessing despite any struggles they may have as children or adults. And I don't think our sin has anything to do with our children's struggles. But this idea of how deeply God is in the details is an intriguing one.
Abikerbard
Tulsa Jay,
I know you love fantasy sports. Check out my friend Larry's fantasy sports blog:
http://fantasysportscounselor.blogspot.com/
Abikerbard
I find it amazing that when things like Katrina happen, all people like Pat Robertson claim is that "bad" people brought God's Wrath down upon themselves. They never discuss all the "other" people that seemed to have been harmed in the process.
Seems to me that Pat Robertson and company's God is a bit overzealous in his wrath since I'm sure that a lot of "good" people lost their homes, their jobs, and unfortunately their lives. I guess that's why I don't believe in their version of God. My God isn't fickle enought o destroy an entire "area" because of some bad apples.... If he was, then Pat Robertson himself would have destroyed the east coast.
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