Westboro Baptist Church – A Church of Hate?

Westboro is a group who call themselves a Christian church. However, they state on their website that they do NOT believe that God loves anyone but His Elect. And that God actually hates all Sinners.

The following was taken from their website:

Westboro Baptist Church engages in daily peaceful sidewalk demonstrations opposing the homosexual lifestyle of soul-damning, nation-destroying filth. We display large, colorful signs containing Bible words and sentiments, including: GOD HATES FAGS, FAGS HATE GOD, AIDS CURES FAGS, THANK GOD FOR AIDS, FAGS BURN IN HELL, GOD IS NOT MOCKED, FAGS ARE NATURE FREAKS, GOD GAVE FAGS UP, NO SPECIAL LAWS FOR FAGS, FAGS DOOM NATIONS, THANK GOD FOR DEAD SOLDIERS, FAG TROOPS, GOD BLEW UP THE TROOPS, GOD HATES AMERICA, AMERICA IS DOOMED, THE WORLD IS DOOMED, etc.

 

Let’s see what the Scriptures have to say about such beliefs;

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

So in the Bible we can clearly read that God does love us even when we are in our sins. Why else would He have sent His one and only begotten Son to die for us? The Bible also says in John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. -NIV

Note it says, “God so loved the WORLD”, it doesn’t say the God only loves the Christians. The “World” includes EVERYBODY. However, the Westboro website tries to distort the very meaning of John 3:16.

When I read the Gospels and I see how Christ conducted Himself in the company of sinners, I see a loving person full of compassion. I see a person wanting to Save people, not insult them or destroy them or hate them. Christ even reached out to the Pharisees and prayed for their forgiveness while he hung from the Cross (Luke 23:34). Does this sound like a God of Hate to you?

Lets take a look at John 3:19-21 (NIV)
19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.
21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

Basically all sinners are already condemned and on their way to Hell. Only until a person turns from their sins and accepts forgiveness from God THROUGH Christ (The Light) can a person be saved from condemnation. But I get the impression that Westboro believes that God is looking around for sinners in order to “zap” them straight to Hell.

Anyone who knows the Bible will tell you the opposite is true. God is looking over the World searching for souls to Save through Jesus Christ. God’s is motivated in love because God is LOVE! And I think anyone reading this with any kind of common sense knows that if a person HATES someone, then they wouldn’t do anything for that person especially send their only begotten Son to die for them.

So as you read what that Westboro believes, its clear to see they have the Christian Bible misinterpreted. This is why it is so important for Christians to read their bibles. Satan uses people like those in Westboro to lie about God. And those ignorant of the Word of God can fall pray to him.

The entire Bible is a message of LOVE from God to ALL of us! The Bible teaches of to love our enemies and to pray for them, not to attack them.

Westboro needs to focus on these scriptures, we all do:
1 Corinthians 13 (NIV)
1 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.