A Cold Day For Hate

So... As many people have probably heard, the founder of Westboro Baptist Church, Fred Philips, is on his death bed. For years I have wanted this man and his church to disappear from the face of the planet. That being said, as I read over the articles surrounding the past few years of his life, I feel nothing but sadness and pity for the man. This is very unlike me because I consider myself to be a very apathetic person, especially to people such as Fred Philips. You can imagine, then, how surprised I was with myself when I reacted in such a way. "Why in the hell do you care?" I asked myself, "Isn't it a good thing he's dying?" I finally figured out what my issue was though...



As is shown in the picture below, the church Philips created is one of hate. Of course they argue it's tough love but that's a completely different story. These poor people actually believe they are doing something good. I'm usually the first to yell out "you're an idiot" to people like this but right now I can't bring myself to have that thought. According to Nate Phelps, one of Fred's children who left the church, his father has been excommunicated from Westboro Baptist. The reasons are unknown at this time (Westboro is full of secrets) but it really causes me ask some serious questions. Is there more to Westboro and Fred Philips than meets the public's eyes?



The thought that the founder of "The Church of Hate" could be excommunicated by an ever increasingly radical group is devastating. I have to wonder if in his later years he began to question his own teachings. While unlikely it would still be amazing. This realization didn't answer my question as to why I wasn't excited about him being near death though so let me answer that before I bore you.

I disappointed myself with my concern about his life by asking myself several questions I never thought I would have about a person like this and his followers. The following are the questions:

1. What could cause a person to have such a deeply rooted hatred for all other walks of life?
2. Is there salvation for him if he has followed the belief that Jesus is the only son of God and faith in Him is the ticket to Heaven?
3. Has the rest of Christianity unintentionally strengthened his church's cause by responding with hate? If so are we not the one's who made his church relevant?
4. (The most important question) What makes me, or anyone else, better than him in the eyes of God?



They aren't very deep questions at all but they were just enough to give me pause. I honestly hate it but I'm going to challenge you to consider these question as you think about him in his final moments/days/weeks. Are we to live in a state of mind that we should wrongfully celebrate the death of a hatemonger or should we take pause to make sure we aren't giving rise to another movement such as that of Westboro Baptist Church?

This is what we are tomorrow... What would you have us be?