I just read, "Jury
awards father $11M in funeral case," by Alex Dominguez,
Associated Press Writer (Oct. 31, 2007) and once again wondered what
people in this world are thinking and just where they got their
mindset from. This world has indeed gone mad.
Dominguez reports,
"BALTIMORE - A grieving father won a nearly $11 million verdict
Wednesday against a fundamentalist Kansas church that pickets
military funerals out of a belief that the war in Iraq is a
punishment for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality. Albert
Snyder of York, Pa., sued the Westboro Baptist Church for
unspecified damages after members demonstrated at the March 2006
funeral of his son, Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, who was killed in
Iraq."
According to the
article, "Church members routinely picket funerals of military
personnel killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, carrying signs such as
"Thank God for dead soldiers" and "God hates fags."
Routinely picket
funerals?
Has signs that say,
"Thank God for Dead Soldiers" and "God Hates You?"
Even if this ministry
that appears to be of hate believes that soldiers are dying because
America tolerates homosexuality, why aren't they protesting the
government agencies that put these soldiers in the position of
dying? Why aren't they protesting the liberals that encourage open
homosexuality and the teaching of it to school children in spite of
what parents might think of such teachings? Why, instead, are they
tormenting the victim families of a world gone mad?
My God does not hate
the sinner, but instead, hates the sin. But, for the sake of
conversation, let's say He does hate some. Why would He hate the
soldier and why should anyone be giving thanks for the death of one
of them? And, "God hates you"? He hates the dead soldier? Why might
that be? Did this soldier do anything in particular to earn God's
hatred? Did God personally speak to the Phelps' clan and make such a
statement or is it merely a presumption conveniently made?
In the material I
have come across, I'm left with a great many things to wonder about.
Like, why would God be killing the soldiers for America's tolerance
of homosexuality, but not the preachers? After all, isn't it the
teachers and preachers that are technically suppose to be caring for
our souls and morality, while the soldiers fight to make sure they
are free to do so? So, shouldn't Phelps and clan actually be out
picketing the funerals of fellow preachers and Sunday school
teachers, for failing to do their jobs? Shouldn't he be picketing
himself for like reasons? It would certainly make far more sense
than going to a funeral and trying to lay blame on the soldier and
sharing such a hate-filled and wrongful message.
According to
Phelps...
If someone dies of
AIDS as a result of a blood transfusion, rather than behavior of
choice, is God also happy the person died? Does God hate the victim?
What if the victim is a child? Was that child somehow responsible?
Likewise, was a lone soldier responsible for the actions of the USA,
all government bodies and agencies, and groups within it? How then
did he become the hated child of a loving God?
Would a god that
spews the hate--like the hate that Phelps portrays his as
having--have given up his son to die for us? Or would he be a
vengeful god that wipes us out every time we get off track? Since we
haven't been wiped out the many times that we have made major
mistakes, I tend to think God is a loving one that will hold us
close and try to give us good advice and a loving hand to lead us
where we are meant to go. I can't believe my God would encourage
someone to hold up a sign, especially at a funeral, that says, "God
hates you"! I can believe that Satan would encourage such behavior
though.
What does Phelps
encourage, but pain, suffering, hopelessness and mockery of all
things that are good?
Soldiers risk their
lives for the rest of us. Should they die honorably in the line of
duty, how dare anyone mock and disrespect them, especially while
claiming to do so in the name of God?
If God hates, it's
more likely than not that he hates ministries of hate that claim to
represent Him!
Carrie Hutchens
is a former law enforcement officer and a freelance writer who is
active in fighting against the death culture movement and the
injustices within the judicial and law enforcement systems.
