On the Death of Fred Phelps

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“I have decided to stick with love.  Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
 –Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
More people are rejoicing the death of Fred Phelps then there are people mourning it.  He was a man full of hatred who was intentional about letting people know.  Not only that, but he seemingly believed that God shared his sentiment.

Was Fred Phelps wrong in what he taught?  Was there any truth in what he preached?  And how should we respond?


THE GOD WHO HATES
How can God hate anything?  Doesn’t God love everyone?  How could Fred Phelps and his church be so adamant about something that isn’t even in the Bible?  Well in a way, they are right by saying that God hates.

God hates sin.

God also loves people.

What I believe Fred Phelps failed to do, and what American culture in general is unable to do, is separate sin from people.  Although it is true that God hates sin, sin is not the person.  Sin is contrary to God’s perfect and holy nature, and as such He has no part in it.  This means that anyone who has sinned (rebelled against God’s nature, aka everyone) deserves to spend eternity in Hell.
However, God’s love of people outweighs His hatred of sin.  We know this because He sent Jesus to die for our sins!  Instead of leaving us to spend eternity in Hell, God provided a way to save us.  As Jesus Himself states: “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but will have eternal life,” (John 3:16, emphasis added).  The Bible also says:

“But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”
–1 John 4:8 (NLT)

“This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.”
–1 Timothy 2:3-4 (NLT)

“The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think.  No, he is being patient for your sake.  He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.”
–2 Peter 3:9 (NLT)

“For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.’”
–Romans 10:13, quoting Joel 2:32 (NLT)

Although God hates sin, God loves people.  When we read the Bible, we see that Jesus lived a life full of loving other people, and He calls His followers, Christians, to do the same thing.  Someone who claims to hate people in the name of God doesn’t really know God that well.


OUR RESPONSE TO FRED PHELPS
"I take no solace or joy in this man's passing. We will not dance upon his grave, nor stand vigil at his funeral holding 'God Hates Freds' signs, tempting as it may be. He was a tormented soul, who tormented so many. Hate never wins out in the end. It instead goes always to its lonely, dusty end.”
–George Takei on the passing Fred Phelps

This goes two ways.  It can be really easy to just spew hate on a man who lived a life full of hatred.  People are facetiously saying that we should boycott Fred Phelps’ funeral.  “If there is a Hell, I hope he’s rotting there,” are some of the quotes I’ve seen all over social media.

I know it’s hard, because this man caused a lot of pain and hurt, but I don’t believe this is the attitude God wants us to have towards him, especially Christians.  I know it’s easier said than done, but God would never have us hate, even a man as hateful as Fred Phelps.  Instead, Jesus calls us to love all people.

“By this everyone will know you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
–Jesus, John 13:35 (NIV)

“Do all you can to live at peace with everyone.”
–Romans 12:18 (NLT)

“Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.”
–Hebrews 12:14 (NLT)

I am not saying that we agree or condone Fred Phelps’ teachings or what Westboro Baptist Church does.  If you haven’t figured it out, I completely disagree with what they preach.  However, we can still love them as Jesus loves them.  Just like God can hate sin but love people, we are called to do the same.

"Don't rejoice when your enemies fall;
don't be happy when they stumble.
For the LORD will be displeased with you,
and will turn his anger away from them."
–Proverbs 24:17-18 (NLT)

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
–Romans 12:21 (NIV)

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE
You’ve probably heard that Beatles song, “all you need is love.”  But not just any love.  We have to love others the way that Jesus has loved us.  Sometimes people talk about love like it is some force of its own, and “all we need is love” to solve all the world’s problems.  World hunger, wars, power, politics, etc.  While I would say that this is true to a certain degree, love only has power when it is rooted in Jesus.

That’s why Jesus tells us to love others as He loves us: unconditionally.  Without Him, we are unable to truly love anyone.  And when we love others like that, people will know we follow Jesus.

When we love others the way Jesus has loved us, even those who we find hard to love, the world will truly begin to change.
“I have decided to stick with love.  Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
 –Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

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