God is Hate???????

There is a current happening that has distressed me. This is something that has struck a major chord in my heart and I need everyone to know my stance on it. I need to share my heart, which I also feel aligns with God’s heart. I know this is long, but if you have the time please read it, all of it, to understand where I stand on this issue

I am grieved, upset, distressed and heartbroken. I cannot believe the hatred that some people have in their hearts. And what’s worse, I cannot believe that they have the gall to claim the name of Christian. Those of you from Lake County are probably aware of the untimely death of PFC Ivan Wilson, and the current horrific events surrounding his death and funeral. Those of you who don’t know let me briefly explain. There is a Church called Westboro Baptist, who goes around the country picketing at military funerals, as well as other government events. They are hateful, spiteful, vindictive individuals. They will be at Ivan’s funeral picketing both him and the US Marines. They are against the US Government for being supportive of homosexuals, and they believe that Ivan is an evil person because he fought for a country that does not punish its homosexuals. Their Church website is www.godhatesfags.com, and they have other hateful websites such as www.godhatesamerica.com and www.godhatestheworld.com.

My heart is grieved because this is not God’s heart and should not be what is portrayed by those who call themselves Christians. The name Christian comes from the Greek christianos meaning follower of Christ. It is a diminutive form of Christ and it basically means “little Christ.” We as “Christians” should have the heart and mind of Christ. Or at least strive to have the closest thing we as weak humans can possibly have. Jesus Christ was not a hateful man. Jesus spent time with prostitutes and tax collectors. He lived among those who were full of sin and showed them God’s love. If Christ loved in this way then we as Christians having the same heart and mind as Him should also love in this way.

Some stuffy pious religious leaders once brought an adulterous woman to Jesus. In those times the punishment for adultery was for the adulterous woman to be stoned to death. Jesus reminded them that not one human being is without sin. He said to them, “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.” (story found in John 8:1-11) Naturally, not one could throw a stone. One by one they left her. When they had all gone He told her to go and sin no more. He spared her life despite the sinful actions she has done. Now does that sound like hate to you? In God’s eyes an adulterous person is the same as a homosexual. It is a sexual sin that God despises, but please understand he does not despise the individual committing the sin. Sin is sin. I cannot go on without making it clear that homosexuality is indeed a sin. (I Corinthians 6:9,10) But it is no reason for hating the person or the government who condones it. The homosexual next door is no worse than that man at church in the pew behind you who is having an emotional affair with the woman two pews over. If he goes to church, and claims Christianity, yet tells people that “God hates ‘fags’” than he is in the same exact sin as those that God supposedly hates. (Romans 2 gives some examples of this) And what’s more, sexual sin (whether heterosexual or homosexual) is no different than any other sin in general.

The two most common sins I see in Christians is gluttony and disobeying the authority of the government, such as speeding or taking shortcuts on their taxes. They are not outright sins so we think we are okay, but both are spoken against in the Bible. Verses speaking against gluttony can be found in Proverbs 23:1-3 and Philippians 3:19. In these verses God speaks against making a god of your stomach and putting emphasis on eating fine foods and lots of it. And submitting to authority is found in Romans 13:1-7 and 1 Peter 2:13-17.

One thing about 1 Peter 2:13-17, Peter is commanding the audience to obey and honor the Emperor of that day. The Emperor he is referring to was an evil crooked emperor, the leader of the persecution toward the Christians and against the teachings of Christ in every way. Yet the Christians were told to honor their Emperor and submit to his authority. So, Westboro’s hatred toward the US government (regardless of how crooked they think it is) is completely unbiblical. They should be honoring the government and their leaders rather than picketing the funerals of fallen soldiers. Their hatred toward the government and toward those defending the government is not from God and they are deceived to call themselves Christians.

My heart is broken because I am afraid that people who are not believers of God will come to believe that this is the face of God; That God is Hate. I am afraid that they will come to despise and fear Christians because the God they stand for is a hateful, spiteful God. On the contrary God is Love. “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God, and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is Love” (I John 4:7,8). “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Exodus 34:6). The term “steadfast love” comes from the Hebrew word Hesed, meaning “loyal love, unfailing kindness and devotion.” According to the Bible (God’s word, the book inspired and written by Him) God’s love is loyal and characterized by unfailing kindness.

“For God so loved the world, (meaning literally the whole world regardless of what others try to claim) that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.” (John 3:16,17) Would you send your only child into the midst of people that you hated? God was not happy with us. We had fallen so deep into sin that it grieved His heart. But he loved us so much and wanted us to be with him so deeply, that he sent His son, the only one who could save us, to live among us as one of us, to teach us the ways of His Father God, and then to die as a sacrifice for our sins. This was not an act of hatred. This was an act of intense love so we in return would love Him back. “We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). God’s message and Christ’s life reflect nothing but Love. It is simply un-Christ-like to hate “fags” or America, or the World. All through the Bible God’s love is portrayed through his mercy and forgiveness and the sending of his Beloved Son.

I must emphasis that I do not hate the Westboro church. That would just be fighting fire with fire. It would not solve anything. I pity them. It must be exhausting harboring so much hatred. To never truly know the freeing power of Christ’s love is a sad thing. And please know that in all of this I am not calling myself perfect. I have been known to strongly dislike certain people, even to the point of hatred, and I have had to ask forgiveness and strive to love even if it is forced love. And I have secret sins that only God knows, and have asked forgiveness for those as well. Please do not think I am saying any of this out of a self righteous or pious attitude. I am no better than anyone. I am a sinner forgiven by God’s grace and mercy. I need his love as much as anyone.

Love is God’s way, love is His message, and love is what He desires to show to those who do not know Him, in order that they may come to know Him. Please, I beg you, please do not think that the hatred shown by the Westboro “Baptist” Church is the norm for Christians. God is LOVE and that is what I hope to emphasize and leave as the final thought in your minds.