How Are We Different from Westboro Baptist Church?

[Joshua2415]

For some reason I was thinking a lot about Westboro Baptist Church today--I don't think they need any introduction. Their site has apparently finally gotten past the recent hacker attacks and has come back up. I perused it, as well as listened to the accounts on Youtube of ex-members and disowned children and grandchildren. I also searched the forums to make sure this hasn't been discussed before.

It's obvious the members are cultish at best in their behavior, and might just be doing it for money or attention. However, I was bothered by the question--what makes us (whatever other Baptist denomination you choose) different from them in basic belief structure? They appear to preach the Bible itself, hyper-literally of course, but many of their beliefs are Scriptural.

Some things I thought of:

1. WBC believes homosexuality is the greatest sin. As far as I know, there is no "greatest sin" as all are sinful equally in God's sight.
2. We don't know the mind of God. We don't know if God is blessing America or is biding his time with wrath. WBC claims to know this, and also claims to know what misfortunes are tied to which sins.
3. They cause grief to families, Christian and non-Christian, which is not how Jesus instructed us to behave.
4. They believe the wicked were created specifically for damnation for the greater glory of God.
5. They exercise judgment of people and nations outside the bounds of allowed judgment by Christians.

I'd be interested to hear what others think. When I debate with atheists or other religions this often comes up--that the Bible allows churches like WBC to exist because they are technically interpreting Scripture correctly, even if we loudly refute them as insane. :BangHead:

If this topic has been done or would spark a problem, feel free to pull this post.

 

[Tom Butler]

Josh, greetings from your home town, Paducah.

Although it's not directly related to Westboro Baptist, there is a similar situation in Florida, where a pastor put the Quran "on trial" and then burned a copy.

Dr. Albert Mohler, President of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary wrote about it in this week's Kentucky Baptist Newspaper, the Western Recorder. His comments would be applicable to the Westboro situation.

This publicity-seeking pastor of a tiny congregation deserves to be condemnedin every way for his act...
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The difficult demension of this is the fact that even our condemnation gives this pastor what he most desires--public attention.
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Pastor Jones is not wrong to see Islam as a way that leads millions of people away from the gospel and thus to spiritual death. But he did not reach out with the gospel message; he simply stated a theatrical stunt intended to draw attention to himself and his church.
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He put human lives in jeopardy for a publicity stunt.
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There is a crucial distinction between being willing to die for a cause, as Christians are called to do, and being willing to kill for a cause. That distinction is rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ, who did not kill His enemies, but died for them.
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Christians are not called to burn the books of other religions. We are not called to publicity stunts that put lives at risk and subvert the preaching of the gospel.

I find it interesting that most of the Westboro signs and picketers have nothing about the gospel to offer, either.

 

[Joshua2415]

Good answer.

 

[Skandelon]

You will know them by their fruits, and IMO, those are some bad fruits!

And they are fruit haters. (in more than one way)

 

[J.D.]

For some reason I was thinking a lot about Westboro Baptist Church today--I don't think they need any introduction. Their site has apparently finally gotten past the recent hacker attacks and has come back up. I perused it, as well as listened to the accounts on Youtube of ex-members and disowned children and grandchildren. I also searched the forums to make sure this hasn't been discussed before.

It's obvious the members are cultish at best in their behavior, and might just be doing it for money or attention. However, I was bothered by the question--what makes us (whatever other Baptist denomination you choose) different from them in basic belief structure? They appear to preach the Bible itself, hyper-literally of course, but many of their beliefs are Scriptural.

Some things I thought of:

1. WBC believes homosexuality is the greatest sin. As far as I know, there is no "greatest sin" as all are sinful equally in God's sight.
2. We don't know the mind of God. We don't know if God is blessing America or is biding his time with wrath. WBC claims to know this, and also claims to know what misfortunes are tied to which sins.
3. They cause grief to families, Christian and non-Christian, which is not how Jesus instructed us to behave.
4. They believe the wicked were created specifically for damnation for the greater glory of God.
5. They exercise judgment of people and nations outside the bounds of allowed judgment by Christians.

I'd be interested to hear what others think. When I debate with atheists or other religions this often comes up--that the Bible allows churches like WBC to exist because they are technically interpreting Scripture correctly, even if we loudly refute them as insane. :BangHead:

If this topic has been done or would spark a problem, feel free to pull this post.

Their biggest error is #3. Even if a known reprobate atheist were to die, it would not be right to go to the funeral holding a sign that said "your love one is burning in Hell, thank God for his righteous judgement". Christians are be characterized by kindness.

 

[annsni]

You will know them by their fruits, and IMO, those are some bad fruits!

And they are fruit haters. (in more than one way)

That's what I tell unbelievers. They say that WBB shows how bad Christians are and I tell them that according to the Scriptures, they are not Christians. They have not one fruit of the Spirit from what I see. It is very sad.

 

[Don]

...that the Bible allows churches like WBC to exist because they are technically interpreting Scripture correctly....

Me, I think this is where you should focus your discussions. Are they "technically interpreting Scripture correctly"? If so, then how do they explain their apparent opposition to Galatians 5, and the fruit of the Spirit? How do they explain Galatians 6:1, restoring each other in a spirit of meekness? How do they explain Ephesians 4-5, being in unity of spirit? etc., etc.

 

[Osage Bluestem]

Westboro baptist is a cult that has hijacked the baptist name.

They disown family members who leave their fellowship. They follow fred phelps above Christ.

It is clear they are wicked. They do not demonstrate love at all.

1 John 3:10 ESV
By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

1 John 4:20 ESV
If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.

1 John 4:21 ESV
And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

 

[The Archangel]

How are we different than the goons at Westboro Baptist Church?

They call their picketing and rancor "sharing the gospel." But, if the Gospel is defined--as it truly is--as "Good News," then they are not sharing the gospel.

In what they "share" there is no talk about repentance, stepping from darkness to light, etc.

They preach a "gospel" of damnation and they revel in the damnation of others.

We are to preach a gospel of grace and revel in the redemption of sinners.

They crisscross the nation to spread their vitriol and call it "gospel." I doubt any one of them would cross the street to invite someone to believe in Christ and escape the coming judgment.

The Archangel