Welcome to Prophetic Thursday here at the blog. Every Thursday I will peer down the pike and try to give you a heads up on what to expect within Christianity in the near and not so near future. To see the previous posts in this series, click HERE, HERE, and HERE.
Westboro Baptist Church
The “fine” folks of Westboro Baptist Church (for info on them click here) have gained a degree of notoriety the past few years by proclaiming a message that is contrary to what is put forth by most other Christian churches. No, they haven’t spoken out against potluck dinners or casseroles. Instead, they proclaim that God is a God of hate. They have gotten most of their attention by protesting at the funerals of deceased soldiers while carrying signs that say: “God Hates America,” “God Hates Fags,” and “God Hates Off-Brand Soda.”
Okay, that last one isn’t true. I don’t know if The Almighty has a distaste for off-brand sodas or not, but I know that Westboro protesters haven’t put that on a sign. Yet.
I do wonder, though, when they will start to realize that fewer and fewer people are paying attention; I hope they never do. I’m afraid if they catch on to the fact that their tactics have grown stale that they will start protesting in other ways. Like children who act out when they think that no on is noticing them, I have a feeling that Westboro leaders will eventually start declaring that God hates other things just to regain their footing.
I could be wrong; this might never happen. But if it does, here are seven slogans that might show up on their signs in the coming years along with the possible reasons they might give:
1. God Hates Kia Souls. Because eventually all of the owners of these vehicles will be tempted to either sell their Souls or trade their Souls. This must be stopped.
2. God Hates the NFL. Because the combination of fans forgoing church service attendance to watch football and all of the images of men slapping each other on the rear reeks of iniquity.
3. God Hates He-Man. Because Fred Phelps and Skeletor look so much alike.
4. God Hates Apple Pie. Because very few things are as American as apple pie and since God hates America……
5. God Hates Social Media. Because it has been used over and over to bash Westboro Baptist Church. And because of Farmville.
6. God Hates Paisley. Because some patterns simply deserve to be hated.
7. God American Idol. Because it just isn’t the same without Simon condemning everyone.
I realize that this is a somewhat silly list. Let me get serious for a moment.
The message of Westboro Baptist Church is not the message of the Gospel. Their message is one of hate; the message of the Gospel is one of love and grace. My prayer is that either the leaders of Westboro Baptist Church repent of the damage they have done and truly encounter the God of grace or that God removes their ability to spread their hate-filled message.
Are either of these things possible? Nothing is impossible with God.
However, If neither of these things happen look for Westboro Baptist Church to diversify their protests. And when it happens remember that you heard it here first.
(What are some other things that Westboro Baptist Church might one day claim that God hates? Share away!)
The Seeking Pastor 
God Hates HarleyDavidson motorcycles because they are the ones who formed a wall against our protests.
God Hates H-D riders because they were the riders of the H-D’s that blocked our protest.
They do a great job of shielding the families. I can see WBC doing something like this. Good catch.
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i failed to comment about your post Matt. You were right on. If there ever was a time for Sodom & Gomorrah-like fire & brimstone to come down, it would be on WBC. The Gospel is one of grace, truth and love not hate and bigotry. Thanks for a good post. (And may the message-the one that began with “The Message of…”-come true.
Thanks, Bill.
I love the Kia Souls catch. That is awesome. I’m not going to be able to see one without a sell your soul joke now. Impound lots should have a sign that reads “What would a man give for his Soul?” The repair shops can use “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own Soul?”
There are things God does hate. And homosexuality (the practice) is included on that list. So are a number of heterosexual sexual sins. But when you move from condemning the practice and preaching repentance to calling someone a “fag”, you’ve left Biblical teaching behind and moved into wrapping poisonous speech in the veneer of self-righteousness. That’s a word that has no place in a proper discussion of God’s judgement or God’s love, either one. That’s spewing personal hatred, not divine warnings for repentance.
It’s important to separate the practice from the temptation, too. Being tempted can’t be a sin, because Christ was “tempted in all things as we are, yet was without sin.” (from memory, so my wording may be off on the quote). Feeling attraction to someone else, whether of the same gender or the opposite gender, is not sin. Acting on it…whether by the physical act of having sex with them or the mental act of devoting oneself to fantasizing about it (on the basis of Jesus’ words on looking on a woman to lust after her being an act of adultery)…is where the sin comes into the equation.
Adultery (sex where one or both are married, but not to each other), Fornication (sex where neither are married), and Homosexuality/Lesbianism (sex where both are of the same gender) are all sexual sins in God’s eyes, and all in need of repentance. God hates each of those acts, but He still loves the person doing them, and wants them to repent and come to Him for forgiveness.
God loves everyone–no exceptions. God hates all sin–no exceptions.
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God hates all things Apple – cause well Adam and Eve sinned by eating fruit, and you can see their teeth marks in Apple’s apple. (thankfully it’s not true, cause I love Apple!)
Beiber Fever. ‘Nuff said
Poor Beiber. 🙂
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Number 6 = totally true. See for yourself: http://www.demonbuster.com/paisley.html
I expect you to purge your closet of all paisley ties RIGHT AWAY.
Thanks for the laughs!
How did you find that link? Unbelievable. Wow. I actually lol’ed a little.
I was reading your post aloud to my hubby and when I got to paisley, he remembered reading that on demonbusters. It’s been one of his favorite “find out what’s satanic” sites for a long time. I lol’ed a LOT when I read it.
The Farmville thing really does prove that God hates some things. And I actually think “God hates Farmville” should be put on some placards.
I think some of these could be used by counter-protesters to show how silly it is.
For a second I thought you meant “Brad” Paisley.
Well…..
The Bible – because its true meaning is over their head, and beyond their understanding.
True words.
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lol. He-man
I think they will say that God hates trees because they obviously kills so many of them with their signs.
True–their signs kill trees…and brain cells.
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God HAS to hate Jersey Shore, right?
I’m sure it’s not on his Tivo.
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God Hates Love.
And Rob Bell.
I can see them saying this. Terrible.
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“God Hates The Bible”
Because it doesn’t preach what we preach.
I’m glad the Bible is true.
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Next they’ll say God hates bloggers. Because it allows the TRUTH to spread and for fine folks like you to let others know WBC’s ways are wrong!
Great post, I enjoy reading your posts.
Thanks so much! Yeah–I wonder if I will be on one of their signs soon. That would be awesome.
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We should not miss the fact that God, ironically, loves the misled people of Westboro. We don’t have tolerate their twisted version of the Gospel but we should pray for them.
On a lighter note: Puppies will be on thier signs next. “Kick a Puppy! Save America!” Kicking puppies always leads to a more righteous nation. It is obvious that puppies are cute and we just cannot tolerate anything cute.
God loves the Dirt Devil cause it sucks and he hates Angel Food cause if He doesn’t get a cake they should’t either.
The “If He doesn’t get a cake” line made me chuckle, but also reminded me of a scene in a video game. In the tutorial mission of the game, you watch a Marine drill sergeant giving a speech to the new recruits (yourself included). It’s a very theologically incorrect speech, but hilarious if you don’t take it too seriously. He talks about the creation of the world, and proceeds to insult the Navy, Airmen, and Soldiers (Army) as he relates the creation of each. Then, naturally, he tells us how God created the Marine as the peak of his creation, and the wonderful uniforms He gave them. But after creating all this, God was not happy, because He realized He had overlooked one thing: HE did not have a Marine uniform. However, He thought about it and consoled Himself with the knowledge that, well, not everyone can be a Marine.
I really don’t like the following part where the sergeant claims to be higher than God, as that sets my radar off, but I love the rest of the speech. It’s just so very…Marine-ish. Especially the “not everyone can be a Marine” line.
Rim shot! 🙂
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I’ve done some posters using WBC’s own photo shoots of members. All of them are wearing duct tape over their mouths (SO fitting) and I’ve Photoshopped out the hate messages written on the tape. Please enjoy the new messages written; please help support the #NoWBCmediaCoverage movement on Twitter!
No *Entitlement*: http://yfrog.com/h0vc34j
Because #GodLovesAGag: http://yfrog.com/hsdin7j
Apply What They Won’t: http://yfrog.com/h4vz86j
Another fun hobby of mine is http://www.godlovespoetry.com, where you take WBC press releases & blackout the garbage, revealing the TRUE message hidden within. Also fun using WBC tweets!
God Hates Figs. Because Jesus cursed the fig tree.
Oh, no–I love fig newtons.
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Somewhere in a Starbucks Jon Acuff, Tyler Stanton and Tripp Crosby are filled with jealous rage for not having thought of this EPIC post first.
I’m dying here in my cube laughing to death.
This post bleeds tiger blood of #WIN
You are the Barnabas of bloggers. Thanks for the encouragement and kind words.
Matt,
Indeed, the message of The Gospel is grace and love. True story. The Gospel is the way we come to the Father. True story.
But His love for us is not His Sovereignty. Two different things.
On the one hand, it is repulsive and vile what we all see the WBC doing. Of this there is no disagreement. It is pure vitriol and venom.
However.
I must also look at what our Father says about homosexuality.
WBC is wrong in their presentation, to be sure. But are they wrong in that God will grant no access or admittance to His Heaven for the homosexual?
1 Corinthians 6:9-11–
9Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
People key in on this Scripture to use as ammo against homosexuals, but not against thieves, slanderers, swindlers, etc. For myself, while it is indeed true beyond true that Christ Jesus came to save sinners, there is a cut-off point that has been determined not by us but by our Father.
Is this to say we need to hate “fags”? Oh for pete’s sakes, no. Hate sin. Not the sinner. Hate homosexuality, yes, but do not attach any of that hatred to the ones who are submitting to it. A fine line, indeed, but one that can be walked.
Is WBC doing good? No. They are an embarrassment, a parody, a cruel joke. They reek of the incestuous spirit of Fundamentalism and nepotism based on erroneous translation of The Scriptures. They are pure Galatians. All the Law, none of the Spirit.
Does Jesus hate homosexuals? No. Does Jesus hate homosexuality? Yes. Does Jesus hate WBC? Well, He did curse a fig tree when it produced no fruit. Just sayin’.
“An embarrassment, a parody, a cruel joke.” — That’s a good description. May we never be so.
I would say coming up will be “God Hates Don Imus.” Fred will claim he had the cowboy hat wearing routine down long before Imus did it.
YES! I like it.
They probably say, “God hates Christian bloggers and their constant Jesus jukes”. Think about that one.
Hey, while we are at that. Can you imagine one day, they hold a press conference and do a total Jesus Juke? Anyway.
Hey, who won the virtual sweaty high five for yesterday’s caption?
That would be a long sign message.
As for yesterday–it was a virtual fist bump–and an announcement will be made tomorrow. Is the suspense getting to you? FYI-my wife is helping with the decision and her vote can be bought. 🙂
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most Christians can be bought my friend. <—- whoa!!! that sounds WCC like. LOL.
Name your price! 😀
Well–she likes Coach (Purses, not the TV show).
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“Coach” the TV show starring Craig Nelson? You are dating yourself, Matt. I mean, you’re not “dating yourself”, like, in some kind of weird way. How can a person “date” themselves? I mean, um, like in age…oh forget it.
My pop culture references are a little old 🙂
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Well, Matt, once again I have provided fodder for the amusement of your readers. I don’t recall laughing too heartily at the whole “sell your Soul” thing when you tested it on me. What are you going to do now that I’m gone? I know that I won’t be laughing as much on a daily basis, but am glad that I can continue to enjoy your humor and encouraging words here. Miss you already!
Wow–today was your last day as my coworker and first day as a commenter. Miss you, too!
Matt, you rock! This post is both funny and inspiring. #winning
It makes me wonder if these are the type of people Jesus was talking about when He speaks of “blinding eyes and hardening hearts” (John 12:40, John 9:39, etc). I honestly pray that the deception would be removed that their hearts circumcised of their hatred. They do not serve the God I serve.
Good way of putting it. They definitely have hatred where love should be and are zealous about the wrong things. If their passion were redeemed…that would be truly wonderful.
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@Keri,
A circumcised heart is a part of Salvation. I wonder….what if these people at WBC are just “saved” in name only, and this is why they act the way they do?
Uncircumcised heart is a great way to look at it, Keri.
This seems likely.
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