Posted on 10/09/2010 9:57:39 AM PDT by marshmallow
Baptists say, no link to Topeka church.
Several times, people have asked the Rev. Lee Peoples and members of his Southern Baptist congregation if they're affiliated with Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas.
"We're quick to say no," said Peoples, pastor of Stewartstown Baptist Church in Hopewell Township.
Westboro is the congregation notorious for carrying day-glo signs with short declaratives of hell and damnation -- ie, "God hates fags" -- near military funerals. The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday in a York man's case challenging Westboro's presence at such funerals.
"It's hard because we both bear the name Baptist," Peoples said.
"So we get lumped in with them sometimes, when we would doctrinally be different from them and obviously in practice and statements they've made, we distinguish ourselves from that. That's not showing the love of Christ."
Led by the Rev. Fred Phelps, Westboro's interpretation of the Bible departs from the teachings and practices of mainstream Baptists.
While the U.S. has a diversity of Baptist branches, no central authority exists to parse who is or isn't Baptist.
As an independent congregation, Westboro has no affiliation or ties to any Baptist denomination, association or convention, many of whom have disavowed Phelps and his brand of Christianity.
"The more important part of his label is 'independent.' He is out there on the fringe, almost by himself," said the Rev. Tim Munson, pastor of First Baptist Church, an American Baptist congregation in Springettsbury Township.
"I think that's where he wants to be. He wants to be separate from everything else."
Phelps doesn't expect people to listen to him and doesn't believe the country can be saved. Drawing on the Hebrew prophets, he warns that a nation that doesn't strictly follow God's law will be punished, saying the U.S. has been too tolerant of.....
(Excerpt) Read more at ydr.com ...
He says God hates everyone except the elect and that he's been called to preach God's message of hate. Churches who tell people "God hates sin but loves the sinner," are misrepresenting the Bible, Phelps argues. "For every one verse about God's love, mercy and compassion, there are two verses about his vengeance, hatred and wrath," he told Christianity Today in 1999.
I thought this was interesting in view of some of the more outrageous Calvinist behavior we see here on FR from time to time. Is this where Calvinism inevitably leads? Or do we have a situation like we supposedly have with Islam where we have moderate Muslims/Calvinists and fundamentalist Muslim/Calvinists?
In fact, Phelps' religion is not Christianity. It is Islam but the name of Jesus has been substituted for the name of Allah. Both worship an irrational, inscrutable deity who chooses some for salvation for reasons beyond our knowing and who visits mayhem and violence on the rest.
Is this Calvinism? A religion of hate?
Phelps is a demon.
if this troll were to picket my childs funeral....
.....he would never picket another funeral......and I would cheerfully serve the jail time.
In the good old days, the father of one of these brave, slain soldiers would have punched Phelps’ lights out and dunked his creepy daughters’ heads into a trough. That would have ended it.
But no one wants to go to jail for beating up a demon.
Not Everyone Who Says “Lord, Lord”
Will Enter the Kingdom
Matthew 7:21-23
This is the church that started the Patriot Guards actions to block them from the view of the families of those that have fallen. It is also the church that caused legislation across the US pushing them out past the view of families. So, although many of us want to punch them out of anger, the peaceful approach has made them impotent.
Interesting…[It is Islam’s] version of Christianity.
My take on the whole article reflects a form of deconstruction, character assassination and misdirection.
The real issue seems to be, Phelps offensive take on “publicly demonstrating against homosexuals.” Which really really upsets the political class and politically corrupt; he may be correct in that Homo-Leninism is the problem.
As for demonstrating at a fallen soldier’s funeral; if done to my family or friend he and his tribe would not make the parking lot without severe physical discomfort requiring hospital services.
Phelps is no Calvinist,..that church is a family cult ..
Actually, you should ask Dr. E if Phelps’ so-called Baptist philosophy is Calvinist in origin
Too many grownups can’t handle religion.
BWA HAHAHAHAHA
We’ve seen that a lot lately.
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