Comments on: Westboro Baptist Church rallying against the Jewish day school adjacent to our church building

By: WesWoodell

WesWoodell — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 18:16:48 +0000

Wow … that’s quite a story, Russ. Thanks for sharing … glad to hear your father did give his life to Jesus!

By: Russ Sharp

Russ Sharp — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 13:01:14 +0000

This post reminds me of something my father didn’t divulge until after my mother’s death. My father grew up in the same small town as my mother; at one time, their families were next-door neighbors. My mother’s family regularly worshipped with the congregation there.
However, my father was told by at least one child of members–in the context of a “playground putdown” in the schoolyard–”I’m going to Heaven, and you’re not!” (My father still gets angry when he recounts that part of the story.)
Later on, my parents married (after Dad had completed a college degree and served in the Navy during the Korean Conflict). In the next few years, he encountered several people who tried to “drag him to the water”. One person (a visiting minister he’d never met before, whom I would consider the spiritual equivalent of a “quack doctor”) visited in my parents’ home (along with the local preacher). Almost the first words out of this man’s mouth were, “Pour your heart out to me!”. My dad’s smile disappeared as he slowly rose to his feet. The local preacher who accompanied the man said, “Uh, I think we’d better go!”. (By the way, that local preacher was the same one who later baptized my father, but not until almost five years after they first met.)
Most of this, we (his children) had known. The “untold story” was this–
My mother would weep–openly–IN FRONT OF MY FATHER–because he wasn’t a Christian!!!!!

Incidentally, it was over 17 years before my father could talk to ANY of his siblings about the Church without them immediately changing the subject. His parents died during that same span of time. Today, although my father has remained faithful (and served as an elder–for two different congregations), he has nobody from his side of our extended family that he can claim as his spiritual brother or sister!

By: Jay

Jay — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 17:40:28 +0000

Thanks for the post, I

By: My Experience with the Westboro Baptist Church Hate Group « West Coast Witness

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 22:41:26 +0000

[...] guards, barricades, and people from the school next door mulling around waiting. As I told you in this post, the Westboro Baptist Church (a fringe, extremist hate group and cult in no way affiliated with [...]

By: Lynn Stringfelllow

Lynn Stringfelllow — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:01:19 +0000

Spead as much love on your neighbors as hate they spread.

By: WesWoodell

WesWoodell — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 01:15:21 +0000

Rex, Cristina, Alex, and dad – Thanks for all the suggestions.

Benson – good ideas.

Just to clarify, I was never intending to go out and start a shouting match with these people or to even say anything to them. I, and a few others, are simply thinking about making a sign or two that says something like “God is Love” and hanging out on our side of the property near the road.

If the news media shows up, it might be nice to have a few actual Christians present who can present another view to the people in the city watching Friday evening. Christianity already has a bad enough reputation in San Francisco – messages like the ones this hate group will be sending won’t be helpful, but telling people “God is Love” just might.

Terry – thanks for the quote. I imagine you posted it for us to think about how the WBC goes about spreading their message, but it caused me to be introspective all the same.

It may be my lack of maturity, but I’m not feeling a whole lot of heartache at the thought of those making up the WBC having to answer to God someday. Maybe I will in the future, but not today.

By: Terry

Terry — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 20:29:04 +0000

Wes,

This is from Rubel Shelly’s book “In Step with the Spirit” (and it seems appropriate to the situation):

“A while back I was reading of a man who was led to Christ by a gentle soul named T.B. Larimore. The man in question had been to hundreds of church services and dozens of evangelistic meetings before Larimore came and preached in the town. So someone asked him, ‘Why did you respond to the gospel under Brother Larimore’s preaching when you hadn’t before?’ His answer is a rebuke to some of us and our methods. ‘From other preachers I’d learned I was going to hell,’ he said, ‘but they seemed pleased that I was. From Larimore I learned I was going to hell, but I could tell it broke his heart to have to tell me so.’”

By: Benson Hines

Benson Hines — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 17:44:06 +0000

You might consider some static display along the lines of your dad’s comment, but I’d only counter-protest if you’re really, really sure that’s what you should do. Counter-protests (including on your blog) get these guys fired up – and probably don’t help basic passersby make any more sense of the situation.

Then, I would counter-protest by loving on your neighbors. It’s probably easier to do that now than at any other time – take the opportunity to take staff a meal, wash their cars, or otherwise serve in an extravagant way. Overcome evil with good, and all that jazz.

By: Jim Woodell

Jim Woodell — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:52:10 +0000

Another idea: “My brother is a Jew – JESUS.”

“Your sins were washed away by the blood of a Jew: JESUS.”

By: Alex Swango

Alex Swango — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:20:00 +0000

Did the Jews kill Jesus? Remember what Jesus said,

“The reason my Father loves
me is that I lay down my life—only to take
it up again. No one takes it from me, but I
lay it down of my own accord. I have
authority to lay it down and authority to
take it up again. This command I received
from my Father.” (John 10:17-18)

For even the Son of Man did
not come to be served, but to serve, and
to give his life as a ransom for many.
(Mark 10:45)