Picket Funeral
I am anti-gay. I am a Christian. I believe that God punishes people, organizations, and countries, for their actions and the actions of their consitutuents.
I am not, however, an inconsiderate moron (well, not most of the time). This article (rightfully) villifies someone who shares the beliefs I listed above, but who fails to pass the “not an inconsiderate moron” test. I agree with Reverend Phelps that homosexuality is wrong, and I agree that it is a possibility (though by no means a surety) that long wars of attrition and acts of terrorism against our country are a punishment for that and myriad other sins committed by our nation, but picketing a funeral–ANY funeral–is a sure way not to get your point across. As a point of fact, it is a sure way to get the entire world, saved and unsaved, to think you’re a rotten person with no regard (read: love) for the people to whom God wants you to minister. I’ll be the first one one to tell you that I have no great love for people in general, saved or otherwise, but Rev. Phelps’ actions, in my opinion, step outside any form of decency.
People like Mr. Phelps give the body of Christ a bad name. I can’t put down zealoutry, but I can put down what is nearly barbarism, and not only ineffective “ministry,” but a performance that is clearly detrimental to the cause Rev. Phelps professes to be promoting.