A couple of weeks ago, I was speaking with our friend, Rick Massana, a pastor at the North Livermore, Maine, Baptist Church.  He said he thinks all the major Baptist groups in America should join together in a law suit against the Westboro Baptist Church.  This is the church run by cultist Fred Phelps outside of Topeka, Kansas that is best known for picketing at military funerals claiming that are troops are dying because of the increasing support of gay marriage in America.  I found Pastor Rick's idea intriguing, albeit unlikely to come to pass.

In recent years, I've felt a need to clarify that our Christian summer camp, named "Baptist Park" is not run by that kind of Baptist.  (The fact that I am not nor never have been Baptist myself is an ironic aside, and, to be honest, I'm not sure the board of directors of the camp is aware of this.)  The truth is, there are almost 200 'types' of Baptists in the United States.  The two major Baptist denominations, Southern and American Baptists, have the vast majority of members, and many of the other Baptist groups are, like Westboro, independent of any larger affiliation.  In fact, Westboro is primarily one extended family who decided to 'make a church'.

Regardless of one's opinion on gay marriage - that is not the intended theme of this blog - Westboro is just plain wrong theologically.  That is what makes their use of the word 'Baptist' in their name so dangerous.  There beliefs and actions do NOT represent those of even the most conservative Baptist denominations.  The Southern Baptist Church is the denomination of Billy Graham, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton.  The American Baptists are the denomination of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Tony Compolo.  No raving lunatics asking God to kill more soldiers in this company.  

But I digress.  As I said, the Westboro Church needs to spend more time reading their Bibles and less time travelling the country annoying people.  One of their links on their site (not for the faint of heart) is entitled "Why God Hates the World".  Hmmm, I seem to remember something about God loving the world so much He sent His only Son (see John 3:16).  Another link claims in crystal clear language that President Obama is the anti-Christ.  Regardless of one's eschatology, all experts on biblical prophecy I read or talked to say the anti-Christ will be part of the (past or to-be-restored) Roman Empire.  Logic and minimal research has convinced me that the one reference to an individual called anti-Christ is a reference to Nero Caesar. Even if you disagree with that, there is no reason to believe the anti-Christ is American (or Kenyan, for that matter).  According to Deuteronomy, if a prophet is wrong once, or does not line up with Scripture once, they are a false prophet.  In the Old Testament, that meant stoning.  Perhaps Pastor Phelps could extend to others some of the New Testament grace he's receiving by not being put to death as per the Old Testament law.

On this link it also makes it clear they believe our President is a Muslim.  In the next sentence, though, there is a rant about his position on abortion.  While I am not in favor of abortion, they make a glaring error in their 'logic'.  In general, Muslims are more opposed to abortion than Christians.  Obama's very political positions often prove he is not a follower of the Koran.

Furthermore, Westboro's site praises God for people going to hell.  Not only does this fly in the face of "Judge not lest you be judged" (Mt. 7:1. A verse that refers to eternal judgement, NOT calling behaviors or beliefs right or wrong)  it also is like spit in the face of a God who said He 'Desires no man to perish, but all to come to know eternal life." (II Peter 3:9)  

Any reasonable person can see that Westboro is a sham, and Phelps is a self-important megalomaniac.  What I hope all reasonable people can also see is that he does not represent the Baptist churches, or Christianity itself, accurately at all.