| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"George Washington Hayduke" |
| Date: |
29 Nov 2004 09:39:37 PM |
| Object: |
Christianity Today in the news |
'Filled with so much hate'
Anti-gay contingent draws street-side barbs
By Derek Spellman
http://www.joplinglobe.com/story.php?story_id=143375
Churchgoers, motorists and others sparred verbally with members of a
group that gathered Sunday morning outside several local churches to
decry homosexuality.
Six representatives from Westboro Baptist Church, of Topeka, Kan.,
marched across sidewalks and held signs saying "God Hates Fags" and
"Your Pastor Is Lying." The church group, led by the Rev. Fred Phelps
Sr., claims to have conducted 20,000 anti-gay demonstrations across
the nation in the past 14 years.
The local protests were organized in response to a dispute in Webb
City involving a high-school student and his gay-pride T-shirts.
Members of Westboro Baptist Church plan to mount a similar protest
this morning outside Webb City High School. The school district is
facing a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union after
twice telling Brad Mathewson, 16, that his gay-pride T-shirts violate
the school dress code.
The group expanded its critique of the situation in Webb City to stage
the protests Sunday at five Joplin churches because those institutions
teach that God loves everyone, including homosexuals, said Steve
Drain, a member of Westboro Baptist Church.
"This isn't a church," Drain said of St. Paul's United Methodist
Church in Joplin. "It's a whorehouse. You pay your money and they make
you feel good."
Sporting sunglasses, a New York Yankees baseball cap and an American
flag dangling from one hand, Drain spent most of the morning shouting
at people from sidewalks as they entered their churches and calling
their pastors liars. He often cited passages from the Bible while
arguing that God condemns homosexuals and anyone who tolerates them.
Parishioners mostly ignored Drain as they arrived for worship, but
some openly opposed him with everything from humor to disgust to
anger.
Church officials at St. Paul's asked Drain and his group to leave the
grounds and summoned the police. The protesters remained because they
were standing on an easement, or public property, Drain said.
A group of about 10 people gathered outside St. Philip's Episcopal
Church to distribute fliers with the message "God Loves Everyone, Even
Those Who Hate." The group, which was not affiliated with any specific
church, stuck one flier on the windshield of the van Drain and his
followers used.
"We're just here to protest the haters," said one woman, who declined
to give her name. "We're not trying to cause trouble."
Another woman, who also declined to give her name, called Drain and
his companions "idiots."
Drain's group drew the most spirited response from people entering or
driving past the First Baptist Church.
One motorist driving on Seventh Street blared her horn and flashed an
obscene gesture at the group. Another rolled down his window and
shouted, "You're going to hell for hating."
One man wearing a Santa cap walked across the street and yelled at
Drain because he kept dragging the bottom of the flag across the
ground.
"Don't put our flag on the ground," the man said. "I've got buddies
over in Iraq. If you don't like America, get out."
Several people driving by stopped in the street to debate Drain from
their cars.
One woman yelled, "You guys give Christianity a bad name."
"You're going to hell, lady," Drain said.
"No, I'm not," she shouted back.
Another woman leaned out of her van and told Drain that Jesus died on
the cross so that the sins of everyone, including homosexuals, would
be forgiven. God loves everyone, she argued.
Drain countered that God can't love everyone because "billions" now
languish in hell. Homosexuals and those who refuse to condemn them are
doomed to a similar fate, Drain said.
"When did you get saved?" the woman asked.
Drain said he joined Westboro in July 2001 after shooting a
documentary about the group. He said the church does not expect to
convert anyone.
"We're not trying to win fools to Jesus," Drain said. "All we're here
for is to publish (God's) message."
Most churchgoers were unfazed by Drain's strident rhetoric, said Joe
Crosthwait, who attends St. Paul's United Methodist Church.
The Rev. Steve Butler of the First Baptist Church said the Southern
Baptist Convention does not support same-sex marriage. He rejected
Drain's claim that homosexuals are bound for hell because their sins
are irredeemable.
"Scriptures don't say that," Butler said. "Everyone can turn away from
their sins."
Dave McKibben, a First Baptist Church member, said he was somewhat
puzzled by Drain's group.
"It would be miserable to be filled with so much hate," he said.
---
Stop Elmer Fudd web site: http://www.ElmerFudd.US/
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| User: "Tom Sevart" |
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| Title: Re: Christianity Today in the news |
30 Nov 2004 09:24:51 AM |
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"George Washington Hayduke" <sss@hite.org> wrote in message
news:10qnqobsme743b2@corp.supernews.com...
Another woman leaned out of her van and told Drain that Jesus died on
the cross so that the sins of everyone, including homosexuals, would
be forgiven. God loves everyone, she argued.
Drain countered that God can't love everyone because "billions" now
languish in hell. Homosexuals and those who refuse to condemn them are
doomed to a similar fate, Drain said.
Actually, he's right. As much as I hate to admit that one of Fred Phelps'
minions is right about something, he does have a point there. If God really
does love everyone, why does he send them to hell?
Tom
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