(A podcast of today’s devotional can be heard here: http://traffic.libsyn.com/stushie/Westboro_Wickedness.mp3)
I am appalled that the Westboro Baptists of Topeka, Kansas are intending to picket and protest at the funeral of the little nine year old girl Christina Green, who was shot and killed in Arizona. There is nothing Christian about their intentions and it’s about time that the mainstream church spoke out courageously and fearlessly against such bigotry. Instead of displaying Christ’s comfort and God’s love, they want to incite hatred and loathing. These kind of acts are despicable and show how satanically desperate they are for publicity.
Christ calls us to love our enemies and to turn the other cheek, but I think that even our Lord is disgusted with this type of prejudicial behavior. The Westboro Baptists may have the rights of free speech on their side, but they should also be aware of this: they will be held accountable at the end of time for every word of hatred that they have spewed. They are not Christians, no matter what they think of themselves. Their delusions of grandeur and their hostile attacks may give them the attention they so desperately seek, but their sins are grieving the Holy Spirit because they do all of this in Christ’s Name, which means that ultimately they will never be forgiven.
Someone once said that ‘Evil triumphs when good men say nothing.’ I think that it’s up to the Church of all denominations, but especially American Baptists, to speak out fearlessly and courageously against the scurrilous and blasphemous activities of this misguided and malevolent congregation.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we pray against those who would dishonor Your Name and sour Your Spirit through their blasphemy and bigotry. We pray against the Westboro Baptists and ask that You would diminish their influence, interfere with their intentions, and put an end to their prejudice. Help the True Church to speak out courageously and fearlessly against them and enable us to show our society that these people are not Christians. In Your Holy Name, we sincerely pray. Amen.
John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.
Today’s image is one of John’s latest “Winter in New York” drawings. It’s called “Rush Hour Rain” and depicts Times Square traffic in the pouring rain. If you would like to view a larger version of this drawing, please click on the following link: http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5129/5308846996_cfe970d945_b.jpg
All of John’s drawings can be found on the Web at his artsite at http://www.stushieart.wordpress.com/
Signed, numbered and matted prints are available for only $20 each (plus shipping if necessary).
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