Fred Phelps Is Dying

[4588686]

So sad that this man who has devoted himself merely to one of the chief spiritual work of mercy, fraternal rebuke, is dying unappreciated by this world that is infested with modernism.  

[4588686]

LOVE THE SINNER, HATE THE SIN. 

AM I RIGHT????

[Selah]

Loki dies.

 

Thor laughs.

[PhuturePriest]

AM I RIGHT????

 

Actually, I've gotten the impression you lean more towards the left.

[BG45]

Fred Phelps has died at the age of 84.

 

[Oremoose]

[Selah]

I am praying for the soul of a man who killed himself almost two months ago.

 

It wouldn't be right to show compassion for one and not another.

 

I pray for both of them :/

[AugustineA]

Hadn't even realized people were celebrating his death.. It's sad. I felt the same way when Osama bin laden died and all those people were partying on the news. 

 

Lord have mercy on your children. 

[LaPetiteSoeur]

I think people were ~celebrating~ mostly because they had been so hurt by this man and his former church. Westboro "rose to fame" after they began picketing the funeral of Matthew Shepard and later the trials of those who murdered him--and soon after productions of The Laramie Project.  Many young LGBT persons were deeply affected by that. Not to say I condone it, but I understand it. It's not right to picket anyone's funeral or rejoice at the death of any person, but this man hurt many, and peace is needed all around. 

 

Also tbh i think "hate the sin love the sinner" is kind of a cop out answer. If you think of someone's sin the first time you think of them, what is that?

[Kateri89]

Here's what I think.  When we see people like Fred Phelps or Osama Bin Laden or Saddam Hussein, just try to remember that they weren't always these vicious, hate-filled people.  At some point in time they were infants, joyful children, hopeful adolescents.  What happened in their lives that turned them into the people they became?  It didn't have to be an abusive upbringing or some traumatic event, but if they were surrounded by people with such hateful views, it isn't unlikely that they would've adopted those same views.  Had they been surrounded by love and compassion to begin with, it's possible that they would have led very different lives.  Or perhaps they were raised in a loving environment but did encounter some sort of horrible trauma that changed them.  We have no way of knowing.  But these are people created by God just as all of us were created by Him and we should grieve over the path that they chose just as I'm sure He does.  It's not easy to forgive but remember that it's in the Lord's prayer: "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us".  If we know that we are in need of forgiveness for our sins, hopefully we can extend that same mercy to others who need it, even if they never ask for it.