Fred is Dead...so now what ? Answer: Pray.

Fred Phelps is dead.


There is much going around the social media universe regarding the demise & death of the Westboro Baptist " Church"'s leader. This begs the question of how we Christ-followers should approach the death of this man best known for his hate speech and funeral protests.


I know that a lot of my very liberal friends would rather shout " FRED IS DEAD" from the highest rooftops and dance an Irish jig &  part of me really does not blame them for wanting to herald the demise of a sad, sick individual. But the Christ-follower in me wants to do what Christ himself would do if He were faced with a similar situation.


My mom always had a saying that " Two wrongs don't make a right." Most people I know agree that Mr Phelps' extreme views are wrong. Not only did his group teach hatred of LGBT persons, but he also was famous for sending groups to " protest" military funerals all over the nation.  Although I live in a very socially-conservative region, no one I know agrees with Mr Phelp's philosophy regarding our military service people and veterans.


Fred Phelp's extremism was cancerous to society. Now that he is dead, how should our Christian response mirror what Our Lord teaches us? Would he advocate picketing Mr Phelps' funeral or spread  snarky cartoons about the death of this man/ My guess is no. Rather, the Jesus Whom I've come to know & love would offer his condolences to the Phelps family.


Yes, Fred Phelps had a family.


 As distasteful as this fact is to many of us: Fred Phelps was some one's husband, father, grandfather, uncle, pastor and friend. We do NOT need to agree with the man's teachings or actions to show Christian mercy and love towards his surviving kin. he was an extremist and a bigot, but that does not mean that we should exclude his family from the loving kindness of the Church Universal.  I feel strongly that the " sins of the father" in this case, the sins of Fred Phelps} should not bring more pain to his spiritual and actual children.


 On Ash Wednesday a priest in my Diocese charged the congregation present that night to focus on the following tasks during Lent: Pray. Fast & Give Alms.  Tonight, part of my prayer and alms giving will focus on the Phelps family and their loss. No one human is an " island' amidst him or herself and this applies to bigoted extremists such as Mr Phelps.


I , along with most Americans, will NOT miss this man's hate speech and twisted doctrine. yet it is NOT a Christ-like response to celebrate his demise. None of us are perfect and we ALL wake every morning with our own list of prejudices. I know I do and I pray daily for the Holy Spirit to help me see the common humanity in those with whom I vehemently disagree.


Amen.


Lent, 2014