I confess that sometimes it takes a while for me to fully understand situations, and I’m a little slow. The activities of Westboro Baptist Church used to worry me. Since non-Christians and neutral observers viewed them through the media, I worried that they would think Westboro Baptist Church represented Jesus and and his message. I truly failed to recognize the great service they were doing for all Christians. Thanks for your awesome service. Now I understand what you stand for.
Thanks Westboro Baptist Church for being a toxic collection zone. Drawing membership from all over the country helps lower the conflict in our congregations. We always used to struggle when your members were in our churches creating factions, stirring up hatred, putting people down, and teaching by example of ‘what not to do.’ It was hard for us to explain to visitors that your members were teaching by ‘anti-example.’ Now with all of them in one place, it is much easier to explain. With them over there with you and not here with us, things are better. We just never could master that ‘anti-example’ method. Thanks. However, you need to expand. More toxic collection zones across the country improves more congregations. Please help.
Westboro Baptist Church an Example of Modern Day Phariseeism
Thanks Westboro Baptist Church for giving an example of modern day Phariseeism, we were forgetting what it looked like. Now with you guys acting it out daily, we don’t even need to tell people to look it up or read about it in the Bible; we can just point at you. That ‘anti-example’ is so clever. Thanks.
Thanks Westboro Baptist Church being a case study in how being obnoxious in the name of God can lead to persecution. Now, when we don’t think that kindness, love, and honesty are bringing about sufficient persecution and we think that somehow our witness is inadequately contrasting the world, we can imitate your behavior and feel better about ourselves. Thanks.
Thanks Westboro Baptist Church for showing us how to treat gays. We were confused. Actually we’re still confused, so maybe you can send us a memo. So we understand we are to love our friends; that’s easy. And Jesus said for us to love my enemies, we get that. Please send us a memo and let us know what that third category is, we can’t figure it out. Thanks, but waiting for more information.
Most of all, thanks Westboro Baptist Church for making it easier for us to define our churches by saying we’re not like you. You guys are awesome. We would never be able to master the ‘anti-example’ method like you. It is a very effective teaching method when handled by masters like you.
Oh and by the way, maybe you guys would like to purchase an ABV, the newest version of the bible, New Version of the Bible. We can make up a few three page copies for you.
Comments 2
Phariseeism is a dangerous thing, and the scary part is that it’s a slow drift. What I come to resent in so many of them, I become to resemble and I’m usually the last one to know. Any time I allow my personal preferences or passions to become the litmus test and shibboleth (read Judges 12:5-6) by which we decide who is or isn’t a genuine disciple, we have replaced old school legalism with new school legalism. I’m sure Westboro didn’t start out to be that way, but they are. And if I’m not careful, maybe I am headed that way as well. The discovery of grace in our movement as churches of Christ, has led some (in their haste to declare all traditions null & void) to become reverse angle legalists. Their treatment of those who disagree with them is no better, and sometimes worse, than the scorn that legalists of a previous generation heaped upon them. No one wants to labeled as a Pharisee any more. Instead we come up with fancy names (liberal, progressive, forward thinking, radical & outreach) to mask our own separateness and arrogance. Since God’s favor is now reserved for the most enlightened, we don’t have room for the doubters, stragglers & strugglers. So, we develop our own systems to measure our purity, commitment and dedication all with the goal of making us feel good about our Phariseeism.
I guess mercy is really more important than sacrifice. Mercy always has & always will be the rock in the shoe of the religious elite (think the story of Jonah). Mercy is a scary thing to offer, because people just might take it. And then what would we do?