When Westboro Baptist Church comes calling--or rather, picketing--you know you've done something wrong. Or do you?
Their newest victim is--to the shock of many--Kim Davis. You know, the Kentucky County Clerk and American citizen jailed for not signing gay "marriage" certificates? WBC usually pickets worldly events such as pop music concerts, pro-gay events, as well as the funerals of fallen soldiers. Thus, Kim Davis was a bit of a surprise.
Usually with hate groups, whether people agree with them or not, have general targets for their hatred. We know the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) hates blacks. We know (Neo)Nazis hate Jews. We Know ISIS hates Jews and Christians. You get the idea. But not so with WBC: they appear to be equal opportunity haters.
And I do not use the term haters in the popular slang terminology, but rather in its original usage indicating those who are full of, espouse, and propagate hatred.
Westboro Baptist Church: Are They Christians?
Let me be clear: what Westboro Baptist Church does is not godly, it's fleshly and sometimes, downright evil. They do not demonstrate the heart nor love of God, but rather hatred. In short, WBC is not a group of Christians. At best, they are "Christians" in name alone. Why? Because their actions and words do not espouse what the Bible teaches. The Bible says:
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:34-35)
"If you love Me, keep My commandments." (John 14:15)
"He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." (John 14:21)
"Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law." (Romans 13:8)
That works if it's someone you like, but what about our enemies? You know evil people?
"But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.... But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them." (Luke 6:27-28, 32)
The Apostle Paul said, "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing," (I Cor. 13:1-3).
Anyone can memorize words, but not just anyone has the love of the Father dwelling in them. Now that's just addressing the foundation of WBC. Let's look at this Kim Davis problem.
Why Attack Kim Davis?
The WBC website states, "God will NEVER have Same-Sex Marriage, but he does not require YOU to disobey to deal with this nation," (NBC Bay Area). While we understand the respect for and obedience to all appointed and voted in authorities according to Romans 13, we also understand that when the law of the land conflicts with the law of God, we are to obey God rather than man (Acts 5:29).
The article goes on to state that WBC--like the LGBQT community--has a problem with Kim because of "the supposed sins in her personal life." Specifically, her marital history. This "handy dandy" flowchart recording her marital history, most likely so the media can further crucify her for her stance against gay marriage.
The funny thing is, from the first moment I saw this chart, I noticed only one thing: the absolute power of God to change and transform a life. Specifically, Kim Davis' life. All of her marital indiscretions took place before she became a Christian in 2011 which I find interesting that the chartmaker included.
Thus, as much as WBC stands against the LGBQT community and their agenda (and rightfully so although, I disagree with their methods of disagreement), they find themselves shockingly aligned with the confused community in that they feel Kim should obey the law, unjust and ungodly though it be, and in also in that they crucify her for her past sins as if they too did not believe in the power of God to transform a person's life and character.
WBC identifies Kim as a woman who "lived in proud sin for many years, divorcing and remarrying, not one time or two times," yet makes no reference to her salvation. It's almost as if, like the Pharisees who desired to stone the woman caught in the act of adultery, they believe they themselves have never sinned before. Or perhaps they just feel their sins weren't as bad as Kim's. Who knows?
All I know is that it is never God who brings up the sins He's forgiven us of; He forgets them and calls us what we are: children of God. Condemnation does not belong to the children of God, but of the world: "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit," (Rom. 8:1). If someone, be they Westboro Baptist or anyone else, tries to bring up your sin or tries to dig for skeletons in your past, tell them what Perry Stone once told an old, prying "saint": "There's blood on them bones!" Leave your past and your enemies in the hands of God and move forward in His Spirit. I'm still standing with you, Kim Davis!
