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Church group plans protest at Pres. Hinckley's funeral
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May the Lord bless you and inspire you to walk without anger, without bitterness of any kind, but to reach out to others with expressions of friendship, appreciation, and love. This is my humble prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."
President Gordon B. Hinckley
October 2007 General Conference
THank you for posting this quote! I know that Pres. Hinckley would want us to be kinder to eachother and not ackknowledge those trying to hurt us with thier words!
RE: Matt Johnson
Thanks for reminding us that not all Baptists are the same. Having grown up in Alabama, and having had alot of Baptist friends and relatives, I can tell you that most Baptists are very kind, Christian people!!
I will make one guarantee, when this Minister passes, there won't be a single Mormon protesting at her funeral. In fact, they will probably take funeral potatoes and comfort her family and congregation.
"If ye have done this unto the least of my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
I know how hurt I would feel if somebody protested at my loved one's funeral condemning them to hell. It's sad Christianity at times can seem so divided.
As despicable as this is, I am still grateful for the First Amendment.
Fred Phelps, the groups leader, is a senile, psychotic, old man. The best thing we can do in this situation is treat them with kindness or ignore them all together. We dont need to disrupt President Hinckley's funeral any further by loosing control of ourselves and assaulting these guys. Don't try to contend with them, they are so far gone astray that it wont do any good. They just look for reasons to hate, and in their mind if your not a member of their church your going to "hell". We as followers of christ can follow his example. Gordon B. Hinckley was a great man and nobody can tell us any different.
To judge all other Christians, or even just all other Baptists, by this group would be much akin to judging all Mormons by Warren Jeffs.
I encourage all my fellow Evangelicals to stage a peaceful protest (at the same time) on the opposite corner exposing these nuts for what they are.
Though I am not LDS, I support the LDS' faith to honor their leader without these fruit cakes causing problems.
P.S. To the LDS faithful, please ignore them. What they want is a confrontation that will garner them national publicity.
Acknowledging them puts you in a no-win situation. Just let them do their thing and move on. That's being realistic, not unkind. They really ARE that bigoted and spiteful, sorry to say. They've been doing this for years and they're very good at what they do--hating others and generating resentment.
Since this is America, they ARE entitled to their free speech. They'll use theirs to show what they're really made of and what they really believe. So use yours to say nothing, leave them alone, and show who the true Christians really are.
Honor President Hinckley and the Savior by doing what both would have you do: Try a little harder to be a little kinder, and remember Matthew 5:11.
Thank You and we appreciate you.
We are a meek and wise people. The world confuses meekness for weakness. The world has no idea how strong we are. If we were a weak people we would lash out and play the victim. We choose victory with quiet resolve and dignity. And am proud to be a Latter Day Saint and proud to live in this great state in the United States that allows the freedom to ignore those who unwisely use the freedom to speak.
I wish these folks wouldn't protest -- I wish they knew what I know: that Gordon B. Hinckley was a prophet of God called to teach God's children how to live in love & peace so they can return to live with Him someday.
But these people have their agency -- gratefully, I have mine, too, and can choose not to get angry or confrontational -- to let them exercise their agency in peace.
I definitely think the "no audience, no reporting" idea is a good one. I've seen what my kids do with an audience -- it isn't pretty :-)!
And this group is NOT an example of a true Baptist. As a member of the LDS faith, I have found good people in all faiths. I do not believe that anyone not of the LDS faith will go to hell. That is for God to judge. Everyone is just trying to do the very best that they can and we need to love them for it.
TO: Matt Johnson - Thank you for being a friend. And know that I will think of you when I greet and smile all strangers that I meet.
You see how apparently arrogant these Baptists are by claiming to have the "truth", but why can't you see how arrogant you are by claiming the "know (beyond a shadow of a doubt)"? You consider their protest to be offensive and unChristian, but you don't see how your sending 50,000+ missionaries out into the world to attack other Christian religions (by preaching the Apostasy) is horribly offensive! You see how "cultish" these Baptists appear because they engage in behavior that seems irrational, but you can't see how irrational your own behavior is: dressing up in robes and aprons, forming circles, and chanting together?
Jesus called all such people "hypocrites".
My view as a card carrying, God fearing Christian is that they are following their conscience. And that they are publicity seekers. And that their hearts are cold. Very cold.
Feed'em and love'em. Then pity them after they are gone. But do let them try the tuna casserole. It just makes your knees weak.
America is a great nation. We tolerate as we should. It is what separates us from the intolerant nations and mob-rule. It allows us to live in freedom and happiness.
To those of you whose nerves are frayed: Take time to breath and pray that you can be loving towards the Westboro church. They are children of God, too, and he loves them and will always work to bring them to him, just as he does with you. Though their hatred may be sinful, you must not allow it to make you commit the sin of not forgiving your fellow man. Let God judge. As we would admonish them to "hate the sinner, not the sin," so must we admonish ourselves to the same effect.
To reiterate what several have said, the Westboro church is NOT the Baptist church. We should not hold other Baptist churches responsible, nor think ill of them for what the Westboro church does.
Be cautious. Don't incite any anger. If you are not able to control your emotions enough to pull away if something bad happens, don't even talk to them. It's asking for trouble.
But He will tell them to depart from Him, for He never knew them.....
All we (including both LDS and Non-LDS followers of the God of Love) can do is show how Christ would have us behave...."Blessed are you when men..say all manner of Evil against you.." "Love your enemies, do Good to those who persecute you."
I may not agree on many important points of doctrine,etc with the LDS faith.. but I've learned to look for the power of Christ thru the Holy Spirit in the actions and words of a person.. THAT's what tells me if they are my brother or sister in Christ.. not what building they enter on Sunday...and by their words and actions the disciples of Phelps The Antichrist show what great servants of Evil they truly are.
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