I don’t believe in God, but as a child I was forced to attend more Sunday School classes than I care to remember. The one (and only) benefit of that indoctrination was that it left me with a pretty solid understanding of the basics of Christianity. I also came to understand there are two types of religious personalities: those who seriously endeavor to lead Christ-like lives…and those who wield their religious convictions (which have little to do with the teachings of Jesus Christ) like a club with which they bludgeon those who don’t share their narrow fear- and hatred-based beliefs.
The Westboro Baptist Church is the apotheosis of the second type, “Christians” driven by self-righteousness and intolerance. They use Scripture to judge others and find them wanting. Fred Phelps represented what happens when one bases their Christian faith on calumny and intolerance. When the shuttle Columbia blew up over east Texas in early 2003, I lived four miles from the Johnson Space Center. The WBC faithful showed up at JSC with their placards, joyfully celebrating what to others was a tragedy of epic proportions. They reveled in our grief and sadness. So much for Christian love and compassion.
No rational person would believe that the faith of Phelps’ merry band of inbreds represents true Christianity in any shape, manner, or form. The good news is that such virulent hatred is difficult for some to maintain long term. Over the past few years, a few of Phelps’ kin have left WBC after recognizing the damage carrying so much hatred and anger was doing to them. The latest defector is Phelps’ grandson Zach Phelps-Roper. Recognizing that WBC’s core beliefs no longer meshed with his own, Phelps-Roper decided to live a life based on love and acceptance instead of anger, disdain, and homophobia.
“I feel like I have unconditional love for every person around the world,” Phelps-Roper said Friday. “The Westboro Baptist Church sees things differently than I do now.”
Phelps-Roper recognized WBC was far more interested in identifying problems than finding solutions. It’s easy to point out what you think is wrong with the world. It takes compassion and wisdom to work towards achieving solutions.
“Most problems come from a lack of understanding of how we affect other people and things around us. I feel like I have found the holy grail, the overarching solution to solving all of our society’s problems, and I want to learn more. I want to do more.”
Since moving out of the WBC compound in February, Phelps-Roper’s learned it’s easier to live with love in your heart than hatred. He’s discovered that homosexuals are real people who simply live and love differently. He’s come to see that love and compassion aren’t difficult to find if you open your heart. And he’s finding out most people are good, decent, and accepting…the opposite of what he was taught and surrounded by during his formative years.
It’s unlikely WBC will go away anytime soon, but with each defection we learn more about how sad and pathetic those on the inside are. WBC members believe they alone are the True Believers, conducting spiritual warfare against an increasingly evil and licentious world. My Sunday School experience taught me that Jesus Christ was about peace, love, and understanding, with compassion considered a basic Christian value. WBC’s theology is based on judgment, condemnation, and hate, emotions which over time hardens the heart and kills compassion. And it has nothing to do with the teachings of Jesus Christ.
For Zach Phelps-Roper’s sake, I wish him well as he makes his way in a world where people care for one another and don’t condemn those who think, live, love, and believe differently as evil and worthy only of destruction.
Welcome into the light.
