Fred "Westboro Baptist" Phelps Dead

By Douglas V. Gibbs

The rumors are brewing, and there are enough of them that, unlike the radioactive cloud in New Mexico, I am pretty sure this one is true.

Should I be happy?  Should I be sad?

Fred Phelps was an intriguing figure.  He led protests of the funerals of fallen military members, coined the "God Hates Fags" phrase that adorned the signs his people waved at various protests, and convinced a lot of non-Christians that all Christians must be like him, and therefore the faith of Jesus Christ did not deserve a consideration.

In other words, Phelps pretty much pissed off everyone, but his followers.

Responding to the news of his death, I must take a tract similar to when I was asked, "Do you think homosexuals are all going to Hell?"

Christianity is an inclusive faith, which means anyone and everyone has the opportunity to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior.  The decision is a personal one, and the sincerity of the decision is only known by the person making that decision, and God Himself.  Sin is sin, and no sin is necessarily dominant over any other sin in the eyes of God.  A profession of Faith in Jesus Christ is recognition that one is a sinner, and that as long as we are in this flawed body we will remain sinners, but by accepting Christ we "repent" from our sins, or "turn away" from them.  This is no guarantee that we will become righteous, but it is an acknowledgement that we are sinners, and unable to live the life Christianity demands without assistance from the Holy Spirit.  Left to our own devices, we are still sinners, and we will still do the things our flesh desires.

This is why my answer to if I hate Phelps, or gays, is that "I didn't hate my children when they lied to me growing up, so why would I hate anyone else for their sins?  This is not to disregard those sins, or to ignore their existence.  I recognize their existence, and grieve that these folks are slaves to their sin, but all I can do is make reference to these sins as what they are, urge the sinners to turn from their sin, and pray that their hearts become soft so that they can recognize Christ's love, and the need to turn away from their sin.

As the old Christian saying goes, "None of us are worthy, no, not one.  So, we need Christ."

I remember watching an episode of Way of the Master, where Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort talk to people about this topic.  The question is, are you a good person, and are you good enough to go to Heaven?  When people proclaimed their goodness, the hosts would run down the situation something like the following:

“Do you consider yourself to be a good person?”

“Yes.”

“Have you ever told a lie?”

“Yes.”

“What does that make you?”

“A liar.”

“Have you ever stolen something?”

“Yes.”

“What does that make you?”

“A thief.”

“Have you ever used God’s name in vain?”

“Yes.”

“That’s called blasphemy, and it’s a very serious sin—to use
God’s Name as a cuss word.” 

“Jesus said, ‘Whoever looks with lust, has committed adultery
in the heart.’ Have you ever looked with lust?”

“Yes.”

“Listen to this. By your own admission, you are a
lying, thieving, blasphemous adulterer at heart. And you have
to face God on Judgment Day. If God judges you by the Ten
Commandments on the Day of Judgment, do you think you
will be innocent or guilty?”

“Guilty.”

“Will you go to Heaven or to Hell?”

“Hell.”

“Does that concern you?”

“Yes!”

“It should terrify you. Do you know what God did for you
so that you wouldn’t have to go to Hell?”

“No.”

“He sent His Son—Jesus Christ—to suffer and die for you.
He paid your fine in His life’s blood, so that you could leave
the courtroom. What you must do is repent and trust Him.”

So, to answer the question on if Fred Phelps, homosexuals, lying children, thieving people, blasphemers, and adulterers deserve to go to Hell, the answer is, "Without a doubt."  We all deserve it.  However, we also all have the opportunity to avoid such a future - Fred Phelps included.

Phelps was a disgusting human being.  Deep down I believe he deserves all of the torment that the afterlife can dish out to him, but like the rest of us sinners, despite his horrific life practices, he also deserves the full Love and Mercy of God.

You know a Christian by their fruit, it says in the Bible, so I question if Fred Phelps truly had the Holy Spirit in his heart.  However, it is never too late.  As horrible of a person that he was, a sincere cry out to the Lord can still be heard.  Only God knows the truth.  Phelps may be in eternal suffering, or he may not be.  That was his decision.  That was his opportunity.  It was up to him to take God's Gift, or reject it.

Our world may be a little better off without the vitriol of Fred Phelps in it, but his soul's destination could have gone either way.  I pray, as I do for all people, that he cried out to the Lord before it was too late.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary