Here's my thoughts regarding the recent posts on Fred Phelps:

I could find some problems with Fred Phelps' doctrine based on the Bible, but I don't think it is our role to criticise his methods of  preaching.

For example, I think his ultra-Calvinism shows more fidelity to the 16th century theological philosophy of John Calvin than to what the Bible actually says. The simplistic T.U.L.I.P. doctrine becomes the lenses through which these "hard-shell" or "privative" types view the entire Bible, even when many verses show free-will (Ezr 7:13) and moral responsibility of the individual (Jos 24:15 ) and no potential limit to the atoning sacrifice of Christ's blood (1Jo 2:2). However, when pressed, Phelps is on record as acknowledging that some homosexuals can repent and get saved, as is stated in 1 Corinthians 6:11 .

Phelps' other belief that there are no scriptural grounds for divorce and re-marriage based upon Malachi 2:15  and Luke 16:18  is equally harsh. But doctrinally he is again being overly simplistic because this teaching is to Jews under the law, and St. Paul clearly condones abandonment as one grounds for divorce, with a remarriage in the context (1 Corinthians 7:15 , 1 Corinthians 7:9 , etc.).

And there are other doctrinal matters I could critique, such as his lack of any understanding regarding pre-millennialism and the rapture.

However, when it comes to his actions for the Lord, I will follow what Jesus told his disciples in Mark chapter 9:

37 Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.
38 And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.
39 But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.
40 For he that is not against us is on our part.
41 For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.

We are not suppose to get in the middle between the Lord and one of his servants that we happen to disagree with:

Romans 14:4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

Paul rejoiced that Christ was preached, regardless of the motive behind it:

Philippians 1:15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
Philippians 1:16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
Philippians 1:18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

I think many people who were raised in good Christian homes and in the church have an advantage of growing up with lots of kind loving words and being surrounded by polite people - and Phelps doesn't fit that mould. But those of us who spent any time in the world know full well that there is disdain for the goody-too-shoes "the church" types - and there is respect for a person who has the courage of their convictions. Phelps' language upsets saccharine Christians who don't appreciate the language in the King James Bible (asses, pisseth, whore, sodomite, Ezekiel 23:20, etc.). The worldly crowd, on the other hand, is upset by his message, but not by his raw, earthy diction, that they also use and understand. (see, 1Cr 9:22 "I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.")

Phelps' actions also seem "unpatriotic" and "unamerican" (step on the US flag, etc.) - but so did the actions of the prophets in the Bible, such as Jeremiah (Jeremiah 32:3 ), Amos (Amos 7:13), and Micaiah (2 Chronicles 18:17).

Many are also upset that Phelps does not "honour the dead" by picketing the public funerals of dead soldiers. However, examples are also found in the Bible of lack of respect ("let the dead bury the dead") or even scorn heaped on dead soldiers , such as Jeremiah 8:2 . The idea is that their deaths signify the judgement of God. The Bible says in Proverbs 1:26 "I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;" - so laughing and mocking the calamity of the wicked is what Phelps is doing to demonstrate how God feels (i.e., "Thank God for IED's" etc.). Remember that Jesus showed absolutely no sympathy toward those who were murdered by Pilate in the temple, nor toward the victims on who a tower fell (9-11?), but rather said "repent" or you will likewise perish (see Luke 13:1-5).

Of course, the modern "Santa Claus" type god that most people today worship does not kill or harm anybody. He is a hand-wringing weepy weakling who is himself mystified and bewildered by typhoons, hurricanes, earthquakes, disease, birth-defects, lightning, tsunamis, comets, hail, volcanoes, and all the other "natural disasters" that occur without his knowledge or consent. That type of god is not the all-powerful God of the Bible who creates evil for his own purposes (see examples in the plagues of Egypt, and Jeremiah 22:7 , and Isa 45:7" I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.").

When millions, correction, BILLIONS of people are wiped out by the coming world disasters, the Bible says:

Rev 16:9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.

... should they all die without anybody having the courage to tell them that indeed God is the God of wrath they need to fear??

The "fear of the Lord" is something all (including Christians) must have. God is not a wimpy Mr. Green-jeans or Santa Clause, he is a terrible lion and man of war. Could you watch something set on fire and let it keep on burning to death without any sympathy? Even it was a snake or spider, or a terrible criminal? But God will. He will burn forever the souls of millions of sinners in the flames of hell, including some of our loved-ones who never trusted Jesus Christ for salvation. This truth reminds us that we cannot even begin to understand the holy hatred of God toward all sin - we must have great fear regarding God's holiness - and so get right through Jesus Christ.

To Mary, I say many of us have had family members caught in sodomite and other sinful lifestyles. We should not let our familiar love blind us to the truth of the scriptures, or chose blood relations over the Lamb who bought us with his own blood. If a person accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and trusted him for salvation, then even a worthless, good for nothing, rebellious and sinful Christian who is living the sodomite lifestyle will eventually go to heaven - God cannot and will not reject his own or send the earnest deposit of the Holy Ghost to hell because Ephesian 4:30 says "ye are sealed unto the day of redemption". However that miserable Christian that does those things will die an early death (Rom 8:13 "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die") and will lose all their inheritance in the Kingdom of God (Gal 5:21 - this is reward loss at the judgement seat of Christ (1Cr 3:15), not a salvation loss: see also Col 3:24 "of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance"). These verses rewards and ruling with Christ)

So I personally don't think it is wise for us to get mad at Fred Phelps - a minister of Jesus Christ, or to bad-mouth him and his church for their actions in order to placate angry sinners (i.e., "Oh, please don't get mad at me over those signs, you see I'm really a nice harmless Christian who loves everybody and Phelps is a bad unchristian person, even though, well, yes, the Bible does say God hates sodomites." ). That is double-talk to avoid persecution by the world.

The good news in all of is that the catatonic world is finally waking up enough by this preaching to get agitated! I cannot name one other preacher in the entire world that is upsetting sinners as much as Phelps. This is good news because the true gospel includes righteousness and judgement and will always agitate the sinner. When somebody asks about "God hates fags" tell them it's true regarding all sinners, and so everyone needs to get right or they will go straight to hell like a bullet. Psalm 7:11 says "God is angry with the wicked every day".

- M