Fred Waldron Phelps, Sr. (born November 13, 1929) is the pastor and leader of the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC), an independent Baptist church in Topeka, Kansas.
Phelps is also a lawyer and founder of the Phelps Chartered law firm. WBC is listed as a "hate group" by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
He is known for preaching with slogans and banners denoting phrases such as "God hates fags," "AIDS cures fags," and "Fags die, God laughs (or mocks)," and claims that God will punish homosexuals as well as people such as Bill O'Reilly, Coretta Scott King, and Howard Dean, whom his church considers "fag-enablers". His church says he is a "Five-Point Calvinist." SOURCE
While I certainly don't agree with much of Pastor Fred Phelps' antics, beliefs and statements; he comes closer to being right than all the weak-kneed, cowardly, pansy, apostate, compromised ministers in America who have nothing to say. I know a pastor of one of America's largest Independent Fundamental Baptist churches who endorsed Barack Obama's wicked presidency. It is apostasy!!!
There is a BALANCE that needs to be maintained. It is wrong for any believer to become so self-righteous that they become hateful towards unrepentant sinners (such as Pastor Fred Phelps at www.Godhatesfags.com). This is wrong. God hates sin; BUT, never the sinner. John 3:16 plainly states, “For God so loved THE WORLD...” How could God hate any man or woman whom He died upon the cross for? 1st John 2:2 plainly declares that Christ shed His blood for all mankind. Romans 5:8 declares that Christ died for us, “while we were yet sinners.”
On the other hand, it is equally wrong for a believer to compromise moral and doctrinal standards under the pretense of “love.” True Biblical love NEVER allows for sinful compromise. I often receive letters from Homosexuals and witches, telling me that Jesus taught us to LOVE one another. How ironic that Christ-rejecting witches and Sodomites would quote God's Word; then again, that's exactly what Satan did to Eve in Genesis 3:1, and to Jesus in Matthew 4:6. So it is not surprising that witches and Sodomites, who reject the Bible, would quote the Bible like their father the Devil.
I want to say this ... Pastor Fred Phelps comes a whole lot closer to being right than MOST pastors in America today, i.e., concerning his fierce stand against homosexuality in America. Would to God that more pastors CARED about the deplorable spiritual condition of the United States. The average American today has waxed sinfully proud, spoiled, and indifferent concerning evil. You can't tell most Americans the truth nowadays, because they either flare up in hostility and rage or could care less. Many Americans have become intolerant and hostile towards the truth. A soon to be released Walt Disney movie, UNDER DOG, features the motto... “One nation under dog!” BLASPHEMY!!!
I totally disagree with all 5 points of Calvinism to which Pastor Fred Phelps adheres. Calvinism is heresy. It is understandable why Pastor Phelps hates sinners when you understand the tenets of John Calvin, a heretic. Calvinists believe that God chooses who will, or won't, go to Heaven, and that God only loves those chosen to be saved. Of course this it very unbiblical. If you'd like to know much more, please read Not Chosen to Salvation which diligently exposes the heresies of Calvinism. Fred Phelps is further proof of what is wrong with Calvinism.
Having said that, I want to reiterate what I said a moment ago... Pastor Fred Phelps comes a whole lot closer to being right than MOST pastors in America today! I'm not saying Pastor Phelps is correct in his approach, he's not. I know Fred Phelps could reach a whole lot more people for God if he'd present the love of God for sinners along with his hatred for sin. He doesn't even speak of God's love on his churches' website. I don't understand any professed believer who hates sin, but doesn't love the sinner as a person for whom Christ died (Romans 5:8).
Howbeit, Pastor Phelps comes a whole lot closer to being right than the following sorry excuse for a pastor... A U.S. News and World Report article (December 2003, The New Old-Time Religion, by Jay Tolson, pg. 42) quotes Lon Solomon, pastor of the McLean Bible Church near Tyson's Corner, Virginia (a megachurch that draws up to 10,000 people on Sundays) as stating...
"Abortion and homosexuality are minor concerns in our church. The bell we beat is that we must know Jesus. We are offering people a different and better way to live than secular America offers."
Jonathan Edwards is appalled from Heaven! Abortion and homosexuality ... MINOR CONCERNS? What? Where in the Word of God are we ever led to view sin as a “minor issue”? I just don't understand how any professed “man of God,” a pastor over 10,000 people, can call the murdering of over 40,000,000 babies (in the U.S. alone) ... a MINOR CONCERN! Americans have murdered more children through abortions than all of America's war dead combined!!! And yet we praise ourselves as being a nation that “values life.” What liars!
Now,
Fred Phelps may go way overboard in his approach, but we deserve those
kind of messages as a nation who has rejected God's Word. We are a
bunch of hypocrites in America! Why is it that no one gets enraged
when homosexuals are marching up and down the streets of America with their
despicable signs?
Ever heard of the "Pink Angels"? They're a group of homosexuals that attack Christians at homosexual parades. Why just get mad at Fred Phelps? Why is it that no one gets upset when the pro-abortionists are standing on the street corner holding up their murderous signs praising abortion? People can streak naked in public, and no one cares or complains. Don't believe it? Welcome to Brattleboro, Vermont, where streaking is legal and a daily occurrence in down town. Is this America? Yes!
To those Christians who would criticize Fred Phelps I ask you... What are you doing to take a stand against the evils in our nation? It's easy for those on the sidelines to criticize those on the field. I'd rather have 10,000 Fred Phelps than what we have today... deadbeat believers who never lift a finger to warn the wicked, preach the Gospel, or take an uncompromising stand against sin. Lord give us more Billy Sundays! Again, I'm not endorsing Fred Phelps' ministry, but he's coming a whole lot closer to Biblical Christianity than the millions of compromised, thin skinned, cowardly, lazy, entertainment type believers today in America.
God deliver us from cafeteria Christians! Jesus said in Luke 9:23, “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Most believers today have no idea what Jesus is talking about, because they've never suffered any persecution as a Christian. 2nd Timothy 3:12 warns, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” Is anyone getting upset with you? Today's believers have redefined Christianity to fit this wicked world. This is why America's pulpits are eerily silent concerning the great American holocaust—abortion!
Few churches today are willing to preach publicly against the sin of homosexuality. Why? If every church in America did what Fred Phelps is doing, but also preached the love of God through the Gospel, our nation would be saved. Hate him if you want, but Pastor Phelps is indeed taking a stand against a wicked nation. He is taking it the wrong way in my opinion; but at least he's taking a stand. One thing is clear... Pastor Phelps preaches the Biblical truth that homosexuality is a vile sin, and that America is overdue for God judgment. I agree 100%.
Pictured to right: Pastor Fred Phelps of the Topeka, Kansas, WESTBORO BAPTIST CHURCH.
Many of the people criticizing Mr. Phelps are hypocrites. Sean Hannity of FoxNew, who is adored by many fundamental Christians today, has spoke many flaming words of criticism against Fred Phelps and his church members; however, Mr. Hannity is a devout hellbound Catholic. Many Christians have been totally brainwashed by conservative newsmedia.
Truthfully, conservatives today are as heathen and godless as the liberals. Sean Hannity is as lost and on his way to Hell as is Alan Colmes (who in his book Red, White, and Liberal, has a chapter called... “Jesus was a liberal.” Sean Hannity has a dating website which welcomes homosexuals. Who's kidding who? Hannity and Colmes are both unsaved heathens. It's time for America's Christians to wake up and return to the God of the Bible.
