Anti-gay bigot: "London bombings were great!"

Fred Phelps, the hateful homophobic founder of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka (and whose website is GodHatesFags.com), is even more deranged than I previously thought. I didn't think it was possible, but I think even less of him now than I did before. He now praises the London terrorist bombings that happened on 7/7/05. From The Sky Report:

The Sky Report has secretly filmed one of America’s most controversial Christian ministers praising the London bombings.

Fred Phelps says that terrorist outrages and natural disasters such as Hurricane Rita are examples of God’s wrath against countries such as America and Britain for tolerating homosexuals and homosexuality.

Fred Phelps, who set up the controversial Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas, told our undercover reporter about the attacks, which killed 52 people:

"Oh I am so thankful that happened. My only regret is that they didn’t kill about million of them. England deserves that kind of punishment, as does this country (America)".

The church, which has 150 followers, recently started picketing funerals including those of American soldiers killed in Iraq, waving banners such as "Thank God 9/11", "God Hates Fags" and "Aids Cures Fags".

Phelps thinks that the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and 7/7 happened because "God hates fags" and that America and the UK are too tolerant of the gay lifestyle. Well, Pakistan is incredibly intolerant of homosexuality, yet they were recently leveled by a large earthquake. So, Fred, are catastrophes the result of acts of an anti-gay God or aren't they?

Look, for the record, I think the Bible is clear on homosexuality: it's a sin. Don't flame me...read the rest of what I'm saying here, OK?

It is a sin. So is murder. So is lying. So is stealing. So is finding your neighbor's spouse attractive! There are a number of things that the Bible defines as being sinful, and I believe the Bible 100%. However, the Bible also says "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." It says that "before removing the splinter in your neighbor's eye, remove the log from your own eye first." It says "Love thy neighbor." It says "Judge not, lest ye be judged."

In other words, live and let live. Do I find acts of gay sex disgusting? Yes, of course. That's why I don't engage in them! I find beets disgusting, too, but I don't browbeat people who eat beets. Do I find many aspects of the gay agenda objectionable, such as trying to teach Heather Has Two Mommies and King and King to elementary school children, or trying to have the age of sexual consent lowered to 16 (happened during the early '90s)? You're damned right I do! However, as Phelps' mere pitiful existence proves, there are elements and factions of all sides of the political spectrum that must be confronted. Plus, opposition to issues such as gay marriage or gays in the military does NOT mean that those who have such opposition find cretins like Phelps appealing. We can agree to disagree on gay marriage, gays in the military, etc., but I'd like to think that we can all roundly condemn marginal bigots like Phelps who give the rest of Christians a bad name.

Does God have a problem with the gay lifestyle? In all likelihood, yes. However, is it too much to ask Him to be the judge instead of us? If God wants to cast gays into the pit of Hell, I'm certain He doesn't need our consent to do so. If He decides that gayness isn't that big of a deal or that it's no worse than lying or stealing, then He'll decide that, too.

My point is that I don't understand the seething pathological hatred that drives people like Phelps. God doesn't hate anyone, regardless of what they've done. Phelps may find that hard to believe, but if he actually would try reading the Bible (not too much to ask a church minister, is it?), he might discover that God is a loving, merciful entity. Phelps is a depraved, sick subhuman. May God have mercy on him.