With the death of Westboro Baptist’s lead figure, Fred
Phelps, yesterday, I really expected to see a great deal more of a response on
facebook than I did. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised that so few felt
the need to comment and that those who did, did so in a rather graceful way.
Your newsfeed may have been different from mine – obviously we all have a
diverse group of “friends” – but I was really grateful for the lack of
snarkiness that could have easily been offered in the wake of his death.
For as much as he was about marketing hate, he was a very
tortured man. I can’t imagine what it would be like to constantly be about the
business of encouraging and mobilizing people to exhibit and vocalize their
hatred of other groups of people. As one person shared on facebook, I pray he
has found the peace in death that eluded him so much in life.
I have come to know a great many people, especially as they
journey through crises or challenges. It’s one of the most sacred aspects of my
job, this entrée into the lives of others. It strikes me that we have enough in
our own lives to deal with without making something that another group is
involved with a primary focus for us…and, yet, we do this so we can ignore our
own stuff, if only for a little while. We are such strange, strange creatures.
It’s that whole “take out the log in your eye before you remove the speck from
your neighbor’s eye” message Jesus tried to teach us. We just have such a hard
time choosing to deal with our stuff first.
So, I pray that Fred Phelps finds peace. I pray that those
who followed him can let go of the banner of hatred they have carried so long
and find peace as well. I also pray that I will have the strength to deal with
my stuff and give you the freedom to deal with your own stuff at your own pace…
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