While I still believe that Ann allows her past negative experiences with hyper-religious people to cloud her objectivity at times, I can't get too upset with her on this issue. The wackos at Westboro are a shame to the name of Jesus. They do indeed teach that America is being punished by God for any number of "offenses" they will gleefully name. And they also insult both believers and non-believers with their hateful attitudes and condemnation. I don't blame her for being upset because her country is being slandered.
Jesus is not pleased with these people. He never calls His followers to club people over the head with their sins. He calls us to inform, to teach, to make disciples, but most of all, He calls us to love others.
That love has nothing to do with feelings and everything to do with how we treat people. I believe that homosexuality is a sin, but I also believe that unrestrained anger is a sin. I also believe that nothing good can come from the Westboro wackos protesting at the funerals of fallen American soldiers and blaming everything from AIDS to crib death to the economy to the price of tea in China on homosexuals. When the Lord does judge the living and the dead, the people who have participated in these protests and who have not repented of their actions will feel His wrath, not His approval.
