Uh-Oh....Soapbox time

There was an article in our local newspaper that really upset me. So much in fact I wanted to Blog about it. As I was doing some surfing today I found the article online along with 100+ comments. I read most of them and everyone has an opinion that they feel is the "right" opinion to have. Because of the Free Speech amendment we are all allowed to speak our minds without being persecuted. We are allowed protest things that we don't believe in and we are allowed to make the beliefs we do have known and heard.

The Westboro Baptist Church (I'd put a link on here, but I found several different ones so if you are interested do a Google Search) says

The group believes soldiers are being killed in Iraq because God is punishing the United States, especially its military, for tolerating homosexuality

The part that upset me most was that this group feels that God punishes people. God doesn't punish! He is a loving God who sent his Son to die for OUR SINS! And if we bow down and confess our sins and hand our life over to Christ then we will have eternal life.

Sgt. 1st Class Wehrly was a member of Bethel Baptist. Rev. Kendall said he received an e-mail from the soldier a few months before the man died, calling attention to the philosophy of the Westboro Baptist Church.

The soldier wrote that it didn't bother him that people were against the war in Iraq. However, Rev. Kendall recalled the soldier saying, "I don't think these people are preaching the proper message. Please inform the staff at Bethel to pray for them that their eyes will be opened to the real light."

"It's obvious Kyle was praying for them and they were condemning him," Rev. Kendall said. "I'm going to do what Kyle did. I'm going to pray for them."

What a light for Jesus Kyle Wehrly was....HE has the right attitude and I'm sure he is celebrating eternity right now with Jesus at his side.

As I read some of the comments that people from ALL OVER THE COUNTRY have made in regards to this article I found myself upset again. It saddened me the way some people view Christians. It saddened me that people are so turned off from Christ when all that he He has ever done was love them. It saddened me that people can be so harsh and cruel and judgmental when to me the teachings of Jesus seem so simple.

I know that there are always going to be extremists in the world. There are always going to be people who think they "know the way." There are always going to be people who disagree what this, that and the other. I just thank God for leading ME home and with Him in my heart, I know that it's ok to be upset with things like this and the best solution is like what Kyle Wehrly did, PRAY!

May God Bless each and every one of the soldiers who have fallen in this war, in wars of the past and in wars of the future. Without their heroism and bravery who knows the state this country/world would be in today. We may not agree with war, but the troops and the Commander and Chief of our country need our support and prayers.

Climbing off of my soapbox.....Have a blessed day!