Mockingbird
New member
Forgive me a little self-righteouness. This family makes me mad, too, but we have to remember by hating them we only condemn ourselves.
I found myself praying to God that He would silence them in some way. Maybe mute their words, or take their sight away, or something. As time went on, my frustration turned into hate, and I was asking God to kill them. I'm sure you all know the Bible says anyone who hates his brother in his heart is guilty before God of murder. Forgetting that, I continued to hate them until I heard one of them on the radio, where he got into a discussion about how he was praying for God to kill. It floored me that his and my prayer were exactly the same, just directed at different people.
It can be so easy to be decieved. I cannot, therefore, condemn the Phelps family, for I am guilty of the same sin. Someone said earlier that they should learn from the example of the Amish, and I agree, and being guilty of the same sin I realize I should learn from the example of the Amish as well. If the Phelps family had shown up, I'm sure the Amish would have responded by praying for them, that they would be forgiven their sin and turn back to God. My heart breaks for the Phelps family, and I do pray for them, as well as those hurt by them.
Again, forgive me a little self-righteousness, for I am only saying this because I do not want anyone to fall into the same deception that I did. I will close with a parable from Jesus, and it may sting for a lot of you on here. Please remember I am not doing it out of pride, but out of humility.
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Two men went up to a temple to pray, one a pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: "God I thank you that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, aldulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get." But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, "God be merciful to me, the sinner!" I tell you this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."</end quote></div>
I found myself praying to God that He would silence them in some way. Maybe mute their words, or take their sight away, or something. As time went on, my frustration turned into hate, and I was asking God to kill them. I'm sure you all know the Bible says anyone who hates his brother in his heart is guilty before God of murder. Forgetting that, I continued to hate them until I heard one of them on the radio, where he got into a discussion about how he was praying for God to kill. It floored me that his and my prayer were exactly the same, just directed at different people.
It can be so easy to be decieved. I cannot, therefore, condemn the Phelps family, for I am guilty of the same sin. Someone said earlier that they should learn from the example of the Amish, and I agree, and being guilty of the same sin I realize I should learn from the example of the Amish as well. If the Phelps family had shown up, I'm sure the Amish would have responded by praying for them, that they would be forgiven their sin and turn back to God. My heart breaks for the Phelps family, and I do pray for them, as well as those hurt by them.
Again, forgive me a little self-righteousness, for I am only saying this because I do not want anyone to fall into the same deception that I did. I will close with a parable from Jesus, and it may sting for a lot of you on here. Please remember I am not doing it out of pride, but out of humility.
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Two men went up to a temple to pray, one a pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: "God I thank you that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, aldulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get." But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, "God be merciful to me, the sinner!" I tell you this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."</end quote></div>