Dear Sir,
I am currently studying the Westboro Baptist church and your beliefs in a religious studies course at my school in England. On your website I can’t find anywhere where you comment on crime and punishment. If murder is God’s way of punishing the world, do you think that the murderer should be prosecuted ocnsidering you rejoice in His judgements? Do you have any views on worldy crime and punishment considering we are taught to follow the law of the land in Romans 13:1-7? Do you condone/encourage capital punishment?
Thank you for your time,
Sincerely, Eleanor Rigby.
Eleanor,
This responds to your e-mail. I picked it up to run with a response because for the last 30 years, other than ministering as a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ at Westboro Baptist Church, I have defended persons charged with crimes in city, state and federal courts in Kansas. I’ve represented persons accused of all sorts of crimes, from expectorating on the sidewalk to premeditated murder.
We do rejoice in God’s judgments pursuant to such clear Bible statements as in Psalm Chapter 58.
Psalm 58:1 ¶ « To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David. » Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?
2 Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth.
3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.
4 Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear;
5 Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely.
6 ¶ Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD.
7 Let them melt away as waters which run continually: when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces.
8 As a snail which melteth, let every one of them pass away: like the untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the sun.
9 Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath.
10 The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.
We obey the laws of God and man, pursuant to a recognition of the absolute sovereignty of God in all matters in heaven and earth (see, e.g., Daniel 4:35, to wit: “And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?”) and the clear teachings of the Bible such as here:
Romans 13:1 ¶ Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
6 For this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
7 ¶ Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
More specifically, the Captain of our Salvation, the Bishop of our Souls, and our Redeemer has pledged all power in heaven and earth on behalf of His Church at Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas, and the work He ordains and directs through His church. See Matthew 28.
Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
The work of Westboro Baptist Church is the Lord’s work, as taught at Philippians 3:13-16 “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. … in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; 16 Holding forth the word of life; …”
England is famous for framing mischief by a law (Psalm 94:20) both historically and currently. Historically, the Five Mile Act (which prohibited Gospel preaching within five miles of an organized city which was not a meeting of the hellish church of England) imprisoned John Bunyon for nearly a decade. God causes the wrath of man to praise him (Psalm 76:10); and the result was the writings of Mr. Bunyon, including and especially, “The Pilgrim’s Progress”. Today, your country has banned the Lord’s preachers from your shores (specifically and particularly, they’ve banned Westboro Baptist Church); and notwithstanding that mischief Westboro Baptist Church preaches today in England from shore to shore with the only relevant Gospel: God Hates Fags; God Hates Fag Enablers; and therefore, England is doomed. Today, Eleanor.
One of our newest members traveled from England to sojourn with us in this place.
All lovers of the truth are welcome.
Westboro Baptist Church