The day has come when picketers from Westboro Baptist Church threatened to line Irving Avenue to condemn Syracuse, apparently on God’s behalf. For the record, WBC has no ties with the Baptist Campus Ministry or our sponsors. Furthermore, this church’s members shouldn’t be confused with anyone from the evangelical Christian community at Syracuse and SUNY-ESF.

 We’re your friends, classmates, co-workers, neighbors and professors; and having Fred Phelps’ protestors show up upsets us just as much.

 Inevitably some will ask what distinguishes WBC from our Christian community. ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him’ (John 3:16-17). The answer is God’s love.

The issue at hand, therefore, isn’t so much their hate-filled message that everyone knows, as it is our response. We can fight fire with fire, an eye for an eye. We can make our own signs and yell profanities just as loud. We can even take WBC to the Supreme Court like the family of a fallen Marine did.

 However, I’m convinced any sin stems from the heart. We could modify this church’s hateful behavior without changing their hearts, which in the end will accomplish nothing. In the same manner we can hurl back hate because, hey, we’re right and they’re wrong. Without changing our hearts we’ll also accomplish nothing.

Going against His culture and even today’s, Jesus reminds us: ‘You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you’ (Matthew 5:43-44). It’s never easy loving the folks who hate as a profession, especially when our hearts haven’t been transformed by Christ’s love first.

 Jonathan Han

Class of 2007

Associate Campus Minister

Baptist Campus Ministry

Published on December 4, 2011 at 12:00 pm