Baptist Vision's Pillar of the Truth

WHEREAS Pastor Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church have made a mockery of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Word of God by unbiblical words and deeds;

WHEREAS they have exalted themselves in stating that opposition to their church is blasphemy against God and that those who do not preach their message are doomed;

WHEREAS they have expressed that they know the mind of God in areas outside of Biblical authority, pronouncing destruction upon the United States of America while offering no hope for repentance;

WHEREAS they have stated that praying for our nation is futile and sinful, though Nehemiah, upon hearing of the sad state of his people, sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven;

WHEREAS they have condemned innocent individuals for the crimes of others in stating that God killed the victims of 9/11 and then laughed and mocked . . . as he cast each one of them into hell;

WHEREAS they have exacerbated the grief of bereaved families by stating that fallen American soldiers, victims of homicide and rape, and victims of natural disasters are in hell because of the pervasiveness of homosexuality in American culture;

WHEREAS they have intruded upon funeral ceremonies to thank God for the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and for the deaths of American soldiers, though Jeremiah, upon hearing that his people were slain because of their disobedience to God, wished that his head were waters, and [his] eyes a fountain of tears, that [he] might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of [his] people;

WHEREAS they have stated that the deaths of hundreds of American soldiers by explosive devices are in retribution for an attempt to bomb the Westboro Baptist Church;

WHEREAS they have impugned the character of American soldiers, stating that they are not heroic, but lazy, incompetent idiots . . . not qualified for honest work;

WHEREAS they have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith for the gospel of hate, pride and discord;

WHEREAS they have preached heretical views contrary to sound doctrine and historical Baptist distinctives;

WHEREAS they have aligned themselves with heretics and admit members who openly deny orthodox doctrine;

WHEREAS they have failed to exercise church discipline in restraining false teachers and immoral behavior in their own church;

WHEREAS they have expressed absolute contempt for and desire no fellowship with the religious right, describing us as lukewarm cowards, modern day Pharisees, and idolaters;

WHEREAS, according to the testimony of his sons, Fred Phelps is abusive and violent toward his own family;

WHEREAS, according to the testimony of his son and internet sources, Fred Phelps is unaccountable and outside ecclesiastical authority;

Be it therefore RESOLVED, on the basis of these facts and others too numerous to list in this resolution, that the following duly-ordained Baptist ministers, fellow Christian brethren, and duly-constituted Baptist churches, associations, fellowships, etc., declare:

1. It is our belief that Fred Phelps is not a minister of God.
2. It is our belief according to Baptist doctrine, history, and polity, the Westboro Baptist Church is neither a Baptist church nor a true church of Jesus Christ.
3. We will have no fellowship with darkness; therefore, we will have no fellowship with Westboro Baptist Church or any of its members, nor with any church or individual who fellowships with them, unless they repent and turn from their wicked ways.
4. We will resist Westboro Baptist Church in all of its activities, even if they appear in any way to support our moral, pro-family, and pro-Biblical agendas.
5. We will continue to preach the whole counsel of God (the Old and New Testaments), which is the final authority for faith and practice; to evangelize the lost; to disciple believers; to build the church; and to call America back to its godly foundations.
6. Marriage is defined as one man and one woman covenanted together, under God, for life.
7. The Marriage Amendment should be supported by all God-fearing Americans.