Be a light unto the world

It has been about a month since I last posted something to my blog.  There are many reasons for this, most of them school related and trying to stay focused on my studies.  While driving in the car today on my way to the library to study for my chem final, something really drew my ire.  Recently Elizabeth Edwards, the estranged wife of John Edwards, passed away after a long battle with breast cancer.  There will be a public memorial service for her today, and it is expected there will be a protest staged by Westboro Baptist Church.  To quote from their website (used with permission according to the copyright statement on the website):

WBC will picket a respectful distance from the funeral of Elizabeth Edwards who split hell wide open on December 7, 2010.  Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.  All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?  Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.  (Isa. 14:9-11.)  This witch spent her life in defiance and disobedience to God, and blasphemed Him with her dying breath.  She received multiple warnings and opportunties to repent.  After God smacked her by killing her son, she thought she'd show Him, pumping herself full of hormones to have more kids.  God gave her two more children, and she despised them like she did the first two, raising them to believe God is a liar.  She called her dead 16-year-old brat "righteous" and said the Old Testament promises for God's people are lies. Her blasphemous words:  "I had to think about a God who would not same my son...not only did he not protect him, the hand of God blew him from the road."  If she had been a righteous woman, she would have said like Job, "the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away; blessed be the name of the Lord".  Then, when God smote her with breast cancer for her rebellion, she said, "I'm not praying for God to save me from cancer.  I'm not.  I do not have an intervening God.  I don't think I can pray to him -- or her -- to cure me of cancer."  Her pride and arrogance is breath-taking!  The last thing she would think to do is humble herself before the mighty hand of God.  So, when Elizabeth woke in Hell on December 7th -- where she will reside for eternity -- her son, Wade, met her and began an eternity of cursing her for lying to him.  Our message is for the living: do not live like Elizabeth Edwards or you will die like her and spend eternity in Hell where the worm never dies and the fire is never quenched.  And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.  (Isa. 66:24.)"


Is this what it is meant to be a light unto the world Westboro?  This is nothing but ugly...very very ugly.  Nothing about this quote's efforts shows the love of Christ unto the world. I want to be a doctor, and if I am fortunate enough to become one, nothing about a person's life or situation will be predicated on their life, lifestyle, beliefs, etc.  I want to use what has been given to me as a light unto the world.  Without a doubt, one of the most beautiful things about the world is the church.  Its art, its tradition, its charity.  Even an unbeliever can see good in some of the things the church does when it does it out of love.  I, as a believer, can see no good in what Westboro does because I believe they to be absent of love.  In fact, I believe them to be fueled by hate (without dignifying their website address, Google Westboro baptist church to find evidence of this from their official URL).  I do not want to be one to judge another; I write this today because this church's actions make me sad.  I know people who do not believe, and I want to be a light unto them.  If this becomes the image of what it means to be a Christian to the world, what chance does love have to be a light?