As part of Westboro Baptist Church Megan Phelps-Roper was one of ‘Us’; the rest of the world were ‘Them’. Her homophobic, anti-Semitic beliefs, based on her clear understanding of Biblical ‘Truth’, led to offensive, hurtful actions.
From a position of extreme belief she had the courage to change her mind, heart and actions.
After leaving Westboro, Megan Phelps-Roper was welcomed into the home of a couple whom she later discovered were Jehovah Witnesses: ‘Here were two people whose kindness, intelligence, generosity and good intentions were all self-evident. They weren’t evil, stupid or delusional. They just saw things differently than I had been taught to…’
She heard from a gay man: ‘I am so proud of you. I am so happy for you. I (we) never felt hate in our hearts towards YOU… Megan, it would be a great honor of my church, my people, to have you as a guest…’
She responded: ‘Clearly these people were not the demons I had been warned about… Though we had shown these people hostility and contempt in their most vulnerable moments, they extended generosity and compassion to us in ours…’
At a conference of Jewish students Megan was confronted by many who’d previously been ‘Them’. A girl asked her: ‘What’s the most important thing you’ve learnt since you’ve been here?’
She quoted: ‘…love your neighbour as yourself’:
‘We always said, ‘Truth equals love!’ But now it seems so painfully obvious… Truth and love are not synonyms. The New Testament even says it plainly. ‘Speak the truth in love. The Apostle Paul said… that we should ‘weep with them that weep’…’
I hear ‘Us’ and ‘Them’…
…From Politicians… regarding the imminent general election.
…In Church… Christians with fixed beliefs and prejudices.
…With Friends… strong views about immigration, religion, politics, ‘Englishness’..
… ‘Us’ need to understand ‘Them’ better, aware of lies and prejudice. ‘Us’ need to love ‘Them’ more – many ‘Them’s are good people. ‘Us’ may need to change… to accommodate, perhaps even to be like, ‘Them’. ‘Us’ may be wrong…
malcolmsmusings.org 
I bought and read the book last year. It highlights how false teaching can cloud our judgement of and feelings toward others. There was a very intersection documentary about Westboro Baptist Church last year. I didn’t see much of Jesus love and teaching, but I did see plenty of bigotry and hate.
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Thanks, Bill. It’s an excellent book, with so much to teach us. I listened to Megan do a TED talk. She’s as good speaking as she is writing.
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The anecdote to “us” and “them” can sometimes be doubt. I’m reminded of the beautiful song “Give Me Doubt” by The Brilliance. If there’s doubt, then there might be space for others…
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I’m with you, David. It’s the doubt that brings humility, and for me makes my faith stronger.
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So true Malcolm. Sadly, in our short lifetime, the once more harmonious, together ‘We’ world we knew in our childhood has degraded into a contentious, divided ‘Me’ world.
‘Us’ responsibility is to love and discern, lovingly sharing His truth as we may feel led, not to harshly judge and condemn ‘Them’ we may differ with in self-righteous religiousity.
There is but One judge Who created and loves every ‘Us’ and ‘Them’, and will someday eternally save or condemn each on the choice they make regarding His Son.
The responsibility of ‘Us’ who have accepted Jesus is to loving pray for ‘Them’ to come and know Him as Savior as we have, not beat them into submission with our religiousity.
Keep Looking Up … His Best is Yet to Come!
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Thanks, Fred. Megan makes the point that in a world that encourages more diversity and integration we are actually more divided…. And I’m glad that God makes the final decision on ;’Us’ and ‘Them’
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Well made points, Malcolm. Becoming vulnerable through understanding and acceptance can be hard work.
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You’re right, Dana. Although we know what we should do it’s not always easy. Being wrong isn’t always easy to accept… especially if we need to change ideas and habits that are dear to us.
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“From a position of extreme belief she had the courage to change her mind, heart and actions.”
Courage is essential. It requires understanding, determination and focus. It can be very painful, take effort and time to be reflective, reflexive, anti-racist, anti-oppressive and change. But it is possible, by God’s grace. He can empower us to have the courage to change, to be more like Jesus.
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I agree, Allan. Courage – and the stamina to keep going. Accepting that I have prejudices and faults isn’t always easy. It takes God’s grace…
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