the ugly side...

With the upcoming release of the new Batman movie ‘The Dark Knight”, I am reminded of Heath Ledger. The 28 yr old actor was found dead in his apartment after an apparent overdose on several sleeping pills and anti-depressant drugs. Ledger was a rising star in Hollywood and was cast as the Joker in the new film. He also starred in “The Patriot” with Mel Gibson and “a Knights Tale”. He also starred in the controversial movie”Brokeback Mountain” which was acclaimed as a love story between two men and earned Ledger an Academy Award nomination.. At the time of Ledger’s death, Westboro Baptist Church located in Kansas made a statement that they would “picket this perverts funeral, in religious protest and warning. Heath Ledger thought it was great fun defying God almighty and his plain word. God hates the sordid, tacky bucket of slime seasoned with vomit known as 'Brokeback Mountain' - and He hates all persons having anything whatsoever to do with it. Heath Ledger is now in hell and has begun serving his eternal sentence there - besides which, nothing else about Heath Ledger is relevant or consequential." I cannot quote the entire press release due to the content. Westboro Baptist church members have also picketed numerous funerals of solders killed in Iraq and Afghanistan saying”Our attitude toward what's happening with the war is [that] the Lord is punishing this evil nation for abandoning all moral imperatives that are worth a dime." Westboro members also protested the memorial of 2006 Sago Mine disaster victims claiming that the mining accident was God's revenge against America for its tolerance of homosexuality. Footage of the protest, including several members dancing, was later shown on Fox News. You have probably seen these people on TV condemning everyone from Billy Graham to the Kansas Chiefs football team. Where am I going with this? In no way am I advocating homosexuality as a lifestyle. I think it goes completely against God and what the Bible teaches. I didn’t know Heath Ledger or anything about him aside from the fact he was a great actor in “The Patriot”. All I know about him is that he is dead and it is tragic. His family is devastated and saddened. We are here as the body of Christ to love and lift up those who are hurting. We don’t embrace the sin filled life of people but we share the hope we have in Christ so perhaps they will find that hope and be changed for God’s glory and honor. Where does this lead us? We have to be people who love the truth and stand for it like Christ did. We have to let people know we have a reason for hope. We don’t accept lifestyles or choices but we do as Jesus did….. love and encourage them. God does the changing in peoples lives. So pray for theses families touched by tragedy. Pray for people who have no hope. We have to believe in God for people to change. Be blessed my friends.

Eric