Just curious. Does the westboro Baptist Church prove faith alone is not true?

[owensjo]

I’m not sure how they disprove “faith alone”, as “faith alone” is not intended to excuse/justify immoral and sinful behavior. Practically speaking, “faith alone” = “works alone are insufficient”.

Not that works alone are insufficient, but that works in general will not save you. As far as faith alone goes, there is a difference between faith and belief. St. James says the devils believe, and tremble. Faith alone does not excuse sin, but some Protestants believe that sinful behavior will not keep you out of heaven, which I would say is an example of confusing faith and belief.

 

[EIF5A]

EIF5A -

James 2:22 says it most clearly, faith is brought to completion by works.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder. 20 Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith apart from works is barren? 21 Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was brought to completion by the works. 23 Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone

I would show it as SAVING FAITH = Faith + Works …

James says so clearly, faith needs works to be completed…Abraham was justified not by faith but by (faith and) works.

Pork

Umm…nothing I wrote disagreed with this. All I said was works alone is insufficient.

 

[PRmerger]

It takes the Magisterium to convince someone that the westboro church is wacko?

Well, what it does is give someone who is opposed to the Westboro Baptist Church an authority to appeal to.

Otherwise, what the WBC member will say is, “I am simply doing what you do–I am reading the Bible and coming to an interpretation.”

Catholics can say, “You are not permitted to do this, WBC member. You cannot interpret the Scriptures outside the authority of the Magisterium”

The other Christian can only say, “Yes, I suppose this is your right to do. That’s what we do, too.”

 

[BroomWagon]

The reason they don’t interfere with funerals is because the Freedom riders-and the police-won’t let them. If they could get away with interfering with and disrupting a funeral, they would. They don’t give a jot for the grieving families they are hurting, just the attention their vile misbehavior gives them. These Westboro people are truly evil and immoral and, as the thread started so eloquently put it, they hare completely devoid of love, which is the central tenet of Christianity as commanded by Christ Himself.

Yes, we already know they are obeying the law. Thank you.

Freedom Riders probably have nothing to do with it.

Yes, we already know Westboro Baptist Church’s use of free speech is deplorable to many people. I hope you are not suggesting we start limiting people’s rights to free speech?

They in fact, took their case to the right to free speech all the way to the Supreme Court and won. There are a lot of acts of freedom of expression I don’t agree with. I’m sure that pertains to a lot of us. I just think it was important to remember.

 

[BroomWagon]

Also, about WBC, when you know how their protests are performed, they are probably a lot more milder than what we hear in the press. Yes, their protests are revolting but they are kept some distance away from whatever they are protesting.