Protests?

This article made me furious:

Funeral Protest Story

Apparently, there's a church group that picketed around a soldier's funeral with signs that said things like "God Hates the USA" and "God Hates You." All because he fights for "a country that has a "policy" of accepting homosexuals" and they believe that he died because "God is punishing soldiers."

SERIOUSLY??

It's people like this who give Christians a bad name. Really, people. WHY would you EVER tell somebody that GOD HATES THEIR SON WHO JUST DIED DEFENDING THIS COUNTRY??? For the simple fact that the governing body under which he lives (which he has NO control over) is trying to do its best (in a secular manner, because we do have a secular government that WE elected) to be tolerant of those different than you? Regardless of what the Bible's message about homosexuality is (not something that I really care to make sense of/plus I'm not the one who's supposed to judge anyone anyway), that is not grounds for making the lives of grieving families even more miserable than they already were. Ugh. And a sign that says "God Hates You"????? What the heck. Who does that?

The Bible tells me to "judge not, lest you be judged." It tells me also to love my neighbor as myself, no matter who that neighbor is. The message of love and tolerance in the Bible is far more demanding than that of "telling your friends they are going to Hell because they do bad things." Jesus said to make disciples of all nations, and you simply can't do that by the "fire and brimstone method" that wayyyyyy too many Christians are still trying to use. It's simple: love people, tell them about the Gospel, then love them more.

It's people who picket at funerals that cause me to get funny looks from certain people when I tell them I'm a Christian. Guess what? The stories like this that get all the publicity? It's not what it's all about. Those are the crazies; they don't quite have it figured out. The real Christians are the ones who are your best friends, who will love you no matter what, and who are dying to get a chance to share the greatest message of all with you. And it's a message of love, not hate.

<3