2 posts tagged “heath ledger”

Fred Phelps is the Pastor of Westboro Baptist Church and the founder of God Hates Fags.  His association announced that they will picket Heath Ledger's funeral, because Heath promoted the homosexual agenda by appearing in Brokeback Mountain, and apparently is burning in hell.

Read the following, and you'll discover that I tend to disagree.
(other interesting reading material:  Toe-Knee says Cheers to the Queers and Natalie posts the Phelp's flyer and eviscerates him tidily.)

Dear Stupid Idiot Mr. Phelps  To Whom it Chiefly Concerns:

    The Bible is clear on some things and less clear on others.  For instance, while it may seem easy to assume that the Bible is clear on the fact that homosexuality is a sin, several noted Evangelicals, (Tony Campolo, for example) aren't convinced of that fact.  Sometimes things that appear to be clear simply aren't clear enough to inspire conviction. 
    There are other things that seem to be clear and in fact are.  One of these things is that God is Love.  Not only did Jesus Christ, the human embodiment of God, live a life that taught love down to his manner of eating and prayer- but the Bible throughout from START to FINISH, from ALPHA to OMEGA, is crystal clear about the fact that God is Love.  It starts in Genesis, in God's caring for Adam and Eve despite their sinfulness, and continues throughout to the Book of Revelations, where despite Armageddon God still demonstrates his love to those who were faithful.
    Look at the life of King David.  David was a sinner.  David was petty, jealous, selfish and a womanizer.  He impregnated another man's wife and then killed that man in order to keep the woman to himself and hide his crimes.  Yet, David is called a man who truly knew God's heart.  Why would God reveal himself to be a loving God to a man who so poorly demonstrated Godly ideals?  Because the greatest ideal of all is that of Love, and David demonstrated incredible fealty to his friends and faithful, and especially to God's own people, the Israelites.  God again and again shows that love is rewarded and hate is punished.  Again, and again, and again.
    In 1st John, chapter four, John- the disciple whom Christ Loved- says that those who know love, know God.  Those who do not know love, do not know God.  My question to you today is:  Do you know love?
    Do you?
    You would picket the funeral of a beloved son, devoted father, faithful friend, generous spirit... and for what?  For publicity?  To remind America of it's failures?  You spew forth literature of intolerance, judgment and hate.  Why?  When has anyone ever been won over by words of fire and vengeance?  What kind of lasting change do you truly wish to inspire out of fear and fear alone?  God is not a God of fear.  Certainly he is to be feared, but we fear God not because we are worried for ourselves, but because we understand his awesomeness.  Selfishness and the true love of God are inherently contradictory.  You inspire selfishness and hate, and little else.
    You say that Heath Ledger is burning in Hell.  How do you know?  Are you God himself, that you are the judger of souls?  Were you with Heath in his last moments, did you hear his last thoughts and words?  Do you know what he was thinking, feeling, praying?  Are you absolutely convinced of your convictions?  I hope not.  Because if you are, Mr. Phelps, I fear for your soul.  I truly do.  Because you are not acting out of love, Mr. Phelps.  You demonstrate no real concern, Mr. Phelps.  I'm afraid that you don't truly know God, and yet you put yourself in his place.
    Think about Heath's two year old daughter, as she is forced to pass your picket lines in order to attend her father's funeral.  Think about the people who will have to explain your actions to her.  Think of the hurt you will cause.  Unless you yourself are so assured of your convictions that you yourself would tell her that her father is in Hell, you have NO RIGHT TO ACT.
    Would you do it, Mr. Phelps?  Are you that far removed from love?

    You are a blight to our faith and a stumbling block on the road to salvation for far too many people.
   
    I RENOUNCE YOU.

A little girl has lost a devoted and loving father, and that I think is the story that matters.

It turns my stomach a little that in the first two articles I've read about Heath Ledger's death, they mention the impending release of Dark Knight and that ticket sales will likely be inflated by grieving fans.  Words do not suffice.  He is a human being, not just a face on a marquee.

Heath was quoted as having said that he was anxious and unable to sleep, and had taken two Ambien just to be able to sleep for a handful of hours.  The initial inquest says that there is no reason to suspect foul play or suicide, and his death is likely accidental and due to abuse of prescriptions.

It's a shame.

I'd like to take this moment to remind people that managing your stress, your health, your mental wellness and your ability to rest and recuperate is of absolute importance and NOT to be taken lightly.  I say this from personal experience, as someone whose body has burned me more than once when I've taken it for granted.  Deaths like this, deaths so young, deaths that leave so many deserted, deaths that could have been avoided- they should serve to remind us that the belief that we can control all things comes at a terrible cost.  We may control, temporarily, but nature is a beast and nature will fight back.  Our bodies are works of nature, not machines.

Think about that, not ticket sales.