The guest of the forum was Fred W. Phelps, Sr., pastor of Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas. Pastor Phelps and his church have conducted some 20,000 picket demonstrations across America in protest of various sins. He believes that preaching hatred of homosexuals is part of the gospel he is called to proclaim. John Rankin opposes this viewpoint, arguing that "the true Gospel calls all people to repentance, based on the love of God for all sinners, homosexual or otherwise, and based on the evidence that God is good."

Pastor Phelps asked John Rankin these questions:
1.	"I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau." (Malachi 1:2-3) How do you explain those verses?
2.	Does God love people in hell?

Audio Version
on Westboro Baptist Church website

Audio Tapes
available from Theological Education Institute

Other Resources
Love and Hate in Topeka:
The Theology of Fred Phelps

all forums on homosexuality
Mars Hill Forum list