There are many of us in this world who have genuine faith in God, love Him and know that he loves his children... ALL his children. Jerks like this using the Lord's name in his rantings only leaves a bad name in everyone's mouths as Christian religion is concerned, and he's pissing off Christians big time. I liken it to religious fundamentalists using the gentle Muslim faith -- out of context and taken to its most extreme -- as a reason for hate and killing.
One bible quote does not excuse a platform for hatred against homosexuality. I'm not sure how he purports to be speaking what God wants when he's obviously missed several more important parts of the bible, parts I *try* to live my life by. You know, the parts where it says it is not up to us to judge others, that we are to love others as ourselves, and not to cast stones as none among us is free of sin.
Even if he DID think that homosexuality were wrong in the eyes of God, nowhere does it say he's supposed to persecute on God's behalf; in fact we're clearly instructed to love the sinner, hate only the sin. I fully recognize that I cannot begin to know or understand everything about the mystery who created us, and therefore would never speak upon God's behalf as though I knew what He wanted. So I have absolutely no opinion on what God's stand on gays might be, but I know that it is not my place to judge anyone, particularly in that am plenty sinful myself.
Unfortunately, Phelps makes "good copy", and the media loves the controversy. The fact that the man has picked up followers from this is pretty horrifying, but for the most part he is despised and reviled.
What Phelps will quickly realize upon his own death is that he can't claim his words are God's words and use religion as an excuse for his own hatred, and think the Big Guys that run Heaven and Hell won't have heard about it and made plans for him. I have the feeling there's a special seat just waiting for him.
*whew* (gets off soapbox)