Westboro Baptist Church Continues Protests at Military Funerals
The Westboro Baptist church located in Topeka, KS has members that are regularly protesting at military funerals. The individuals picket carrying signs that claim the soldiers deserved to die and that they are rotting in hell for supporting an evil country like America. They undoubtedly cause grieving families even more pain. The church members believe that America's involvement in Iraq and the resulting casualties is punishment for its tolerance of homosexuality. The church runs a website called God hates fags. I wish that it were not true but the site is named thus and its title is but a snapshot of the sickness of the website. The site is graphic, and encourages violence against homosexuals. It even has virtual memorials for gay victims of hate crimes. These "memorials" are actually meeting places to condone and glorify the torture and murder of people killed because of their sexual orientation.
Law enforcement is unable to do anything to stop these individuals since as Americans they have the constitutional right to assemble. They also can not be prosecuted for encouraging violence towards gays unless the government was able to prove that the encouragement had caused someone who otherwise would not have committed a crime to commit violence against gays. Some groups have organized counter protests at funerals hoping that their presence will be a source of comfort to grieving families. The groups also hope that their chanting will help drown out the jeers, insults and slurs that the church members hurl at grieving families during funeral ceremonies.
The members of the Westboro Baptist church have taken this stance because they favor a hard line interpretation of the statements regarding homosexuality included in the Christian bible. It is important to note that the church represents a small, distorted, and extreme group within Christianity and their behavior should in no way be used to label or marginalize adherents of Christianity. Intolerance and extremism are found in nearly all religious groups; a painful lesson that history has taught us is that these traits are not limited to religious groups. These traits have extended to governments, the Nazi regime being the clearest of examples. The Nazis did not only target Jews and Gypsies but also focused on homosexuals along with other religious and social "deviants". They were successful with their campaign of institutionalized murder for quite some time in part because of humanities penchant for not caring about things that are not their problem. This lack of caring is particularly pronounced when the victim of the problem is considered an undesirable.
The church had received little attention for their gay hating activities, including their protests at funerals for deceased homosexuals. Many turned a blind eye to the church's glorification of torture and murder. However Americans immediately took notice when the church began protesting at military funerals. Outrage was widespread and the anger much hotter when the church targeted America's heros instead of America's undesirables. Intolerance when ignored grows more potent, strengthened and emboldened by the perceived lack of caring the poison will soon spread to affect the lives of many more than the original minority group. It is important that we recognize and denounce intolerance, religious or otherwise, and be very wary of groups that attempt to twist religious principles for the purpose of persecuting any group of people.
Published by A. Kairi
A. Kairi is a natural beauty care and crafting enthusiast that has operated a natural beauty care products business since 2004. She has held dozens of natural beauty care workshops in private venues and at M... View profile
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- law enforcement can not stop these individuals because they have the right to assemble
- church received little attention for its gay hating activities until it targeted America's heroes
- church members regularly gather at military funerals with signs that say soldier's deserved to die
6 Comments
Post a Commentprotest the war not the solders or the fallen do you think they want to be fighting a war? your not a true christen nor is the church that is helping you to do such unchristen like things a house of God! i think its time for you to open your Bible and start reading it from front to back and believe every word of it not just what you want to believe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If they hate America so much....why are they living here is one of the things I'm wondering. My husband is in the Army, and curretnly deployed to Iraq for his 2nd tour. If something was to ever happen to him, and these people showed up at his funeral...I hate to say it, but I would prob end up in jail, I wouldn't be able to handle it.
That is Godly like! Picket a funeral of a human being who gave his life for his people. Did not God make us in his image? Did not Jesus give his life to wash away our sins? Did not Mary Mag, sit at the table with Jesus and did she not wash the dirt from his feet?
Does not God communicate through his people? I am one of many carriers of the a message being sent to your church. Know your place, humble yourselves before the Lord and thank those soldiers who give their lives so that you can spread your hate!!!
We do not need your hate in New York, nor does the small town of Shelter Island need your stupidity. This island is grieving over the loss of a boy that everyone knew! This boy was the son of a mother who suffered to get him into this world and as did Mary, the Mother of Jesus Christ!
Ask yourselves this... Does your pastor pass around the plate to take your money? Does he wear a nice suit as he stands above all of you and pitties your daily activies?
Does it make you feel Go
I am highly offended by these people, as I am a United States Navy Sailor. These people should be thrown in jail when they choose to protest at a military funeral. It the military personal who give there life for this country that these people can stand and protest and speak there hatred. they will face God one day and God would probably forgive them cause that is what the good book really teaches use.
I understand where you are coming from with that. While I am not christian I know enough about the faith to know that these losers are just twisting it to fit their own ends. Its a common tactic and its gross. That's why I felt the need to point out that their behavior should not be used to label christians as a whole.
What a disgusting group this Westboro church is. Unfortunately these morons are lumped inwith the general Christian population and tarnish everyone's perception of the faith. It's a comfort to know that, in the end, God will deal with behaviors like this in the right manner- even if it isn't the manner we'd like to see. Good article.