Posted on 04/18/2007 9:28:04 PM PDT by El Conservador
he families of those killed in the Virginia Tech massacre may not be able to grieve in peace at the funerals of those they lost. An anti-gay religious group known for protesting at the funerals of American soldiers killed in Iraq is planning on appearing at services for those killed on Monday as well.
The Topeka, Kan.-based Westboro Baptist Church (WBC), which is not affiliated with any national Baptist organization, announced plans to protest at victims’ funerals only hours after 32 people were killed in the worst mass shooting in U.S. history. They also may protest at other events on the Virginia Tech campus.
The organization, founded and led by Fred Phelps, believes the United States has condemned itself to destruction by accepting homosexuality and other “sins of the flesh.” Phelps’ daughter, Shirley Phelps-Roper, said the Virginia Tech teachers and students who died on Monday brought their fate upon themselves by not being true Christians.
“The evidence is they were not Christian. God does not do that to his servants,” Phelps-Roper said. “You don’t need to look any further for evidence those people are in hell.”
Cho Seung-Hui, the Virginia Tech student responsible for the killings who took his own life after the shootings, was sent by God to punish those he killed, and America as a whole, for moral decline, said Phelps-Roper, while adding that she believes Cho is also in hell for violating God’s commandment to not kill.
“He is in hell,” Phelps-Roper said. “But he was also fulfilling the word of God.”
Because of its virulent anti-gay message and condemnation of Catholics, Jews and other groups, the WBC has been classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center and is monitored by the Anti-Defamation League.
Curtis Dahn, the president of Virginia Tech’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Alliance, said he reacted with immediate disgust upon hearing of the WBC's plans. “Thirty-three people are dead and they’re using people’s deaths and people’s grief to further their own agenda and it’s just disgusting,” he said.
Dahn was friends with Ryan Clark, a resident assistant in Ambler Johnson Hall, who was among the first people killed on Monday. He said he is working with other university leaders and officials to form a response to the WBC. Ideally, he said, the funerals will be nothing more than a chance for family and friends to mourn in peace.
“Part of it is that I don’t want the families to be affected by this at all,” he said. “I don’t even want the funerals’ locations to be public knowledge. I don’t want a protest, I don’t want a counter-protest. I want people to be able to grieve and have what they want, not be made into public displays and mockeries.”
Dahn and others may have the law on their side. In 2006, in response to protests at the funerals of dead U.S. soldiers, Virginia enacted a law that added funerals and memorial services to the state’s disorderly conduct statute. Other states have adopted similar measures to allow police to keep WBC protesters out of earshot.
By David Miller © MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The Phelp’s time is coming. They just lost a lawsuit for protesting a Marine funeral and have to pay a fine. It looks like their position is flawed.
Here is a warning to them from God’s Word which can work against those who abuse His Word like these charlatans do:
Proverbs 12:
12Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but those who hate to be rebuked are stupid.
2The good obtain favour from the Lord,
but those who devise evil he condemns.
3No one finds security by wickedness,
but the root of the righteous will never be moved.
4A good wife is the crown of her husband,
but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.
5The thoughts of the righteous are just;
the advice of the wicked is treacherous.
6The words of the wicked are a deadly ambush,
but the speech of the upright delivers them.
7The wicked are overthrown and are no more,
but the house of the righteous will stand.
8One is commended for good sense,
but a perverse mind is despised.
9Better to be despised and have a servant,
than to be self-important and lack food.
10The righteous know the needs of their animals,
but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.
11Those who till their land will have plenty of food,
but those who follow worthless pursuits have no sense.
12The wicked covet the proceeds of wickedness,*
but the root of the righteous bears fruit.
13The evil are ensnared by the transgression of their lips,
but the righteous escape from trouble.
14From the fruit of the mouth one is filled with good things,
and manual labour has its reward.
15Fools think their own way is right,
but the wise listen to advice.
16Fools show their anger at once,
but the prudent ignore an insult.
17Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence,
but a false witness speaks deceitfully.
18Rash words are like sword thrusts,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
19Truthful lips endure for ever,
but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.
20Deceit is in the mind of those who plan evil,
but those who counsel peace have joy.
21No harm happens to the righteous,
but the wicked are filled with trouble.
22Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
but those who act faithfully are his delight.
23One who is clever conceals knowledge,
but the mind of a fool* broadcasts folly.
24The hand of the diligent will rule,
while the lazy will be put to forced labour.
25Anxiety weighs down the human heart,
but a good word cheers it up.
26The righteous gives good advice to friends,*
but the way of the wicked leads astray.
27The lazy do not roast* their game,
but the diligent obtain precious wealth.*
28In the path of righteousness there is life,
in walking its path there is no death.
WBC is doing the Devil's work.
They wish to incite you to anger, hoping you'll physically attack them.
Then they sue you for civil damages.
This has happened many times in the past. But not so much any more as folks have gotten wise to their MO.
It’s absurd because many people of the early Church died at the hands of persecutors. Some of them were sainted. They died untimely deaths, but I guess these pseudo-Baptists think they weren’t Christian because God wouldn’t let it happen.
.
Fred Phelps the Viper: Clues to What’s Driving Him-Algore?
Maybe that global warming had melted his brain (if he had one).
No he is not sick. He is pure evil
Saundra, think of the VERY MOST REPELLANT thing you can think of a person doing.
Okay, now really mull it over in your mind.
Live it. Breath it. Feel it.
Now understand: Fred Phelps will do it some day.
Dear sir,
I am living dog snot, and on behalf of living dog snot everywhere, I object most strenuously to being compared to Fred Phelps.Humbly yours,
Please retract immediately, and do you have a hanky?
Laz
“Do you suppose if somebody finally got the gumption to take out Phred in a hail of bullets as he screams “God hates fags!” at the funeral of some fine young American, that the rest of the Phelpsians would decide Phred must not have been a “true Christian” after all?”
It’s worth a try...........
The Phelps clan and the LSM are on the same side. The media will feign shock and outrage, but their political agenda is furthered by the portrayal of Christians that Phelps tries to put forward.
No proof that I know of, only speculation. However, it would still be a good sign at a counter-protest. I feel no need to be fair to Phelp and the other scum.
I agree. That's why you don't see "Act Up" protesting Phelp's anti-gay comments/rants/protests, and that's why Phelp's insists on calling his organization a "Baptist Church" when it is neither Baptist nor a church.
But it means that "Baptist" gets slandered in news coverage, and it is all part of his scam that the news media *refuses* to investigate.
Thanks for the info.
Someone needs to shut this guy down.......BIG time.
These scumbags are the kind of crap that you wipe of the bottom of your boots. While they have been doing this to the families of fallen war fighters right along, I see they are branching out. Very sad. Let’s pray something/someone stops these bastards.
One of these days, these folks are going to learn about payback. In spades.
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