What's your opinion on the protests at soldiers funerals??

Question

Church members routinely demonstrate outside military funerals, saying American soldiers are dying as a sign of God's anger against the country's tolerance of homosexuality.

Answer 1

To be completely honest, after having read Fred Phelps's website and having researched his background, I have no end of nasty things to say about the man (and I use the term very loosely), which I will refrain from doing if for no other reason than I know young and impressionable people might read this.

Let me start off my critique of the man and his teachings, though, by noting very succinctly I don't need a man even the state of Kansas thought was so much of a scum-sucking bastard they felt no choice but to permanently revoke his right to practice as a lawyer explaining morality to me.

Second, I think the Baptist Convention needs to get together, take him to court, and slap the name "Westboro Baptist Church" right off that abomination of a coven he runs since he most certainly isn't Baptist and neither shares their beliefs nor has their blessings.

I think that would be especially appropriate since Fred Phelps also, notably, isn't actually a Reverend. He's never earned that title. He just decided to bestow it on himself (which I shouldn't be surprised at since he was kicked out of the Bar for being utterly dishonest... it shouldn't shock me his next move was to keep being a lying little bastard). I'm pretty sure the Baptist Convention could make a good case for stating that you have to actually BE a Baptist Minister before claiming you are.

Third, I find it very odd the only part of the Bible this man is up in arms about, and bangs on about, is how much God hates "faggery" (I know it's not a word, that's what he calls it) and how much God hates, of all people, Jews. Of course, that makes sense. The Old Testamant is full of nothing but God spending time explaining to the Jews just how much he hates them. I think the fact he can somehow walk away from reading the Bible thinking the Jews were anything other than God's chosen people according to the book, in and of itself, tells you how blatantly unqualified to be a Reverend Mr. Phelps is.

Am I the only one who's noticed this ever-loving preacher of Christ's message studiously avoids EVER quoting anything Jesus said or relying on his teachings to form the base of his doctrine? Oh Hell, skip that... the miserable S.O.B. pretty much never quotes or follows anything from the New Testament at all. I guess it would cause entirely too many problems for the man to actually delve into all those parts of the Bible blatantly forbidding him from acting like a bigger *** than the one Mary rode to Bethlehem.

And for that matter, am I the only one who's noticed that only closet-cases afraid of being found out seem to hate gay people quite so vehemently? Methinks the lady doth protest too much.

Fourth, I think any family who would take their three year old, and force him to hold a sign up saying "AIDS cures fags" and picket all day, for days on end (and there's plenty of news footage of them doing just that), should immediately have child welfare called and have their children summarily taken away from them because they absolutely don't deserve to have them. God knows what else they're doing with their children in the name of Jesus, especially considering their sadistic and warped view of the world, and God help the little tyke if he actually turns out to be gay.

And fifth, I think it is utterly reprehensible in one of those "no making excuses, no saying you're sorry" ways to stand outside a funeral and wait until you see a family doing what no family should ever have to do and watch parents carrying their own child's body out of the church to bury it, and start hurling obscenities at them and telling them in their moment of grief God did it because he hates them and is sending their kid to Hell.

I do have to feel a bit sorry for Fred Phelps and his "congregation". God goes around hating and hurting a lot of people in their world just because he wants to. It must be a frightening Universe, indeed, knowing your God behaves like a child abuser, waiting for you to navigate this invisible mine-field he's set up and then blaming you for being too small and weak to overcome all his unreasonable challenges, screaming things like "Do you think I like to hit you? Look at what you made me do!!! Don't you know I do this because I love you?!" as he spends eternity hurting you. However, in the end since God is largely what we make of him, I do have to remind myself that as with everyone else, their thoughts on God are much more a reflection on who they are as people than it is on the true nature of God himself, so I can't lend them much sympathy and understanding because it would only go to waste.

In the end, I'm glad someone passed laws to stop them from at least going out of their way to taunt, insult, and injure other people at a loved one's funeral, but I lament the fact there are people in our society who are so bereft of basic human compassion and understanding that the rest of us even had to spare a moment contemplating the need for a law telling others it's not okay to do that.

Answer 2

The People Who Are Doin That Should Be Ashamed How Would They like It If Their Son/Daughter Had Fought For There Country To Be Safe Not Saying In The Began Thats What It Was About But And Disrepestfull *** People Were Outside Their Church Demonstrating About Something That Their Son/Daughter Was Not. They Have No Right To But Words In The Lords Mouth Homosexuality Has Nothing To Do With The War In No Way

Answer 3

People should be ashamed of themselves disrupting a funeral service!
It's very disturbing to hear about accounts of protest during a funeral service, especially a person who is fighting for our country. The family is already going through a hard time dealing with the lost of a loved one and to add people screaming with protest signs of homosexuality.
A funeral for a soldier of war should always be left in peace due to the violent way the person left this life. I'm not happy about our troops being at war, but they fight for our rights as US citizens and they're following the orders of the Chief and Commander - President Bush.

Answer 4

YOUR QUESTION IS PHRASED WRONG!

You make it sound as if though ordinary Christians from every denomination protest at Soldier's Funeral. It need's to be re-phrased.

These people who protest at Soldier's Funeral are some whacked out cult group who believe they are Christians. They are only made up of the extended family of some nut-case "preacher" who also happens to be a disbarred attorney.

The Southern Poverty Law Center classifies them as a hate group along with the KKK, Aryan Brotherhood and other despicable low-lives.

That's all that they are: A CULT!! NOT A CHURCH! BUT JUST A CULT OF HATE-MONGERING LOW-LIVES!

Answer 5

I think this is shameful. Not all soldiers even agree with homosexuality. God doesn't want this. God is the final judge, but we all seem to be forgetting this. I think that if a person is going to protest, and be glad that someone is dead, especially a soldier, they should be sent into war! Churches should not condone these types of things. Religion teaches us not to judge others, as we don't know where they came from and what their story is. Grieve for the dead, and for their families, don't make their lives harder just because you got a beef with the gays.

Answer 6

This is just another manifistation of our society's self-centeredness. The people who protest at a soldier's funeral are thinking only of themselves and their own cause at the expense of the grieving family. Compassion has at it's core, a deep feeling of concern and respect for someone else. Any true Christian would put love and compassion above any issue, and they would find another way to fight their battle that didn't hurt someone in the process. Their behavior is more offensive than any issue they may be protesting.

Answer 7

i think these people have crossed the line... and there is nothing religious..GODLY or spiritual about what they are doing. they should be ashamed to call themselves christians... which they are NOT...because true God fearing christians would never disrespect.,, families that are mourning. real intelligent people would realize whether their claims are true or not... that these people are not their brothers keepers..and would not be punished for the sins of others. however i DO NOT believe that american soldiers are dying because of our countries tolerance for homosexuality. a real christian knows that each man and woman is accountable for their own doings... and we appear before GOD to answer for our words..thoughts and deeds..and since they are not real christians they dont know this. it is like those idiots that kill doctors and nurses at abortion clinics.. because they are against killing babies. WHAT...killing nurses and doctors is different?they are all IDIOTS.. AND WILL BE THE FIRST BURNING IN YOU KNOW WHERE on judgement day.

Answer 8

I saw that same whackjob of a minister in Laramie after Mathew Shepard died. As a Christan and a Republican all I can say is this guy us a disgrace. I'm embarrassed to share a faith and political party with this guy, and I'm embarrassed to think he calls himself an American. If Congress wants to do some good legislating, why not pass a bill calling for some measure of peace and privacy for family members while they lay their sons and daughters to rest. To use a persons death in such a way is criminal.

Answer 9

I think protesting at a soldier's funeral is a very unchristian thing to do.

It goes against the Christian spiritual works of mercy to console and comfort and the corporal work of mercy to bury the dead.

There are times and places for peaceful demonstrations but a soldier's funeral is not one of them.

With love in Christ.

Answer 10

Obviously it's disrespectful and hurtful towards the families of the deceased. But this is a fluke religious group - the press is all over this story while the stories that should be covered don't get enough attention. I think that the mainstream press wants to keep this story alive so that people think that government detractors are all as loony as this congregation.

Answer 11

It is a complete and utter disgrace. These people use God as their choice of weapon. It doesn't matter whether you believe in the war or not we need to support our troops and their families. They are fighting for our freedoms even the freedom to protest at a soldier's funeral.