What can be done about Reverend Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church?

Question

Phelps and his "christian" church, Westboro Baptist Church are the ones protesting the funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq on the premise that they died as God's punishment for Americas tolerence of homosexuals.
I don't condone homosexuality myself but Phelps goes to a rediculously extreeme position. Further, I believe he is irritating a particularly fragile group of people (I'm not talking about family members, but Soldiers). Soldiers are intelligent and skilled warriors. Our culture (warrior culture) is such that we hold the memories of our fallen brothers in high esteem and there are those of us, that I believe would go to unusual extreemes to seek reconcilation against those that would dishonor our comrades the way Phelps has. bottom line... Sooner or later one of us is going to get into trouble for violently silencing his hateful desicration of our loved ones memories.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westboro_Baptist_Church

Oh he can absolutely hide behind the shield of the first Amendment, but I'm implying that the first Amendment won't protect him from wrath he may face. He will more likely need the protection of Kevlar.....

Answer 1

Fred Phelps has given the world the WBC or Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas...lucky us!

Fred Phelps and his nasty wife Margie just had lots of kids so they could pass their hate on to other people...many of which are lawyers...YIKES! How they talked others into following their love for this country...I have no idea. Fred Phelps is like a walking anti-Christ who follows people for sick twisted pleasure.

It's a shame though, I'm not sure if you've read their website or even watched some of their videos...but the things they say are extremely hateful. They claim to be Christians...but I really didn't know that Christians PRAYED for the death of others.

Bottom line...they hate America; soldiers represent America...therefore in their logic...hate soldiers. What they do is very extreme...but if I'm not mistaken...I could be though...they use money from sueing people who physicall hit them to fund their little trips around the US and different parts of the world.

I didn't see the group, but they were here in my college town in front of my school, University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, MS...protesting during a big football game because ESPN was here. It's really embarrassing...because Phelps was is actually from Meridian, MS and supposed to go to the military academy..hmmmm. They also thank God for things like...Katrina (leveled my home), the tsunami, 9/11...even a sign for toe tags...lovely.

As far as "silencing" him and his cruelty...who knows when that'll happen. It's really a shame that the people who fought for the amendment can't be protected by it...only the haters (literally) are the ones who are usually protected. I heard Margie Phelps say something that goes like this...and of course I had to tell my fiance (army) to have a little laugh with him....I do believe she kept referring to everyone in the military as him..

"America is rotten and its soldiers are rotten"---Margie Phelps Men only join the military for some macho rush with a handsome benefits package and paycheck....hahaha, someone misinformed her!

Anyway, I think the only way...sadly and unfortunately is to just...ignore them...GRRRRRRRR! Actually Phelps said that he is very glad people question the first amendment on his behalf...

Answer 2

There are a lot of information about Phelps and his cult. The Westboro Baptist Church is not afilliated with Baptist organizations but it is an independent Baptist church. Their members are mostly the Phelps family and they are virtually homophobic not only that but they are anti-Catholic (believes that the Roman Catholic clergyhood are pedophiles and f**s raping kids), anti-Semitic (believes that the Jews are real Nazis because they believed that Jews killed Jesus and Christians and that the Holocaust in Germany means that six million Christians were killed instead of Jews thus calling Jews Christ-killers and real Nazis plus with anti-gay slurs. They also believed that they are the original Israelites and God's chosen people), white supremacists (Believes that the white race are a pure race created and chosen by God, all people of non-white origin are of the devil. This is a Christian Identitalist belief plus they believed that black people are pedophiles and f**s that rapes white people.), anti-Christian (believes that Christianity is an apostate religion because they believed that Christians carry out a deceptive belief that God loves all people and that all churches are gay-friendly. The WBC cultist believes that their religion is true Christianity.), and anti-American (celebrated with cheer on 9/11, disasters, Hurricane Katrina, diseases, and dead soldiers. Calls the nation a 'whorehouse' and a 'nation of f**s and d***s') What the WBC cultist believes is that homosexuality is a deadly sin and that God hates homosexuals and people that supports homosexuality and believed that they are the one going to heaven and others ends up in hell. They claim that their church is 'primative Baptist' and upholds the beliefs of Calvinism: total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and preserverance of the saints. The five points of Calvinism is unbiblical and I don't meant to offend Calvinists but it is a doctrine still taugh in some sects so go to this link about the 5 point heresy. Those cultists lacks heart and they are the cruelist and crazy people in the world because they just come to funerals to break the hearts of the dead's loved ones and they lack knowledge that the Bible condems hatred thus the WBC cultists is an embarassment to this nation and Christianity. In Judgment Day, they are going to face God for what they have done. If you are a Christian and there is going to be a military funeral and the WBC people are coming to screw the ceremony, bring your Bible and witness to them!

Answer 3

It's appaling to think of them protesting soldiers deaths. All because America tolerates gays! They don't have to like gays but come on they're protesting someone dying!!! Many other groups have popped up trying to keep this group away from soldier's funerals. Minnesota recently was talking about passing a law against funeral protesting, I never heard if it got through, it said that the protestors had to be a set distance away from the funeral party or something like that.

Answer 4

Unfortunately when you swore to uphold and defend the constitution, that includes the rights of people with whom you have differing views with. Thats their right, and sometimes it sucks, but everytime military personnel bring up the fact that they provide the freedom of speech, that doesn't mean censored speech or protests.

So in short not a whole lot.

Answer 5

There is currently a civil suit agains them for their funeral actions.

While they have a constitutionallly protected right to their free speech and to protest, they do NOT have the right to do so at any time and place of their choosing, and that includes invading the very private and somber activity of a funeral.

When they lose the civil suit and it hits them in their pocketbook, I ssuspect they will start protesting elsewhere.

Answer 6

Work to make the light of Christ shine brighter than what Phelps has the power to diminish. There are millions of Christians in America who do little to nothing, myself included more often than I'd like. We need to serve our communities, reach out to the guy across the street, genuinly answer calls for help and plees of lonliness, forgiveness, and greif. We must too share in the joys of those who are happy, show gratitude when we see generosity, and display appreciation for any who bring light to our world. If each of us did more this week than we did last, Phelps and his like would be known to be the exception to their deserved shame.

Answer 7

Spread the word. Just by exposing his insane reading of his own faith he'll be placed in the corner where he actually belongs. Let him stand as an example of the extremes to which religious fundamentalist can take a community.

Answer 8

i am totally with you on this one, as a former soldier and now an army spouse, that is one thing that really pisses me off. they have no right protesting at funerals, especially the funerals of soldiers, people who are fighting for our freedom. one day they will get what they have coming, whether its from a soldier, a civilian, or God himself, they will pay.

Answer 9

There is a group of motorcycle riding veterans who have volunteered to oversee the funerals of these brave young men and prevent this piece of human s**t from spewing his hate filled crap there. The name of the group escapes me, but I bet they're online somewhere.

I agree, that guy sucks pretty hard. Horrible person.

Answer 10

Nothing. They are protected by the constitution and, nauseating as it is, they have a right to protest and say what they say.

God will sort them out, even they even get that far...

**********
I value life, even ignorant ones but -
I hope their kevlar is defective...