Should the Westboro Baptist Church be allowed to preach that "God Hates F@gs"?

Question

There was a TV documentary in the UK recently about the Westboro Baptist Church,based in Kansas. They preach that "God hates F@gs", they picket the funerals of US soldiers killed in Iraq, claiming that soldiers and their government are "F@g enablers" and that basically everyone is going to hell (especially homosexuals) except them. Should groups with this EXTREME anti-gay hate message be allowed to preach freely? Would the US stop being a democracy if the church was banned?

Answer 1

I loathe everything that the Westboro Baptist Church does. They drag Christ's name in the mud with their message and their antics.

That being said, let's assume that somehow you legally restrict their message. Then, where would it stop? Will you grant the government the authority to pick and choose whose speech they will permit? This will lead us down the road to totalitarianism. It always starts with a "good" reason. But later, when they don't like your speech, they come after you.

The U.S. Constitution never intended for us to be free from offense. We can use our free speech to quell the offensive free speech.

Answer 2

No, they shouldn't. Actually my new gay roommate brought up a good point yesterday, and I like it, and feel it is appropriate for this question. His father is an ex minister, and claims that homosexuals in the world today are for the reason of society. He is creating more homosexual beings in order to control the population. We already can't feed the existing children and there are SO many without homes and food and are constantly hunger. It's simply God's way of being unselfish and saying "we need help", which is why he is creating homosexual human beings. Population control. As far as everyone is going to hell, that's not true, because gay people can be some of the most sincere, sweet, caring and kind people...You wanna talk about going to hell? Look at those on death row. Those are the people going to hell.

Answer 3

I'm Queer and still I totally think they should have the right to preach their silly message for a multitude of reasons. First, it shows how whacked out religion can get and why it's so important that we maintain (or I guess in our case now, reinstate) a separation of church and state.

Additionally, while they have the right to say what the will, we have the right to oppose and protest it. If enough people feel they are wrong, their group will eventually dwindle away and "starve to death" from a lack of membership.

If you ban things like this, they often go under ground and become more powerful. I like them where I can see what they're up to, thank you very much.

Mind you, they need to be limited and restricted from certain situations. For example, I believe the current restrictions in some states requiring a 300 ft. berth is reasonable.

Answer 4

Fred Phelps and his family (which comprise pretty much the entire congregation at this "church") are entitled, by law, to say whatever they like, provided it doesn't result in violence or crimes against protected groups. We may hate what he says, and everyone understands he and his family are dreadfully psychotic, but we must defend his right to feel the way he does. That's what democracy is about: Equal protection under the rule of law. Personally, I always wondered why he would protest a soldier's funeral; that's pretty much inviting a group of trained killers to start dancing on your skull. I guess he figures his gods will protect him.

Answer 5

I live in Topeka, KS, their base of operations. I see them picketing all the time, it is annoying, but I do get a sort of silent satisfaction when I pull up to a corner where they are picketing brandishing my "KANSAS: As bigoted as you think" bumper sticker on the side of my moped. Most of the people picketing are actually kids under 13. It is sad for the kids, but if we start limiting free speech there then it would just lead to more and more regulations on so-called free speech. Who was it who said "I do not agree with what he is saying, but will fight for his right to say it?"

Answer 6

I hate what these people do, but I accept and defend the right to so it. They a forbidden, in my state of Minnesota to approach closer that 500 feet of the funeral or the mourners, which I find a reasonable restriction.

They don't seem to realize how ridiculous most people find them to be.

But they are constitutionally protected. Remember if the Constitution doesn't protect everybody, then it doesn't protect anybody.

Answer 7

yeah, this doesn't make much sense. a religion that is supposed to promote love does this? don't they know that they very man they worship, jesus christ, would have been friends with gay people? god loves everyone despite their sins, who are they to say who god hates? however, i will say they should be allowed to preach or picket whatever and where ever they want. that's why we live in the u.s. freedom of speech, religion, the whole lot, but hopefully people will see this and choose not to worship at their church.

Answer 8

According to our Constitution, it's their right.

However, it's also OUR right to demonstrate against them. When they threatened to picket the funerals of 5 murdered Amish schoolchildren last year, there were a HUGE number of people in my state that were waiting for them. They chickened out at the last minute.

God is waiting patiently for such hate-mongers. Give it time and they'll all be kneeling before Him in judgement. I have a feeling they're going to be VERY surprised.......

EDIT: Zero Cool, that's only in some states.

Answer 9

Everyone should accept that the Biblical God does hate gay people. It's simply a fact. HOWEVER, take that simple fact, realize how ignorant it is and come to the only logical conclusion that one can.
The Biblical god is just a fictional character created by men who had no clue what being gay was. So of course they viewed it as 'wrong'. They didn't have the benefit of psychology or an understanding of the physiological workings of the brain. They were superstitious men who's understanding of the world around them was very primitive.

Many of us have moved beyond that sort of thinking. Let's encourage those who haven't to live in the 21st Century.

Answer 10

I remember that- it was a huge story. I think any idiot should be able to say whatever he wants to say but if you choose to go to a soldier's funeral and say he died because god hates gays you should probably dig in your heels and get ready for the angry mob that will inevitably come after you for being a hate monger.