Protests at US soldiers funerals?

Question

Hello from Liverpool, England.

I have heard that there is a religious movement that protests at the funeral of US servicement killed on active duty and they have some pretty disgusting views about the men and women who have died.

Is this true?

If it is, is this group a cult?

Answer 1

True and disgusting.

Answer 2

I think that we should protest this groups members funerals. They can get a good 20 or 30 people together to protest a service members funeral. I'd be willing to bet, that if we turned it around, we could get literally hundreds of people to show up! I can't imagine being that disrespectful, but I'd be willing to do it if it means that they get a taste and decide not to do it anymore!

They also protest colleges, Canada, Ireland, Sweden, among a long list of other things. Oh, and they protested at a funeral for four high school cheerleaders that were killed in a car accident. Apparently it's not just our military that are "fags" and "evil". I went through their website, just to try to figure out what they were all about. And honestly, I can't make sense of it. Who bombed their church anyway? They just say that Americans did it...?? They also say that the Muslim IED's that are killing our military (which they aren't all Muslim made) is done because the Muslims are God's prophets who are exacting His vengence on us.

If they were Christian, in the complete believe anything in the bible, take it all literally kind of way.......I'm no theological expert, but I don't think they would consider anyone Muslim or any other religion to be prophets. But, like I said, I'm a little confused as to what exactly they're thinking anyway!

Answer 3

These people have no decency! How could anyone show up at the funeral of grieving families & protest is beyond my scope of understanding, let alone the funeral of a service person who has given their life in the line of duty! It doesn't matter if you are for or against the war, this is someone's loved one & this is not the place to protest! We do now have a law that they cannot come within so many feet of the funeral, but I would make it a mile! This is not a cult, it is a bunch of idiots without hearts or minds!

Answer 4

There is a small group from one nonaffiliated church which has protested at the funerals of some soldiers, but also gay persons, and ministers who do not agree with their narrow view of religion.

On the whole, while many Americans don't support the war, Americans do support the soldiers and their families and understand the sacrifices they are making.

Unlike the turmoil we saw during the Vietnam Conflict, where the soldiers were individually persecuted for having taken part in the war. People now seem to understand that the soldiers are just doing their job and going where they are told.

God Bless all the troops serving in conflict areas.

Answer 5

It's the Phelp family. Some of the family members are lawyers so they know how far they can push the bar without breaking the law. They believe that God hates America because we allow homosexuals to live and do what they do. They protest any military family they can chanting this garbage. A bunch of motorcyclists formed a traveling group called the Patriot Guard. They stand between the funeral and Phelp Family with large American Flags so the family of the deceased can not see the war protesters and instead can only see the stars and stripes.

Answer 6

Yes it is true, they are protesting at military funerals because the U.S. does not prosecute homosexuals. I believe they are the West Borough Baptists Church. There is a group of men and women called ' the Patriot Guard Riders " that have begun to help stop these people from interrupting the funerals. I would call them a cult.

Answer 7

There is the groups as mentioned in earlier answers, there's also a counter group, the Patriot Guard Riders. They form a shield between the protesters and the families at funerals. They rev up the engines when the protesters get too loud to drown them out. And several states are enacting legislation to block these sorry excuses for Christians from protesting at funerals or as the Wisconsin version of the legislation goes, "use fighting words".

http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,121752,00.html

Answer 8

Unfortunatly, yes... it is true. They do not protest because they think the soldiers are gay, but because they feel that our soldiers dying is gods way of punishing America for gays. It is actually a family cult They came to Ft. Bliss a few months ago, and thankfully, the patriot guard along with local motorcycle groups came out and stood in between the protestors and the morners. It was a bit crazy. Everytime the protestors would try to speak, the Harleys would rev the engines. When they finally realized they were fighting a losing battle, the left.

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/07/070607phelps.htm

Answer 9

Sadly it is true. They are called the Westborough Baptist Church, though what they have to do with the Baptist I have no idea. Any affiliation with Baptist is strictly in name only from what I can see... as no Baptist denomination would condone such inexcusible actions as theirs. There is a group called the Patriot Guard that voluteers from various areas of the US, to protect the families from the protests of this 'cult' that insults the sanctity of the funeral. God bless those wonderful souls that work as a wall to prevent seeing the evil that those 'cultists' perpetrate on the innocent families, that include little children.
It saddens me that they choose to politicise an extremely emotional, highly PERSONAL, family oriented occasion. The funeral is a time for families to say goodbye to their loved ones, and those infidels chose to insult the sensibilites of these families at a time when they need to be left alone. How uncaring, how inhumane, how low can you be to do something so crass? They even have posted on their site when and where they will be protesting...(today's funeral was in Maryland, tomorrow at Arlington VA.)
Their cursing and insults...that is not the CHRISTIAN way... they are an insult to TRUE Christians. sad to say, many look at them and believe that is how Christians are, and say that's not for them... a TRUE CHRISTIAN is not that way... may GOD forgive them for what they have done, for they are a blot on the name of Christ.

Answer 10

Yeah, the most known group for this is the Westboro Baptist church, which might I add is not recognized by any mainstream congregations. They blame the war in Iraq and all that goes with it due to our support of homosexuality and say that God is punishing us. They are scum there website is godhatesgays.com godhatesamerica.com and wieredst godhatessweeden.com. But yeah this group is actually protest near me in Rochester, NY on Thursday at a memorial for 5 teenage girls who were killed in a car accident, how sick is that. They say its "Gods punishment for Fairport Highschools diversity club." All I know is besides the federal law that was passed on July 4 more needs to be done to let the families morn without these ungrateful pieaces of trash.

Answer 11

What you have described of this so called religious group disgusts me.

Okay, so lots of us, including myself, are opposed to the Iraq War, which we consider to be an illegal war.

The US Army, the British Army and allies, did not just decide to go to war. It was a political decision and not one made by soldiers or other serving personnel.

While it is the case that many oppose the war and want our troops home, we remain in steadfast support of our serving soldiers. Here in UK the British Army is held in very high esteem by the people, so too are our other armed services, the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force.

They've got a job to do and we support them.

A soldier who dies in battle should be honoured, his name carved on the cenotaph/memorial along with those of his comrades and the fallen of all our wars.

No matter what - WE WILL REMEMBER THEM!