It's been almost a month since the shootings in Newton, CT, and i'm really late to this party. But this debate is about a "church" called the Westboro Baptist Church, who pickets funerals of soldiers, and other people, and also attempted to picket the shootings. Here's just some of the idiocies that they spread:




My question to you guys is, why don't we do something about this? A youtuber called Carl Sherburne said it perfectly "the soldiers usually never get on TV for their death(s)", "let the dead have their peace"

More about their organization can be found here : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westboro_baptist_church

They aren't allowed in the uk due to being classified as a hate group. There were plans to let them in a couple of years ago when the Church of Scotland were debating whether or not to allow Scott remake as a gay minister. We were ready and waiting but they were a no show and not long often that it was released that they wouldn't be getting in.

Many people think that they don't really believe in everything they preach but that it's a money maker. Believe it or not, this actually gets them financial backers! I think that's the scary thing.

Anonymous recently hacked their pages and there are a group of hells angels who follow the, round the country using their bikes to drown out their voices.

They picket everything and legally are allowed to, I guess you can't pick and choose when people have free speech but yeah, what they do is horrible.

Sorry that was all a jumble, typing on a phone's a bitch.

I just think people like this have nothing better to do with their lives. I mean it mean they may feel strongly on the subject but please tell me the purpose of standing there with a sign? It's ridiculous. I hate mainstream music and trends and such, but I don't stand in my local town with a sign saying 'God hate spice boys'. Some things just full out baffle me.. Lol.

A YouTuber called WingsOfRedemption made a video about this, and he also posted a link where you can sign a petition to classify Westboro Baptist Church as a hate group and not a church, and it got like 500k signs.

The Greater Good for the Community


I think they should be a hate group, what they do is disrepectful and disgusting.

They went to a dead soldier's funeral and mocked him for failing to defend his country or something, and his dad wasn't allowed to sue them for some stupid reason.

Freedom of speech? I guess.

Oh and God is punishing us for all the bad things the human race has done, apparently. :-\

This makes me so sad... That these people could be so far deluded as to twist words and miss the main point. This is not what Christianity is supposed to be about...

Anonymous recently hacked their pages and there are a group of hells angels who follow the, round the country using their bikes to drown out their voices.
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Haha this is so good Emma. I've watched a video on the family before, arn't they the most hated family in America? It's ridiculous what they do, they even get their little kids to hold up the same signs as well.

They should be sniped.

Didn't the family also disown their daughter because she decided to go against the church as well?

Anonymous recently hacked their pages and there are a group of hells angels who follow the, round the country using their bikes to drown out their voices.
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Haha this is so good Emma. I've watched a video on the family before, arn't they the most hated family in America? It's ridiculous what they do, they even get their little kids to hold up the same signs as well.

They should be sniped.

Didn't the family also disown their daughter because she decided to go against the church as well?

Yes, they've disowned 3 or 4 of the children for going against them.

One of their sons is currently one of the biggest speakers against them, constantly fighting them and trying to get them turned into a hate group.

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

They deserve far worse deaths than being sniped, and getting instant death, they should feel pain, like the people they've picketed felt.

I've actually run into, and talked to a few of these Westboro Baptist Church members.
There was a play in my hometown, which was about two gay men.
Of course, they made their appearance, and picketed the whole thing.

I made my way to one, and asked him...
"Why are you doing this? Don't you think it's hurtful to some people for you to be calling them "faggots" and telling them they are going to hell? It doesn't phase me, becuase I have been through so much, to where... I just tone you out.. but what do you have to gain by this?"

This man told me..
"We are simply spreading the word of God to those who are blind to the whole picture. We are warning those who are damned to hell to change their ways before it is too late. "

That's when I went on to explain to him;
"Sorry sir, but you calling someone a .. being quite hateful to us, as humans, will not make us change our ways. In fact, there is nothing wrong with what we believe in. I'm not trying to crush your beliefs, as I have mine too, but I think that your approach is not correct, and you and your group of friends need to rethink everything that you are saying/doing and make a more positive approach. Although, it is pretty hard to be positive when you're telling people that they are going to hell. If you are telling me that I am going to hell becuase I choose to live my life as an out, openly gay male. Then, that's where I need to be. I was made this way, and have always been this way. At the age of 13, I would contemplate suicide becuase I thought that I was something that was not natural. Something that people hated, but getting older.. I grew into my own skin. I became cormfortable with myself. I love who I am. So, the fact that you are standing out here calling us "faggots' and such.. It doesn't hurt me. It won't hurt me, my skin is thick.. and it will always be thick... Just think about those 13 year olds out there, like myself, who are suffering with coming to terms with their sexuality. When they see you calling people like me a ... It's going to break them. Trust, I know.. I've been there. They are going to commit suicide, and then you have a child's death on your hands for spreading the hate that you do. Last time I checked, murderers are going to hell also. Therefore, If I'm going to hell.. I'll see you there, also, sir."

At that moment, he was quite and speechless. I simply walked away and went back to my day.

While, I don't care for the Westboro Baptist Church... I don't like what they are preaching.. but at the end of the day.. They are exercising their right to Freedom of Speech... What I would do? I would simply talk to them.. Let them know the other side of the story. You cannot fight their fire with fire. All it creates is a bigger fire. I refuse to be agressive towards someone that is agressive to me.. It's pure stupidness. That gets nothing accomplished. Now.. I don't know if this man changed the way he approached people, or if he went back to doing the same thing.. I just know.. That I talked to him.. and if he did change his ways.. I have the peace in my soul to know that I helped him. if he didn't.. I have the peace in my soul to know that I tried to help him change his ways.