PAUL DAVENPORT
January 12, 2011 - 11:24AM - AP
Arizona legislators have approved an emergency law to head off picketing by a fundamentalist Kansas church near the funeral service for a nine-year-old girl who was killed during a mass shooting in Tucson.
Arizona legislators have approved an emergency law to head off picketing by a fundamentalist Kansas church near the funeral service for a nine-year-old girl who was killed during a mass shooting in Tucson.
The Arizona bill, which would make it a misdemeanor to picket or conduct other protest activities within 100 meters of a funeral or burial service, comes after the Westboro Baptist Church said it planned to picket Thursday's funeral for Christina Taylor Green because "God sent the shooter to deal with idolatrous America." Click "Here" for complete story.
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This news article just makes me ill at my stomach...what are the members of the Westboro Baptist Church from Kansas thinking! If it isn't bad enough that innocent people had to die because of the rampage of a devil possessed young man, but now the family of the nine year old little girl that was murder in the incident has to condone and be harassed by "SO CALLED" Christians that claim it was all God's will that the shooting took place.
Westboro Baptist Church has also protested at funerals of our soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Shirley Phelps-Roper, a Westboro church member and a daughter of its pastor, said the prohibition wouldn't matter because church members planned to picket at one of two intersections more than 300 meters from the church where the girl's service will be held.
Westboro Baptist Church has also protested at funerals of our soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Shirley Phelps-Roper, a Westboro church member and a daughter of its pastor, said the prohibition wouldn't matter because church members planned to picket at one of two intersections more than 300 meters from the church where the girl's service will be held.
Why would a Christian church act in such a manner to bring shame upon itself? The only answer that I can come up with is this... maybe our Lord Jesus is not the head of their church! Is it any wonder why organized religion has such a bad connotation to it by the world? What are some of your thoughts regarding this fundamentalist Baptist Church?
UPDATE: Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church, Pastor Fred Phelps, has decided to back down from their plans to picket the funeral of 9-year-old Christina Taylor Green, the young girl who was gunned down over the weekend in Tucson, Arizona, in a shooting that claimed the lives of 5 others. In return, they have been promised airtime by two radio stations.
Click "Here" to go to the Westboro Baptist Church website. WARNING: This is not your ordinary Christian church website so be prepared to see lots of "hate" articles. The Westboro Baptist Church, of Topeka, Kansas, is a hate group masquerading as a Christian church.
Click "Here" to go to the Westboro Baptist Church website. WARNING: This is not your ordinary Christian church website so be prepared to see lots of "hate" articles. The Westboro Baptist Church, of Topeka, Kansas, is a hate group masquerading as a Christian church.
27 comments:
When I first read this I thought "Shame". Where is the love that Lord Jesus commands us to give? What sin can be committed by a nine year old girl that would warrant this? Jesus had strong words for those harming a child!
This is the same category as the "church" that wanted to burn all the Korans. Protest is one thing, but this type is senseless! It does nothing to further God's purpose. That congregation should be called to task!
I am appalled that they could think for even a moment that what they are doing could be right or, that it could accomplish anything in God's plan. I say also "what are they thinking? Apparently with their head and not their heart.
Shame on them!
This is good news for the parents of Christina Taylor Greene. God rest her soul. My thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends. The People of Westboro Baptist Church are sick and not Christians in my opinion.
I would hesitate to refer to them as Christians, Baptists, or fundamentalists. They seem to be more of a cult.
I usually say that we have too many laws already, but I can live with this one more.
Terry, cult is, indeed, the word. Anytime a man's word over-rules the Lord's teachings, then it's a cult.
You know,..articles like these, true world happenings,..I am to the point of either speechlessness or disbelief. I don't know how God can be so patient. How much worse can the world get?
It is terrible what this Kansas "church" is planning on doing--protesting at a 9 year old's funeral.
However, I would remind all my fellow Christians to not forget the un-natural thing that must be done...that our Savior did.
Pray.
Pray for the members of this "church" as well as the shooter, Mr. Loughner. Pray that God opens their spiritual eyes to the Truth, that they repent of their sins and turn to Christ.
Pray most especially for all those broken hearts in Arizona right now...a lot of people (like the victims' families and well as the shooter's) are hurting and really need the prayers.
We must pray.
Hello all,
I feel that Westboro does not even deserve the right to call themselves a "church of God" and it clearly shows that God does not lead ANYWHERE in that church! I will pray for the victims family and those lost souls.
You're right. The love of Christ is not in them. The fruit of their tree is rotten!
"By their fruits you will know them."
Here's a wikipedia link describing the 71 member (mostly family) "church":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westboro_Baptist_Church
Westboro Baptists have as much in common with ordinary Baptists as Martians.
That is absolutely insane! I agree, it is people like these that give all Christians a bad name.
I agree with everyone above. They are not spreading the Good News. This does nothing to bring people to Jesus. In fact, it turns people away. They should be ashamed of themselves, but they are not.
Exactly right great post, people like this do more of the devil's work than God's by portraying Christians as evil and intolerant. The Gospel is a message of love and hope, not destruction and hate. While free speech is a right given to all Americans it has it's place in proper society and this goes outside of it.
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Blessings from Buenos Aires.
my take on this will be different. My opinion of WBC is the same, but I hate to see Arizona altering the law due to a group of nut jobs.
Freedom of speech is not something I take lightly and I don't like to see it altered. I feel it is a slippery slope. When you start naming places where you can exercise your constitutional rights, you start interpreting the constitution without amending it and that is a no no!
I like the fact that so many people are now gathering around the funeral homes to create a barrier of protection and I think that is also brings people together for the common good.
The Phelps will die out just like the quakers. Their young women are opting not to get married & have children. (I watched a documentary about them-they admitted this) and changing laws in Arizona will have negative lasting effects on Arizona's freedom of speech long after the Phelps die out. We have to think about those things when considering a law like this one.
That's just my 2 cents worth.
Let us say that someone decided to use violence against this group as they were "picketing". Let us say I am chosen to be on the jury trying the perpetrator.
Verdict: NOT GUILTY.
I tend to agree with “The Witty Patriot” regarding the safeguard of our constitutional rights of speech, free assembly and religion. I think that the Arizona lawmakers may have jumped-the-gun by establishing a new law just to cover a radical group of people. There are already laws on the books for disorderly conduct and inciting a riot which can be used if necessary. Unfortunately radical religious groups thrive on the media attention that they get to promote their cause.
I also agree whole hardly with Zach in that we need to humble ourselves in prayer for all who have been touched by this tragic event. When the devil causes events like this to happen you can be sure that the world is looking at every soul that claims to be a Christian to see what “their” response will be. I know this is sort of a "used phrase" that everyone has heard at one time or another, but we need to ask ourself, “What would Jesus do?”
The word fundamentalist means one who believes in the basics or fundamentals. Clearly Westboro does not. Some people like to use such labels to conceal the truth. In Doctrine this church is neither Baptist nor fundamental. The media uses the labels in an effort to make real Baptists or fundamentalists appear to believe the same thing.
While I believe in freedom of religion, as Paul said, we are not to let our libery become an excuse for dong wrong in I Peter 2:16, "As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God."
My first thought went out to Isaiah 8:20. "To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."
I first heard about this "church" months ago, and the damage it does to the name of Jesus Christ, whom they claim to represent and serve, is horrendous to believer and unbeliever alike. We already have the offense of the cross; why add the offense of the disciple? Has anyone approached this minister and attempted to chasten him? No one who is a pastor should be above reproach. As it stands, this ministry has much to answer to God for. Ian.
Ian - I was just getting ready to email Pastor Fred Phelps when I received the UPDATE that his church had decided not to picket Christina Green's funeral. I placed the website of the Westboro Baptist Church on this post so others could go there and see for themselves how Satan can take over a church if you are not on guard at all times. It is really unfortunate that this cult has the "Baptist or Fundamentalist" names attached to it. May God have mercy on all of their souls. Blessings.
Hello dear brother in Christ Jesus, I'm here to ask me, but at the same time ask him, why not linked to my blog? I see your concern and account of his life, means being faithful to the Lord while living here. Actually this should be our goal until he comes to get us into eternity. Sincerely, Grace and peace!
Servo Dilson de Mendonça
I'm really glad AZ is taking a stand on this. Since I first heard of them, I've thought that their actions are very terrible, but it really hit home when they came to my town to protest at a soldier's funeral. These actions are, I believe, the exact opposite of what Christ teaches us about loving others.
How can anyone so disrespect a greiving family. It just furher proves how the enemy infilrates our minds. The Bible teaches us to treat others better than ourselves. Those actions are purely selfish and inconsiderate.
Every time I hear or see anything about this "church", it makes me sick to my stomach at what they are doing. How can they be SO blinded? They are SO deceived by Satan that they really do think this is what God wants! How anyone can come to that conclusion, I do not know... The least we can do is pray for them. That is a great gift. A way to help when we cannot be there.
Yes, this so-called "church" needs prayer that they will change their thinking and their ways.
Yours is a strong, uncompromising voice for the values of our Holy God. Keep up the good work. And, "Thanks" for stopping and becoming a follower of A Softer Voice. God Bless...
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