Comments | slamlander: Hypocritical scumbags: Westboro Baptist Church of Kansas

slamlander

Hypocritical scumbags: Westboro Baptist Church of Kansas

Jan 13, 2011 05:03

These are Christians? They look more like thugs and extortionists to me.

The Kansas congregation is known for demonstrating at the funerals of U.S. soldiers, arguing that their deaths are retribution by God for America’s acceptance of homosexuality. The group announced it would protest at the funeral of 9-year-old shooting victim Christina Green, ( Read more... )

us, civil rights, society, polyticks, religion

Comments 4

I think you're on to something there... apweiler January 13 2011, 09:38:52 UTC

I can't find it now, but I read a longish article somewhere a while ago that takes it a bit further than that - arguing that the WBC is basically a money-making scheme. The idea being that they go right up to the line of what free speech allows and then get right in people's faces and provoke them. If someone lashes out (a counter-protester hits them, or a local authority refuses to allow their protest, or something) they sue for compensation or similar.
Further, it's basically the Fred Phelps family business; pretty much all of WBC is Phelps' children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. And most of the adult ones are qualified lawyers.

A quick bit of googling turns up this - it's not the article I've seen before, but it makes a similar case.

(Not sure how the demand for airtime fits into this theory, though.)

Re: I think you're on to something there... desertrat66 January 13 2011, 14:41:40 UTC

I can substantiate what you're saying as I've seen the same report. WBC makes their money suing people, they're also first rate attention whores. The air time satisfies their need for attention and if anyone does something they can sue them over all the better.

WBC is to Christianity what Al-Qaeda is to Muslim IMO. Having had first hand experience with Christian zealots I'm pretty sure they're convinced they're right, as much as I hate their message I feel sorry for the brainwashed minions of Fred Phelps. Especially the little kids I've seen them drag to their protests.

Re: I think you're on to something there... slamlander January 14 2011, 10:19:16 UTC

Commenter Joe Browning comments on that same link:

Expounding on this. #1Do not acknowledge them #2 Do not protest. #3 Do not have the Police or Fire Department around their protests. #4 You must consider and think of them as invisible.#5 Do not have your newspapers write articles about them.#6 Do not talk to them. #7 Do not have the Patriot Guard Riders attend. #8 Do not attempt in any way to stop them! #9 Do not give them one bit of publicity, before, during or after their protests. #10 As far as you are concerned the Westboro Baptist Church does not exist.#11 Do not drive by them! #12 Do not curse or throw things at them. #13 IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU ABSOLUTELY DO NOTHING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM!!

Basically, that's an old fashioned shunning.

iptv_tech January 13 2011, 18:56:35 UTC

I wonder if the local authorities there would investigate much if the WBC got fire bombed, or if they'd just "WOW LOOKS LIKE FAULTY ELECTRICAL!" the whole thing.