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Who Is Fred Phelps, c. 2001 WBC member.
For disciples of the Westboro Baptist Church, the Bible and free speech go hand-in-hand. Proclaiming "God hates fags" and "Thank God for dead soldiers," the small band of evangelicals from Topeka, Kan., has ignited a firestorm by spreading its gospel of damnation at the funerals of AIDS victims and slain soldiers. Calling the protests an affront to grieving families, lawmakers in dozens of states are seeking new anti-picketing regulations. Westboro has challenged such efforts before, forcing changes to Kansas laws and collecting more than $200,000 in legal fees. Faced with a growing backlash, Westboro may be headed back to court
“The scriptures are
crystal clear that when God sets out to punish a nation, it is with the
sword. An IED is just a broken-up sword,” Ms. Phelps-Roper said. “Since
that is his weapon of choice, our forum of choice has got to be a dead
soldier's funeral.” The Westboro Baptist Church is a hate group masquerading as a Christian church. Led by Fred Phelps, members of this church target homosexuals with messages of hate. The group's extremist views and despicable behavior mark it as a cult of Christianity
Westboro Baptist Church is an organization based in Topeka, Kansas, headed by minister Fred Waldron Phelps, Sr. and notorious for running godhatesfags.com and other websites expressing its condemnation of various groups (see "WBC Websites" below). Although its members identify themselves as Baptists, the church is one of many independent Baptist churches throughout the United States not affiliated with any known Baptist conventions or associations. The church describes itself as following Primitive Baptist and Calvinist principles, though it has been accused by others of Satanism or more lightly, Hyper-Calvinism.[1] The group bases much of its work around the dogmatic belief that "God hates fags" (its best known slogan and the address of its primary website) and expresses the opinion that nearly every tragedy in the world is linked to homosexuality (specifically society's increasing tolerance and acceptance of gay, lesbian and bisexual people); they believe God hates homosexuals above all other kinds of sinners.[2] In addition to their anti-homosexual stance, the organization also possesses a strong anti-semitic stance, picketing Holocaust Memorials in an attempt to downplay the severity of the event, and holding the belief that "Jews killed Christ." Fort Campbell, Ky. — Wearing vests covered in military patches, a band of motorcyclists rolls around the country from one soldier's funeral to another, cheering respectfully to overshadow jeers from church protesters. ARTICLE POST A COMMENT
EXETER — The
Anti-Defamation League has condemned the demonstration planned for
Monday in Exeter by members of what it calls the "virulently homophobic"
Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church.
Diane Kolb, associate director of ADL's New England Region, said she hopes her group's condemnation will encourage others to speak out against members of Westboro Baptist Church.
"We have issued the statement condemning the attitude and the behavior
and the opinion of these folks," Kolb said. "The position of ADL is that
we must counter hate speech with more speech so we have been working
with all of the groups that have been targeted to encourage them to
speak out. We are supporting whatever action or inaction that they feel
is appropriate for their school." The Anti-Defamation League, founded
in 1913, is an organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and
services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry. Rev. Fred
Phelps, 71, will lead his anti-gay crusade into town on Monday to
protest Phillips Exeter Academy's decision last May to allow gay and
lesbian faculty and staff to serve as dormitory parents. The church
also plans to protest against PEA alumnus Gore Vidal, an American
novelist, playwright, and essayist well known for his attack of sexual
norms. The group claims Vidal advocated jail for its members for
picketing the funeral of an openly gay student beaten to death in
Wyoming in 1998. The ADL recently issued a report titled "In Their
Own Words: Fred Phelps & The Westboro Baptist Church." The report
examines so-called "hateful" remarks the church in Topeka has made over
the last decade. While putting a public face on its crusade against
homosexuality, the ADL contends in the report found on the
organization's Web site that Phelps and the church have issued hate
literature attacking blacks, Jews, other minorities and Christians with
"great force." The ADL maintains members of the church have staged
protests at many non-gay events in some cases, targeting mainstream
public officials and government entities that Phelps believes to be
encouraging homosexuality. The Westboro Baptist Church spreads its
message using faxed fliers and news releases that are often posted on
the group's Web site. "Fred Phelps has made patently clear his
mission of targeting gays with hateful rhetoric and public
demonstrations," said Robert Leikind, executive director of ADL, New
England region, in a written statement Friday. "What is less widely
known about Fred Phelps is that he and followers of the Westboro Baptist
Church have also attacked Jews, blacks and Christians. He and his church
continue to spread vile rhetoric against many groups." Portsmouth
resident Tracy Singer said those who have a problem with the pastor's
thinking need to stand up to him. "Do you know what I would say to
him if he came to town?" Singer asked. "I'd tell him he's wrong; God
does love everybody, even him with his hateful ignorant view and we'll
pray for his soul." Instead of attacking a person for his or her race
or sexual preference, Singer said his focus should be to denounce
pedophiles. "The focus about who needs to be a role model for others
is distorted. It is about who has a healthy mind and a healthy heart,"
she said. Singer pointed to how many men of organized religious
organizations have been accused and convicted of sex crimes against
children and young adults.
HELENA, Mont.
-- A Kansas church group that abhors homosexuals and claims "God's
hatred is one of His holy attributes" is planning a religious protest in
Helena next month, targeting several area churches, the Montana Supreme
Court, and the University of Montana.
"You can put this mess right at their doorstep," Phelps-Roper said of
the six churches. "They've carried the big lie that God loves everyone.
Does he love those people that have been burning in Hell since the
flood? These churches have enabled the sin that plagues this
generation."
Relevant links
http://blank.org/addict/
http://fredthemovie.com/
http://www.geocities.com/nottodayfredtopeka/
http://www.adl.org/special_reports/wbc/default.htm
http://godlovesfags.com/
http://www.godhatesamerica.com/
http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,4872,00.html
http://www.baptistwatch.org the funeral of gay murder victim Matthew Shepard, they held up signs reading "No Fags in Heaven" and "God Hates Fags." According to their Web site, they have staged "20,000" protests across the nation and around the world in the last decade.
They believe that "God's hatred is one of His holy attributes." They are the congregants of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas.
Incorporated in 1967 as a not-for-profit organization, the virulently homophobic Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) considers itself an "Old School (or, Primitive)" Baptist Church. The Church is led by the septuagenarian Reverend Fred Waldron Phelps Sr., and many WBC congregants are related to Phelps by blood. His wife, several of his children and dozens of his grandchildren frequent the church.
While WBC has picketed the gay community at hundreds of events
nationwide, most of the individuals protested by the Church are not
homosexual. In fact, WBC most often targets people it mistakenly claims
are gay or those it believes to be encouraging homosexuality. Many WBC
fliers emphasize the race or religion of these individuals, suggesting
that the Church's hate spreads beyond its abhorrence of homosexuality.
What appears to be anti-gay rhetoric is often a vehicle for WBC's
anti-Semitism, hatred of other Christians, and even racism, though in
the 1980s Fred Phelps received awards from the Greater Kansas City
Chapter of Blacks in Government and the Bonner Springs branch of the
NAACP for his work on behalf of Black clients. Trained as a lawyer,
Fred Phelps was disbarred in 1979 by the Kansas Supreme Court, which
asserted that he had "little regard for the ethics of his profession."
The formal complaint against Phelps charged that he misrepresented the
truth in a motion for a new trial in a case he had brought, and that he
held the defendant in the case up to "unnecessary public ridicule for
which there is no basis in fact." Following his disbarment from Kansas
State courts, Phelps continued to practice law in Federal courts. In
1985, nine Federal court judges filed a disciplinary complaint charging
him and six of his family members, all attorneys, with making false
accusations against them. The Phelpses fought the complaint but lost. In
1989, Fred Phelps agreed to surrender his license to practice law in
Federal court in exchange for the Federal judges allowing the other
members of his family to continue practicing in Federal court. In
1991, WBC staged its first public demonstration, targeting a park in
Topeka allegedly frequented by gays. Thousands of protests have
followed, and WBC shows no sign of slowing down. In addition to speeches
on the picket lines, the Church spreads its hateful message via faxed
fliers and "News Releases." These faxed documents also appear at WBC's
notorious Web site, Godhatesfags.com, along with photos of Church
pickets and a schedule of upcoming demonstrations. A second WBC Web
site, Godhatesamerica.com, contends that the United States is "doomed"
because it supports gays. According to Fred Phelps, "God invented the
Internet for us to preach on." The following quotations from WBC
materials and other sources expose the Church's views on Jews, gays,
Blacks, Christians and the United States. WBC's own words best
demonstrate the wide range and disturbing nature of its hatred.
video of Shirley unable to asnwer questions about her sins In addition, Fred Phelps has one great-grandson named Seth Phelps; the exact lineage is unknown at this time. Another Phelps child, Malachai, was born in late 2005; it is unknown whether he is Fred Phelps' grandson or great-grandson. As noted below, all these individuals are or were related to Fred Phelps. With the exception of Debbie Valgos (death), the individuals were voted out of the church and "turned over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh", and certificates of such were mailed to them. None of the estranged members have made any reported attempts to reunite with Westboro or the Phelps clan. In addition, for a time in the mid-1980's Jonathan and Pauline Phelps were disfellowshipped from Westboro for "fornication" (premarital sexual relations which ultimately led to the birth of Jael Phelps). Pauline was evicted from the Westboro compound; Jonathan was allowed to remain but was placed under tight supervision. When Phelps Sr. realized that Jonathan was going to leave Westboro for his wife and daughter, having already seen four of his children leave the family completely, he allowed Jonathan's family to return to the Westboro compound. (For Phelps Sr. this has turned into a "blessing" of sorts, as Jael has become one of his strongest supporters, having been featured on MSNBC and various media outlets.) nndb.com
In 1993, as Phelps' name became controversial in his home town, his
estranged son, Mark Phelps, wrote a letter to his hometown newspaper,
The Topeka Capital-Journal: I believe in God and the Bible, and my
father's behavior doesn't fit the description of behavior that would
show in the life of one who loves God; behavior characteristics such as
Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness,
Gentleness, Self-control. Instead, my father's behavior characterizes, I
believe, Hate, Outbursts of Wrath, Contention, Jealousy, Vengefulness,
Misery, Harshness, and Selfish ambition. He mis-states the truth about
his own behavior, about others, about the Bible, with apparent ease and
regularity. He behaves with a viciousness the likes of which I have
never seen. He accepts no genuine accountability in his life and is
subject to no one. His lifestyle betrays the sacred trust of what a
pastor, husband, father and grandfather should be. I suppose if a
comparison were made between the life of Jesus Christ and my father,
there would not be much to compare. I believe that Topekans are making
a good effort to try and stop him and should continue to do so. He can
seem very intimidating. He can use foul language and come across with a
booming voice to the community, but the truth is, like the Wizard of Oz,
when Toto pulls the curtain back, instead of this big powerful
individual, it's only a small, pathetic old man. I feel sorry for my
father as I would for anyone who displays this kind of hate and evil
viciousness. These can only be the manifestations of tortured, injured
and agonizing souls."
nndb.com |
This is not intended to promote violence against anyone.
Do you think Fred Phelps Will Be Assassinated?
"If so called right-to-life nuts would put their efforts in violence management campaigns, they would actually be helping society, but their motive is not to help society, it's to score points with other right-to-life nuts and feel sanctimonious. A campaign designed to manage and reduce violence would not deliver the sanctimonious fix these nuts are addicted to" Comment By jSTAR1955 On 6-10-10 Post a Comment  Precision symmetrical implosion is an impossibility of nature. And the fact that 3
high-carbon-steel-reinforced- core modern skyscrapers collapsed in this fashion due to random chaotic events is
ridiculous. You can see the explosions come
out as the central core columns are cut. Thermate, is like a sparkler that slices
through steel. No natural degradation of structural integrity could result in such a
perfect implosion.
This object was invisible to the people, it's only picked up by
a few cameras that had IR, built in capabilities, and the Camera's actually picked it up,
though this was invisible to any bystanders or people in other buildings.
It is a simple scientific fact, that the steel could not be hot enough to cut core columns, and cool enough to lean against. The government is lying, wake up. Sign the petition to release evidence.
The woman is circled in white, she was identified, did not survive.
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