Difference between revisions of "Westboro Baptist Church"
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Westboro's membership is made up of Fred Phelps, 9 of his 13 children (the others are estranged), their children and spouses, and a few other families and individuals.<ref name=spc /> Almost all of the church's roughly 100 members are related to Fred Phelps.<ref name=npr>Hagerty, B.B. (2011, March 2). [http://www.npr.org/2011/03/02/134198937/a-peek-inside-the-westboro-baptist-church A Peek Inside the Westboro Baptist Church]. ''NPR''.</ref> Members of the family and their relationships to Fred Phelps include: | Westboro's membership is made up of Fred Phelps, 9 of his 13 children (the others are estranged), their children and spouses, and a few other families and individuals.<ref name=spc /> Almost all of the church's roughly 100 members are related to Fred Phelps.<ref name=npr>Hagerty, B.B. (2011, March 2). [http://www.npr.org/2011/03/02/134198937/a-peek-inside-the-westboro-baptist-church A Peek Inside the Westboro Baptist Church]. ''NPR''.</ref> Members of the family and their relationships to Fred Phelps include: | ||
| + | * Shirley Phelps-Roper, . Spokeswoman for the church, says that they picket funerals to make people angry so people will reject God and be condemned to Hell.<ref name=npr /> | ||
* Nathan Phelps, son (estranged). Nathan claims his father abused his children and wife to create an atmosphere of fear and maintain authority.<ref name=spc /> | * Nathan Phelps, son (estranged). Nathan claims his father abused his children and wife to create an atmosphere of fear and maintain authority.<ref name=spc /> | ||
* Fred Phelps Jr., son. Works for Kansas' Department of Corrections as a staff attorney.<ref name=spc /> | * Fred Phelps Jr., son. Works for Kansas' Department of Corrections as a staff attorney.<ref name=spc /> | ||
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* Lee Ann Phelps, . Worked for Shawnee County Sheriff's Department.<ref name=spc /> | * Lee Ann Phelps, . Worked for Shawnee County Sheriff's Department.<ref name=spc /> | ||
* Elizabeth Pehlps, . Worked for Shawnee County Sheriff's Department.<ref name=spc /> | * Elizabeth Pehlps, . Worked for Shawnee County Sheriff's Department.<ref name=spc /> | ||
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==Family Law Firm== | ==Family Law Firm== | ||
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* Homosexuals, including [[Matthew Shepard]].<ref name=npr /> | * Homosexuals, including [[Matthew Shepard]].<ref name=npr /> | ||
* Victims of 9/11.<ref name=spc /> | * Victims of 9/11.<ref name=spc /> | ||
| + | * U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.<ref name=spc /> | ||
| + | * Amish schoolgirls murdered in Pennsylvania.<ref name=spc /> | ||
* Jews.<ref name=spc /> | * Jews.<ref name=spc /> | ||
* The Catholic [[Pope]].<ref>http://www.adl.org/special_reports/wbc/default.asp</ref> | * The Catholic [[Pope]].<ref>http://www.adl.org/special_reports/wbc/default.asp</ref> | ||
Revision as of 07:31, July 22, 2012
The Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) is a radical, self-proclaimed Christian church headed by pastor Fred Phelps. The church is located in Topeka, Kansas, and receives most of its publicity from its infamous "God Hates Fags" protests. It was founded in 1955, and began picketing in 1991 - it claims to have picketed over 40,000 times since then.[1]
The WBC is closely monitored by both the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center, and is regarded by the latter as a hate group.[1] While mainstream Christianity rejects homosexuality as sin, following God's example, true Christians love the sinner. In contrast, WBC demonstrates no love for the sinner, and their attitude is considered to be one of hate.
While the name implies that the church is affiliated with other mainstream Baptist churches, the WBC is independent of mainstream Christianity. The church's members are almost entirely family members and are infamous for their protests and pickets at the funerals of soldiers who died in the line of duty, where they take the opportunity to denounce what they consider to be America's acceptance of homosexuality. The name of their website reflects this. Their antics are denounced across almost all spectra of political and religious thought.
Their hatred, and seeking of publicity, goes beyond homosexuality. They also protested the Pope's visit, calling him the anti-Christ.
Composition
Westboro's membership is made up of Fred Phelps, 9 of his 13 children (the others are estranged), their children and spouses, and a few other families and individuals.[1] Almost all of the church's roughly 100 members are related to Fred Phelps.[2] Members of the family and their relationships to Fred Phelps include:
- Shirley Phelps-Roper, . Spokeswoman for the church, says that they picket funerals to make people angry so people will reject God and be condemned to Hell.[2]
- Nathan Phelps, son (estranged). Nathan claims his father abused his children and wife to create an atmosphere of fear and maintain authority.[1]
- Fred Phelps Jr., son. Works for Kansas' Department of Corrections as a staff attorney.[1]
- Margie Phelps, daughter. Works for the Kansas' Department of Corrections.[1]
- Abigail Phelps, . Worked in Kansas' Juvenile Justice Authority in staff development.[1]
- Lee Ann Phelps, . Worked for Shawnee County Sheriff's Department.[1]
- Elizabeth Pehlps, . Worked for Shawnee County Sheriff's Department.[1]
Family Law Firm
Fred Phelps designed his church/family as a giant law firm used to sue those angry enough to retaliate against the "church". Eleven of Phelps' thirteen children have law degrees. All five of the attorneys for the Phelps Chartered Law Firm, which Fred Phelps founded in 1964, are his children. The Kansas Supreme Court disbarred Fred Phelps himself in 1979 for a lack of ethics. Because the firm represents Westboro Baptist Church in its lawsuits, it can use money from cases it wins to further fund the church.[1]
| “ | "'They have a very well-respected law firm in Topeka,' Sherman says. 'People in town said, 'Well, we don't like them, but if we want to win a case, we'll go to them. Church spokeswoman Phelps-Roper says their booming employment and family law practice pays the bills for their travels across the country, when they shout their anti-gay message. They travel in vans to keep down the costs, which she says can add up to $200,000 a year... The protests are in themselves a source of some income, according to Potok. Over the years the Phelpses have filed lawsuits against communities that try to stop them from demonstrating. 'And as a general matter they have won,' he says. 'They know their First Amendment rights very well, and they've been very good at defending them.' When they win, they often receive tens of thousands of dollars in court fees. And their winning streak is likely to continue, now that the Supreme Court has decided that Westboro's right to free speech trumps the right of families to bury their loved ones undisturbed."
-Barbara Bradley Hagerty, NPR[2] |
” |
Protests
Westboro has protested or otherwise targeted the following:
- Homosexuals, including Matthew Shepard.[2]
- Victims of 9/11.[1]
- U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.[1]
- Amish schoolgirls murdered in Pennsylvania.[1]
- Jews.[1]
- The Catholic Pope.[3]
- AIDS victims.[1]
- Celebrities, including Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Sonny Bono, Bill Clinton's mother, and Bob Dole.[1]
Snyder v. Phelps
In 2011 the church's speech - that is, their picketing of funerals - was ruled as protected by the First Amendment in the case Snyder v. Phelps. The Church, represented by daughter of the pastor Shirley Phelps, had picketed a Marine's funeral, and the Marine's father had sued for intentional infliction of emotional distress. The ACLU and NPR, amongst others, had filed amicus briefs in favor of Phelps, while many Congressmen filed on behalf of Snyder. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote, "As a Nation we have chosen a different course—to protect even hurtful speech on public issues to ensure that we do not stifle public debate. That choice requires that we shield West- boro from tort liability for its picketing in this case."
See also
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 Intelligence Files: Westboro Baptist Church. Southern Poverty Law Center.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Hagerty, B.B. (2011, March 2). A Peek Inside the Westboro Baptist Church. NPR.
- ↑ http://www.adl.org/special_reports/wbc/default.asp
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