# Westboro "Baptist" "Church" to protest play



## blhowes (Oct 19, 2010)

Well, it looks like there may be some excitement in my town in December as the Westboro Baptist Church comes to picket the high school play "The Laramie Project", joined by a group to counter those protests. I wasn't real familiar with the Westboro "Baptist" "Church", and less familiar with the Laramie Project, so of course I had to google to satisfy my curiousity.

I can't help wondering why the group from Westboro would go to such great lengths to protest the play here and elsewhere. I realize they're anti-gay and anti just about everything except mom's apple pie (correct me if I'm wrong about the pie), but does that anti-gay sentiment translate into condoning the atrocity that was committed? I hope not, but after seeing a picture of one of their protesters holding a sign saying "Thank God for 911", I wouldn't be surprised.

Anybody ever seen the play? Would you say it was more pro gay in its telling of the events, or was it more a statement against the evil of the murderous acts?


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## Marrow Man (Oct 19, 2010)

Except that there is a certain mythology that has been created around Matthew Shepherd that has been used to forward a homosexual agenda; his death seems now to have been due more to dabbling in the drug culture than anything else (see here and here).


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## blhowes (Oct 19, 2010)

BTW, I'm really not one for sitting through plays, but I'm real tempted to purchase some tickets and to send a thank-you note to the Westboro group for making me aware of the play.


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## JML (Oct 19, 2010)

blhowes said:


> Well, it looks like there may be some excitement in my town in December as the Westboro Baptist Church comes to picket the high school play "The Laramie Project", joined by a group to counter those protests. I wasn't real familiar with the Westboro "Baptist" "Church", and less familiar with the Laramie Project, so of course I had to google to satisfy my curiousity.
> 
> I can't help wondering why the group from Westboro would go to such great lengths to protest the play here and elsewhere. I realize they're anti-gay and anti just about everything except mom's apple pie (correct me if I'm wrong about the pie), but does that anti-gay sentiment translate into condoning the atrocity that was committed? I hope not, but *after seeing a picture of one of their protesters holding a sign saying "Thank God for 911"*, I wouldn't be surprised.
> 
> Anybody ever seen the play? Would you say it was more pro gay in its telling of the events, or was it more a statement against the evil of the murderous acts?


 
That is one of their more tame signs. You will see what I mean. I see them at least once a week. Supposedly, they protest every day here. My house is about 2 blocks from their church.

I don't know anything about the play, so I can't help you there. I am very familiar with Westboro though.


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## blhowes (Oct 19, 2010)

Marrow Man said:


> Except that there is a certain mythology that has been created around Matthew Shepherd that has been used to forward a homosexual agenda; his death seems now to have been due more to dabbling in the drug culture than anything else (see here and here).


Thanks. Interesting. 

Now I have to figure out which facts to trust more - the myth or ABC news.

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John Lanier said:


> I am very familiar with Westboro though.


Have you ever had the "opportunity" to talk with any of them. Is there any reasoning with them? Do they have any plans of changing their name, like changing the baptist and the church to something else?


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## JML (Oct 19, 2010)

blhowes said:


> Have you ever had the "opportunity" to talk with any of them. Is there any reasoning with them?



I personally have not. Some others in my church have. It depends on what you talk to them about. They believe in the doctrines of grace and have heard that you can have a good discussion with them on this topic. However, if you try to confront their "picketing" they have been known to get very defensive. Which, I guess is understandable since I am sure they deal with a lot of heckling. Also, if you look at the picketing, most of the people with signs are kids. I'd say 75%. At least here in town it is that way. I even want to cover my eyes from some of the signs. What I have heard is that several years ago, it was actually a good church. Sound preaching, etc. But then they got on the anti-homosexuality hobby horse and kind of went off the rails from there. This is not to say that it is acceptable behavior to participate in homosexuality but I do question some of the church's tactics plus the fact that they do not seem to be rightly dividing the Word. Sure, homosexuality is wrong, but so is a lot of other stuff that I never hear them talk about. 




> Do they have any plans of changing their name, like changing the baptist and the church to something else?



I doubt it. That place is a compound. You can't miss it. It is all fenced in with upside down American and Canadian flags and a HUGE sign on the side of the church that says "God Hates America." I don't know what will happen once Fred is gone. He has got to be in his 80s. I think his daughter is running things now. Just not the preaching. I guess?


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## ericfromcowtown (Oct 19, 2010)

Fred Phelps is an alumni of the apparently sound Prairie Bible Insitute here in Alberta, Canada. One of our (Woodgreen) members is currently a professor at Prairie.

I was also told that at one point Phelps was a also somewhat prominent lawyer for the civil rights movement. 

I'm not sure when the crazy train came to town.


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## Contra_Mundum (Oct 19, 2010)

Someone claiming to be his rebel son has been featured on various atheist/free-thought venues. If true (and I believe it is verifiable) the tell-all is pretty sad, and just goes to show what a mess of a life _warped_ theology and practice can make. Except for the fact that the young man's soul is probably in danger still, I'd say he is "better off" for having escaped from phelp's nightmare.


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## cih1355 (Oct 27, 2010)

Do they ever talk to people about how God sent His Son to save His people from their sins? Do they talk about God's judgment without talking about God's plan of salvation?


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## JasonT (Oct 27, 2010)

There was a documentary made about them a few years ago - Louis Theroux, a British journalist spent some time with them, interviewed them, went to pickets with them etc. Certainly not made from a Christian standpoint, but well worth a watch if you can dig up the footage on the internet.

I think the saddest part was their church service - what was being spouted from the front was pure hatred, yet there were posters in the building that wouldn't look out of place in our own churches. I remember that there was one explaining TULIP, but I can't remember what else. My worry is that anyone watching would have thought "so this is what people who believe this stuff are like - hate filled bigots."

Far worse than all the hassle they're causing at funerals etc, they're doing a great deal of harm to Christ's name. Very sad indeed.


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## Semper Fidelis (Oct 27, 2010)

[bible]Luke 18:9-14[/bible]
Have mercy on me a sinner.


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## 21st Century Calvinist (Oct 27, 2010)

JasonT said:


> There was a documentary made about them a few years ago - Louis Theroux, a British journalist spent some time with them, interviewed them, went to pickets with them etc. Certainly not made from a Christian standpoint, but well worth a watch if you can dig up the footage on the internet.
> 
> I think the saddest part was their church service - what was being spouted from the front was pure hatred, yet there were posters in the building that wouldn't look out of place in our own churches. I remember that there was one explaining TULIP, but I can't remember what else. My worry is that anyone watching would have thought "so this is what people who believe this stuff are like - hate filled bigots."
> 
> Far worse than all the hassle they're causing at funerals etc, they're doing a great deal of harm to Christ's name. Very sad indeed.



I remember watching this documentary. What a terrible witness it was to Louis Theroux who admits he is a non Christian. Also, I recall one of the teenagers smiling as she talked about people going to Hell. Terribly, terribly sad. Old Phelps himself would get enraged anytime Louis tried to ask about the estranged son. 
I have been meditating on a verse I read yesterday: "Watch your life and doctrine closely." (1Tim. 4:16, NIV) A timely caution for us all.


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## schwarzeneggerchia (Nov 2, 2010)

What do you think are Westboro Baptist's theological position? 
Hypercalvinist ?? 
I doubt John Gill ever did those things they do although he had been accused of being hypercalvinistic


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## Zenas (Nov 2, 2010)

Hypercalvinists.


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