Westboro Baptist Church. Ring any bells? They’re the religious group known for their extreme stance against homosexuality and their picketing of funerals, carrying signs such as, “God Hates Fags” and “Thank God for Dead Soldiers.” Upon investigating the Westboro Baptist Church website (www.godhatesfags.com), many appalling examples of the radical views of this church can be found.
These include the beliefs that the Holocaust was God’s punishment on Jews, Pope Benedict XVI is “The Godfather of Pedophiles,” and “the only true Nazis in this world are fags.” This hate group, which consists mainly of the Phelps family in Kansas, is currently in the spotlight after threatening to picket the upcoming funeral of Steve Jobs.
Steve Jobs, the incredibly innovative co-founder of Apple who died on Oct. 5, is the next target of WBC because he “gave God no glory & taught sin” (according to the Twitter of Margie Phelps, daughter of the church’s founder). Rachel Hockenbarger, one of the members of WBC, is quoted as saying, “Steve Jobs didn’t do squat. Man did not create technology. God created technology. He gave it to us [as] a gift and tool to preach to the world… but Steve Jobs taught people to pursue their own interest, he did not tell people to use technology to spread the word of God.”
If not doing squat means helping to design, develop and market one of the first commercially successful lines of personal computers as well as pave the way in innovation and product design of modern technology, then I would sure as hell be impressed to see what constitutes doing squat. Furthermore, Jobs is not to blame for what people do with the technology he created. Jobs did not promote or “teach” sin with his products. In fact, he did not tell the public to do anything specific with his products. According to Hockenbarger and Phelps, his sin was manifested in not telling people to use his products to spread God’s word.
If sin is doing anything that is not theologically centered, then I’m sinning right now. And I was just sinning a few minutes ago brushing my teeth. I was also sinning when I ate breakfast.
Ironically, the tweet from Margie Phelps saying that, “Westboro will picket [Jobs’] funeral” was posted via Twitter for iPhone.
When accused of being hypocritical for embracing the technology of the man she condemns, Phelps tweeted, “Rebels mad cuz I used iPhone to tell you Steve Jobs is in hell. God created iPhone for that purpose! :).” Even if Phelps believed it was God who created the iPhone and not Jobs, the company she is supporting by using the iPhone is Apple. I don’t understand why the WBC would support and give money to a company they thought taught sin. If Jobs was sinning with his products, Phelps, by default, would be supporting sin by supporting his products.
Fortunately, the funeral of Jobs will reportedly be held in private. WBC admits that they can only picket public funerals, but they still plan to “protest Steve Jobs’ funeral via iPhone.”
I do appreciate passion for and commitment to one’s beliefs, but WBC takes it a little too far by outwardly attacking almost everyone in America. One of their slogans is “God Hates America.” America, they insist, is “doomed” because it is a nation that supports homosexuality.
The FAQ on WBC’s website says that they only preach hate because “the Bible preaches hate.” Their extremist views that “God’s hatred is one of His holy attributes” and that they should thank God for “everything He does,” including killing soldiers and carrying out 9/11.
Although WBC does not go so far as to physically harm anyone, they emotionally harass people every day. As for my personal experience with the WBC, I was tweeted by Megan Phelps, granddaughter of the founder of WBC, this past spring. She, after seeing a post about my being bisexual, stated that I am going to hell. I guess the WBC will be at my funeral singing, “God Hates Who You Are” (their “We R Who We R” by Ke$ha parody, which is only one out of many.)
Part of me believes that some of what WBC does is just for attention. It may be that they find ways to condemn the most currently talked about celebrity in order to become a topic of discussion in the media. In any case, their disrespectfulness never fails to make me sick to my stomach. It would be okay for WBC to share their beliefs, as in America we have freedom of speech, if not for the medium through which they do so.
I would consider their pickets and hateful messages a form of harassment. Anyone who knew and loved Steve Jobs is most certainly offended by this unnecessary punishment.
As for me, I am sad for the loss of such a brilliant man as Steve Jobs, without whom I would not be typing this on my beloved MacBook.
I guess “Phelps mad cuz I used MacBook to tell you WBC is disrespectful. Jobs created MacBook for that purpose! :)”
Annabella Palopoli can be reached at annabella.palopoli@spartans.ut.edu
iGreed. think greedy.
Just saying: back to your earlier comment. I agree that no one has the right to say that what WBC is doing is illegal; nonetheless, people do have the right to say that what they’re doing is wrong or unethical, if one takes that position.
Technically, under free speech laws it’s legal to have a neo-Nazi march or assembly in Illinois, or to stand in the middle of Harlem wearing a sign that reads, “I hate ni**ers.” However, is that ethical, well-advised or safe to do? Not really, on any count.
They talk about perhaps relocating to the Middle East…yet, they’ve offended countless Muslims by publicly burning the Quran, and they’ve also offended Jews as well, not to mention Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Christians as well (which is not to say that none of their criticisms about, say, Catholicism are valid, but they take it to the point of unfairness and overgeneralization, as they do with many other groups and topics).
These people are the perfect example of a troll.
Westboro Baptist Church spreads its hate through picketing in our streets, provoking attacks, with abusive language and flag desecration, attempting to create a confrontation. This is not a church, this is a hate group. This is not about protesting, freedom, or God. They are in it for the money and the press; this is a family law firm. They are not a “church.” It is a scam. They go after anything that can get them in the news. This is a family of lawyers using this “god hates you” thing to make money. It is time for this scam to end.
Well, lots of people need an imaginary friend to get through life. The WBC just doesn’t seem to be a very educated or reflective group and they have all sorts of claims about their imaginary friend. They are probably thrilled that so many are talking about them. It is interesting how so many give them any attention at all. This article had a lot of good points. I love the fact they are using Jobs’ iPhone for their communication. Mwahahahahahahah! If you are going to condemn WBC, at least try to remain consistent with your beliefs. Then again, I don’t think you are capable of that.
That’s quite alright, no one wants to join them and people keep leaving their group. None of the female church goers want to have a relationship or children, so it will die out eventually. The sad thing is, they are even anti-Nazi, so they can’t even get the support of the Nazis. Which is saying a lot.
Why has natural evolution not weeded this little fuckers off the face of the earth? Expect to see Darwin Awards for this group sometime soon after they appear on 1000 ways to die as main event.
So they’re protesting Steve Jobs, from Apple, and they’re doing it with Apple IPhones & IPads. These intellectual midgets make for great material for the Leno’s & Letterman’s of the world.
I get that. Having stuff thrown at them and all that is infringement on their rights, and should not be tolerated. I am not saying I agree with what they are doing, only that no one has the right to say they are wrong. Rules are placed on us by society, and just because society thinks something is wrong, doesn’t mean it is. But I will refrain from getting into a philosophical debate.
It just boils down to letting them do what they want, and not reacting to it, will eventually get rid of them. All they want is publicity and all that. Quit making a big deal out of it and there will be no reason to continue. Otherwise, wipe them out.
Just Saying: maybe they don’t sexually molest kids, but Fred Phelps Sr., according to several of his estranged children (Nate, Mark, and Dorotha), used to severely beat them with a mattock handle, his feet and his fists, while screaming obscenities at them for hours on end. Nate also alleges that Pastor Phelps also coarsely cut off his (Pastor Phelps’) wife’s hair when he found his wife’s submission lacking. Apart from that, though, I don’t know if Nate or Mark have alleged that Pastor Fred ever physically abused his wife in terms of striking her.
As for the third generation of kids, they are often placed into dangerous situations, and have had objects thrown at them; one time, WBC’s car windows were smashed by rocks by several people in an angry mob. Lauren Drain, who has left WBC, claims that they had even had people threaten them with knives and other weapons.
My opinion is that WBC should have free speech, and should be able to do it without having to fear for their lives. That’s an important quality of the U.S. which many other countries (including many other Western ones) don’t have; in Germany, for example, you can be arrested for doing a Nazi salute; in Canada, you can be arrested for talking about homosexuals the way that WBC does.
However, freedom of speech is a two-way street; a person named Bill Bailey once said, “The best remedy for abuse of free speech, is even MORE free speech.” And, if WBC doesn’t like fair criticism, then tough shit for them and their FEEEEEELINGS, as they always say about other people.
I agree that they are nothing more than a hate group. Just like every other religion, they interpret the Bible to fit their religious views. Kind of hypocritical for one religion to bash on another, considering they all do the same thing and just interpret things differently.
Moving on, having served in the military, I used to hate these people, especially when I heard they were at the funeral of one of my friends. FOrtunately for them, I was deployed at the time. However, I eventually realized that they were doing nothing more than exercising their rights- something we fight for and defend.
Therefore, while I don’t agree with what they are doing, I still have to be thankful that I live in a country where people have the right to stand for what they believe in. I believe they are a bunch of nutcases, but I don’t have any right to tell them they are wrong. Who am I to judge? They think this is what the Bible says they should do, just as other religions believe they know what God wants. At least they aren’t molesting kids or anything. Just saying.
WBC condemns U.S. soldiers for working for the govt, yet Margie Phelps and a couple of her siblings (though not Shirley Phelps-Roer) work for the Kansas Dept. of Corrections, which is also a govt job.
They (those WBC members) may not be fighting for the country in the literal sense, but they are fighting for the USA in the sense that they are struggling to prevent crime and to reform criminals, just as U.S. troops are struggling against terrorists.
It seems a tad hypocritical and double-standardish to me. If you try to ask them about this, they will just skirt the issue or call you names.
Margie Phelps, I hope god punishes you for the sins that you have committed through your antagonizing and unacceptable actions. Leave the poor man and his family alone. Who or what gives you the right to interfere with a person’s funeral? It is a day dedicated to Steve Jobs where family and friends reminisce the memories and legacy he has left behind. You want to avenge god for his sins by picketing? I ‘ll show you what being vindictive means, how would you react if the apple community was to picket at your funeral? Surely we outnumber your little community of low-life good for nothing piece of Sh!ts who have nothing better to do than to picket at an extraordinary man’s funeral. Karma’s a b!tch.
R.I.P Steve
Can Apple PLEASE do something about this unlike the other targets/victims of the WBC?? Hire the police, have guards, have snipers, whatever to keep this hate group away from this event? At every other event the WBC protests at, the people affected try to shoo them away but in the end nothing happens and the WBC wins again.
who cares about the religious aspect, i’m glad they are trolling apple fans.
I am a Christian and I am totally against this.. Good or bad , once a person dies you have no right to criticise him . Thats why we have the concept of “GOD” who will take it from there.
Well I think its better to be a atheist than being one among WBC
Calling yourself Christian doesn’t mean you’re a Christian. WBC is wrong. They are clearly not Christians because being Christian is being Christ-like. Christ and God are one. God loves us deeply but hates our sins. He doesn’t cause evil to befall us. Nothing we do can seperate us from God’s love. But God is Holy and will punish sin. People who die without a committed relationship with Jesus Christ, God’s Son, and are living in disobedience to God will go to hell. Read the Bible.
Calling yourself Christian doesn’t mean you’re a Christian. WBC is wrong. They are clearly not Christians because being Christian is being Christ-like. Christ and God are one. God loves us deeply but hates our sins. He doesn’t cause evil to befall us. Nothing we do can seperate us from God’s love. But God is Holy and will punish sin. People who die without a committed relationship with Jesus Christ, God’s Son, and are living in disobedience to God will go to hell. Read the Bible.
WBCers WASTE their lives! I can’t wait to see the utter HORROR on their faces when they watch as Christ redeems the ENTIRE world in the end. Yup WBC, he died for the SINS OF THE WORLD…. ONCE AND FOR ALL for Sins! Haters like you, Hitler, Mengele, Muslims, Athiests, Christians will be RCEONCILED to God in the end and there’s nothing you can do to stop it because GOD IS “””LOVE”””” not hate!!! His ultimate PURPOSE is REDEMPTION (yeah dude, like that’s why He freaking died… ummm to like “RECONCILE THE WORLD” to God.. Whoah, I know it’s too good to be true for you since you’d prefer because of your OWN evil heart to watch people’s eye balls burn out for all eternity) not roasting “forever and ever” (which is not even an accurate translation). I know, I know… Your Jesus is WAAY too lame and too much of a miserable failure to save EVERYONE! I’m so sorry the Bible says that’s EXACTLY what He WILL do!
What a waste… I’m sure most of you will cause yourself early heart attacks and bodily diseases by your hate and unforgiveness/harshness as Proverbs even says “Bitterness Rots the Bones.” Why don’t you read the WHOLE Bible IN Context and do a WORD study from the GREEK (ugh.. yeah man… the Bible wasn’t written in Old KJV English and there are over 2000 mistranslations…. guess what one MAJOR translation error was?? Yup, you got it…. HELL…. It DOESN’T EXIST IN THE GREEK OR THE HEBREW!!! Nuff said!!
Good luck you pathetic excuses for human beings!!!
As a true Christian, one that believes the Bible preaches Love, This makes me terribly sad. I am currently in college to get my degree in ministry and when I went to their website it just made me sad/mad. Celebrating condemnation on other people is a terrible excuse to live out your faith. If all you do is condemn the outward than your inward will be condemned eternally in my honest opinion. I will not say anyone is going to hell because I am not the judge, jury, or executioner, but I will likely not see these people in Heaven. “For God so loved THE WORLD.” Last time I checked, America, gays, soldiers, and war was apart of the world. #redeemingchristianity.
Man! WBC are a disgrace to all true Christians..and .Baptist Churches.
Westboro Baptists are overcomers.
They are being persecuted for trying to warn sinners about divine judgment.
It’s stuff like this that makes me proud to be an atheist. I have some neo-Nazi friends who think every reference I ever make to Germany has something to do with Nazis and get really excited when people make references to Oktoberfest or the DAX, and they look like my ex-hippie grandfather next to these assholes.
On the other hand, the belief that doing homework is sinning would seriously work for me (I’m in high school).
Driven by ignorance..says it all..