Talking to the ‘God is Hate’ church
February 22, 2010 by Craig Howie · 19 Comments
Holding protest banners and singing hymns, the small group demonstrating outside a US military base looked like any other that has protested American involvement in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
But a closer look at their banners revealed that this is not a typical group of peace protesters: “God Hates Fags” read one hand-made sign. “God Sent The Quake,” another one read. “You Will Eat Your Babies,” another.
The group chanted a slogan against abortion doctors. Anti-Jewish chants came next.Then a chorus of “You Will Never Win,” aimed at the military installation.
Across the street, another group waving American flags protested the protesters. A small police contingent was present on both sides of the street, which overlooks the Seal Beach Naval Base in Southern California.
The Westboro Baptist Church group from Topeka, Kansas, has made national and international headlines by protesting at the funerals of American troops killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Its website www.godhatesfags.com is filled with shrill invective aimed at Israel, the Obama administration, abortion doctors and clinics, and homosexuals. It says the group has held more than 47,000 protests across the US since its founding in 1955.
The church is considered a hate group. Members of its founding family were banned from traveling to Britain last year. Over the weekend the Westboro group also picketed a secondary school, a Jewish temple and a reggae festival (the group decried dancehall artist Shaggy, who has spoken out against homophobic lyrics in Jamaican music).
I was here to find out why a group would spout hate at a military funeral, or a school or temple.
But also, for my own personal irony file, to find out why the church demonised the existence of certain groups that it believed were necessary for their saviour’s return.
Rebekah Phelps-Davis, 49, a lawyer and the daughter of the church’s founder, Fred Phelps, told the Caledonian Mercury that US president “Beast Obama” soon will sink America and the world into fiery chaos, out of which their lord and saviour, Jesus Christ, will return.
The claim is based on a view of Biblical prophesy common to US evangelical groups but that the Kansas church has fitted into its unique worldview. Phelps smiled with pride as she held two signs that read: “The Jews Killed Jesus,” and “God Hates Israel.”
Phelps said: “Obama is the antichrist, he’s going to take this nation down as a stepping stone for him as he wants to be king of the world. It’s in the Bible that this must happen before our lord returns.
“We went to a high school and told those little brute beasts what they need to hear. Those children are the walking dead, headed for hell because the parents weren’t satisfied in going to hell themselves. I blame the children when they reach the age where they can choose between good and evil. At whatever age for that person. They have a duty to search the scriptures daily and obey God.
“The United States military needs to be told early and often that God is their No 1 enemy. They tell them that God loves everyone and that it’s OK to be gay, but God is killing the fruit of his womb because they have refused to obey the commandment of God. The fags run the military, the fags run the government.
“Britain is just as doomed as America. The British government banning Westboro Baptist Church did as much to deliver the message of God to that wicked and perverse nation as we ever could have done if we got in.”
Why protest a temple? “The Jews killed Jesus. Jesus was a Jew. So they are the the biggest anti-Semites that ever existed. They are doomed.”
She said no group or institution worldwide is considered “good” by the Westboro church. “Priests rape boys,” she said.
Phelps said the group has been ostracised by its home community but enjoys its pariah status.
“These are the promises of God being fulfilled on this earth. It’s a good thing for the elect of God, because the ultimate end of it is the return of our saviour and power and glory. But we’re going to tell you, early and often, that’s where the path of sin and fornication has to end.”
The counter-protesters, aged between 14 and 20, with some of them serving in the forces, traveled from suburbs of Los Angeles in a fleet of six pick-up trucks displaying large American flags. The group’s spokesman, Nick Zimmerman, says the group flies the Stars and Stripes as the Kansas church group often displays it inverted, which he says is an insult to the country and military.
“It’s all over our duty to stand up for the United States. I have no problem them protesting at another church but they shouldn’t protest soldiers’ funerals. Soldiers went over and died for their right to freedom of speech, their right to protest.”
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As a christian I find these people very disturbing and I don’t believe that this is the way Jesus would act or speak.
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To most balanced people this sort of crazed godbotherers are reprehensible and funny in spades, however the good ol’ US of A seems to be awash with nunerous variations on this theme. Was Mrs Robinson their Irish Ambassador?
Once they’re done with exercising their democratic they should given gainful employment as waterboard testers, though I’d have thought the counter demonstrators might have given them some “aggro”.
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I also am a Christian and I agree with David’s comment. Those guys are very disturbing, and their message totally the opposite of what is in the bible. The Jesus they claim to follow bears no relationship to the one I find in scripture.
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Well they would not get away with that in Scotland……any advertising for fags is to be banned.
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I’m not overly bothered about the Westboro guys. They’re an extremist minority and they’re best ignored.
This, on the other hand, worries me a bit more:
“Soldiers went over and died for their right to freedom of speech, their right to protest.”
It’s a sentiment that I’ve read and heard an awful lot, but I don’t think it has been true since the Second World War — there has been no threat of military invasion of the US since the defeat of the Japanese forces in 1945.
Since then, no military action taken by the USA has been to protect the rights of US citizens in their homeland, but either to help protect foreign peoples or to further American political or economic interests overseas.
If popular American support for the current war is driven by a misguided belief that underdeveloped Middle Eastern states (or even more risibly small terrorist networks) have a genuine chance of overrunning the United States, then can we really say that the USA has a popular mandate for war?
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Oh how I love the God Squad and their ability to Love their neighbour to death.
They really have no idea how daft they are. One of the downsides to being a numpty I suppose.
Favourite Quote “Why protest a temple? “The Jews killed Jesus. Jesus was a Jew. So they are the the biggest anti-Semites that ever existed. They are doomed.”
The likelyhood that most of the people who lived and travelled with their beloved Jesus would have considered themselves Jew’s does not seem to register.
Anyway one of the best sites on the Internet for anyone who likes to have a laugh at religiously crazy then check out this spoof site http://www.landoverbaptist.org/
God Bless only those who shares exactly the same religious belief as me for we are the truly saved and will be the only people in heaven. FACT. Book your place in heaven now by paying upfront with Mastercard.
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I thought that the Romans killed Jesus but I don’t think these people should be condemned, they are merely, like the rest of humanity, in an immature and stalled stage of psychological development and fanatacism aside, they may not be wrong, Obama and Clinton have been talking about an attack on Iran since 2007 and before, which, as they are alligned militarily with the Russians and the Chinese, will kick off WWIII, or as it is known to the end timers and rapturists, the war between Gog and Magog……….
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It would be fair to say that Jesus of Nazareth was killed by the Romans (who were just following orders) and his fellow Jews.
I agree with Hanfgeist that both sides were probably psychologically immature, not to mention illiterate and under the cosh of the religious elite.
But I would never think that the Jews are doomed, in fact they are showing a remarkable level of survival skills. Israel is roughly the size of Wales, so imagine, for a moment, living in Wales which is surrounded by twenty or so states who want to eradicate all Welsh people !
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I’m not a christian, or have any other supernatural beliefs. I am concerned about the outrageous behavior of a few individuals being attributed to their religon. Flying planes into tall buildings is “just” a crime, I don’t care what they think their invisible friend makes of it. Howling abuse at the funerals of young men is dispicable, no matter what ill-conceived foreign adventure they were fooled into participating in. I find no extra information about their religous motives useful, its just criminal behavior. Its not special in any way, just wrong.
I am reminded of the effect alchohol can have on some people. For most of us it is a social drug of empathy, yet a few intoxicees commit dreadful acts of violence. ” It was the drink, your honour”. Some people should not drink alchohol, perhaps some people should not “do god”.
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I couldn’t have put it better myself!
Quoting scripture seems to give people a higher sense of moral purpose to the extent that even these nutters honestly believe their vitriolic rants. Take religion out of the equation and I think we’d all agree that they simply have deep-rooted psychological problems.
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PLEASE LISTEN:!!!!!!
Im not a bible fanatic extremist but Im a realist and firm believer in all the teachings of Jesus Christ. I study his teachings and his word very very much and have a very powerful relationship with Jesus Christ. What I can say is this group of people doing and saying these things are soooo far of track and away from the word. Please don’t listen to these christians… Here is exactly what Jesus said about those types of people…
Matthew 7:22 – On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’
Matthew 7:23 – Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. get away from me, you evildoers!’
Some people just turn to christianity to be apart of something and wanna be “Christian of the year” that wasn’t Gods intention of sending his son to the world. He came to teach gods laws, created a new covenant and offer himself as a sacrifice, so through him we could be cleaned from sin.
Don’t be fooled or deceived by these people. His return is very close!
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@david kelly,
Before your comment causes international embarrassment if you can make the connection between this article, the 79 Group, Kenny MacAskill and freedom of speech you will be reprieved from embarrassment and a punishment of Carol Kirkwood reading you the weather in the Blue Peter garden for eternity.
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Religious nuts in this country support the Old Firm, Tony Blair and Gordon Broon.
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One of the songs they were singing at all of the Long Beach, CA protests was a parody of Matisyahu’s “One Day” (it’s an anti-hate, anti-war song, sung by a reggae-beat boxing Hassidic Jew). I looked up their studio version of their parody – it’s worth a watch so you can really appreciate their insanity.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ksOsXsoOXQ
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Whilst I find the behaviour of these people reprehensible, I am far more concerned by the behaviour and the views of so called ‘end timers’, who not only believe that they will witness the second coming of Christ, but actively try to bring about the conditions which will cause the second coming of Christ. They think we are living in the book of revelation, and during the U.S. election campaign spread their belief that Obama was the antiChrist. They celebrate the lack of peace in the middle east and will do anything they can to further any cause that they think will hasten the end of the world.
To them, war is good, as is global warming or anything that endangers our continued existence on this earth, as it only brings closer the day that they expect to be scooped up by their saviour.
I would like to know how many of the American politicians who currently consider themselves ‘evangelical right wingers’ share these views, as I’m sure it would be a dark day for the world if any of these people should find themselves in positions of power.
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wow your deleting comments form people arguing against your claim on a story? .. on a debate page? you delete peoples comments that dont agree with yourselves Caledonian? … bad times
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I always wonder about God’s plan for Jesus and how he was going to save people.
Step 1. born out of wedlock / virgin birth
Step 2. 30 years living normal life, working as joiner
Step 3. upset the local establishment and get nailed to the cross until death
Step 4. have all his “children” kill and oppress each other for two thousand years
Step 5. destroy the whole world and move everyone to heaven on judgement day
God has been so vague on the details of the plan for salvation but thanks to the religious nutjobs we know that he likes songs, hates gays, hated coloureds(until 100 years ago), hates long hair, like beards, hates rock music, hates dancing, hates sex before marriage, hates abortion, hates all religions expect 1.
For a “God” who created such a perfect and complex universe he really has not given this particular plan much thought and If God is LOVE why do we always see this love manifest as HATE.
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Flying an American flag upside down or inverted is a distress signal, maybe an archaic one, but a distress signal. It is not an insult, and as far as I can see Westboro does not intend flying the flag upside down as an insult. An insult would be trampling on an American flag which they do do.
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“god hates fags!” – Well I’m glad he’s a non smoker anyway.
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