Westboro Baptist Church Coming to Virginia Tech

Ooh La La · #1 03-25-2010, 01:03 PM

From their very eloquent "God Hates Fags" website:

"Virginia Tech N. Main St. & E. Roanoke St. (SW Corner) WBC to picket Virginia Tech to connect the dots. God sent the killer because of your proud sin! You raise your kids to believe they can disobey God with impunity, and that His commandments are all on the table to be disposed of whenever you please. That's why they think fornication, adultery, and sodomy are all just in good fun (instead of the filthy practices they are), and that's why the wrath of God is on them. God is cursing you by killing those same children that you have lied to all their lives. VA Tech was just GodSmacked -- another of your students murdered -- and you still refuse to heed and obey the standards of God. Woe unto you! "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness...!" Isa. 5:20. You're going to Hell, and you're taking your kids with you."

http://www.godhatesfags.com/schedule.html

Throughout several facebook groups, over 4,000 Virginia Tech students are coming out with a protest of our own.

We're trying to organize something like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7Of_...eature=channel

DrPhil · #2 03-25-2010, 01:43 PM

I recommend that VTech students save the protests for a more worthy cause.

Everyone already knows those people are loony and their cause is bullshit.

agzg · #3 03-25-2010, 01:46 PM

Although if your fraternities want to blast music and dance provacatively in front of them, I'm OK with that.

I'm still laughing over that and it was almost a year ago.

MysticCat · #4 03-25-2010, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrPhil

I recommend that VTech students save the protests for a more worthy cause.

Everyone already knows those people are loony and their cause is bullshit.

I know it will never happen, but absolutely the best way to protest these loonies is to ignore them. Completely.

Ooh La La · #5 03-25-2010, 02:23 PM

Right now the idea is to raise money to donate to gay, jewish, etc. groups. We will then donate the proceeds in the name of the WBC. That way we're just not shouting at them from across the street and fueling the fire.

DrPhil · #6 03-25-2010, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ooh La La

Right now the idea is to raise money to donate to gay, jewish, etc. groups. We will then donate the proceeds in the name of the WBC. That way we're just not shouting at them from across the street and fueling the fire.

That's too much of a "college kids" way of handling it.

You are still fueling the fire.

If you haven't already done so, donate to certain groups because you WANT TO and leave the WBC completely out of it.

ThetaPrincess24 · #7 03-25-2010, 05:42 PM

I cosign with Dr. Phil's comments.

As a Baptist, I really dislike it when "militant" Baptist churches (and other churches) do such things. It doesnt win people to Christianity, especially the Gay Community. In fact, when I was looking at churches to join two years ago, I made sure I joined one that did not preach politics from the pulpit.

As far as religious nuts coming to college campuses--When I attended UK, there was a nut group holding signs that said things like, "Hey Gays Do you have AIDS yet?" A sign like that is not only inciteful, but ignorant to the disease of AIDS. One of those nuts actually struck a student (slapped on the face) after the student offered money to the group to shut up. The student never pressed charges, but the University banned them from campus.

KSUViolet06 · #8 03-25-2010, 06:41 PM

Best thing to do when they show up is ignore. They thrive on people's reactions.

Side question: Isn't Westboro just that that one old guy and his kids/grandkids? I watched a Westboro documentary once and from what I saw I don't think they have any followers other than family.

epchick · #9 03-25-2010, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThetaPrincess24

In fact, when I was looking at churches to join two years ago, I made sure I joined one that did not preach politics from the pulpit.

I hope none of the churches you've attended or looked act actually did that, since isn't that against the law?

My church is really good about not doing that, even if you are to ask one of the pastors, like out of the church environment, what their belief is regarding politics they usually just kinda beat around the bush w/o really fully addressing it.

The only time I really didn't like what my church did was years back when one of members of the church (not the pastor) was giving announcements and then stopped 1/2 way through to say "let's stop and pray for the homosexuals" and blah blah. I got real uncomfortable and ended up just walking out until he was done.

RU OX Alum · #10 03-25-2010, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by epchick

I hope none of the churches you've attended or looked act actually did that, since isn't that against the law?

No, that's not against the law.

Not secular law, anyway.

33girl · #11 03-25-2010, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by epchick

I hope none of the churches you've attended or looked act actually did that, since isn't that against the law?

Politics is not just Republicans and Democrats. I think TP is talking about other "political" issues (like abortion & homosexuality) that are regarded by many churches to be religious issues.

nervousnelly · #12 03-25-2010, 09:58 PM

WBC came to my high school last fall to protest our fall production of "The Laramie Project." They hype up their "scheduled" protests by posting awful articles about the whoever they plan to protest (as they did with my high school) on their website. When it came down to the protest there was 1-2 adults and I think maybe 3 kids. Really the best thing to do is to ignore them. They are looking for a reaction and they seem to always get one. I've seen several of their protests because they are located a few hours away from my home. It really is a shame and sickening to see how brainwashed the children are (holding signs saying anything from "rock chalk kill the faggots" or "gays caused 9/11"). Last I heard, Fred Phelps is in failing health so I just wonder how strong the church will be once he's passed.

ThetaPrincess24 · #13 03-26-2010, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 33girl

Politics is not just Republicans and Democrats. I think TP is talking about other "political" issues (like abortion & homosexuality) that are regarded by many churches to be religious issues.

You are correct. My church's leaders dont go on about alcohol/smoking bans either.

In fact, a few years back there was a big deal downtown regarding giving benefits to gays/including them in affirmative action, something like that. It caused a major uproar in the city. Gays protested many of the local Baptist and Pentecostal churches here, my church being one of them. Camera crews were dispatched to every location to make sure if there was a fight it was caught on video for the evening news. Anywho, our pastor told everyone that when we go outside to leave church we would encounter these protesters. He said the best thing to do was to smile and to ignore what they were saying and not put fuel on the fire. So amazingly, that's what people did, and the protesters and camera crews left.

To address someone's comment about churches not preaching politics from the pulpit. Sadly some do. There is one Baptist church in particular down the road from me that does. They are what I would consider "militant." Their pastor did headstands on buildings downtown and the top of his church when all of the above hoopla was going on in protest of gay rights. They still have the old fashioned tent revivals too. Knowing that pastor and that church, I didnt consider it as an option for membership.

deepimpact2 · #14 03-26-2010, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by epchick

I hope none of the churches you've attended or looked act actually did that, since isn't that against the law?

Why would that be against the law?

And why are people characterizing homosexuality as a political issue? VOTING on the issue of gay marriage is a political issue, but generic homosexuality isn't.

As for this church organization, I don't agree with their tactics, I don't agree with their choice of words. I disagree with homosexuality for religious reasons, but I think there are other ways to express that viewpoint. But what annoys me is that the general public likes to use people like this as an example of "what is wrong" with Christianity and the church. These people are a SMALL part of the Christian community.

MysticCat · #15 03-26-2010, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deepimpact2

Quote:

Originally Posted by epchick

I hope none of the churches you've attended or looked act actually did that, since isn't that against the law?

Why would that be against the law?

I think there's some confusion around this. It's not a church-state thing. It's a tax thing.

Churches are exempt from having to pay taxes. As a condition of that tax exemption, they cannot engage in political activity. But contrary to what is sometimes heard, that doesn't mean politics can't be mentioned in the pulpit. In this context it means that churches cannot engage in partisan campaign activity -- they cannot "participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office." (Section 501(c)(3)).

So, a church can say "get out and vote." A church can educate voters about the issues. A church can even say "vote pro-life" or "vote for gay marriage." But a church cannot say "vote for candidate X" or "vote Democratic/Republican" without endangering its tax exempt status.