A fundamentalist Kansas “church” notorious for protesting at the funerals of troops killed in Iraq was ordered Wednesday to pay $10.9 million in damages to the father of a fallen Marine.
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(Photo: Carroll County Times / Dylan Slagle, File)Westboro Baptist church member Gabriel Phelps-Roper, 10, and his sister Grace Phelps-Roper, 13, both of Topeka, Kan., protest at the funeral of Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder in Westminster, Md. in this March 10, 2006, file photo. The father of the fallen Marine has been awarded $2.9 million by a jury that found leaders of the fundamentalist Westboro Baptist church had invaded the family's privacy when they picketed the Marine's funeral.
The Westboro Baptist Church believes that U.S. deaths in the Iraq war are punishment for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality and appeared last year at the funeral for Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, bearing signs that read: "Thank God for dead soldiers" and "God hates fags.”
A nine-member federal jury found members and three leaders of Westboro – Fred Phelps and his two daughters, Phelps-Roper and Rebekah Phelps-Davis – guilty for invasion of privacy and causing emotional distress.
The jury told the church to pay $2.9 million in compensatory damages and $8 million in punitive damages to the Marine’s father, Albert Snyder.
Snyder sobbed when he heard the verdict.
Craig Trebilcock, one of Snyder's lawyers later called the verdict "Judgment Day for the Westboro Baptist Church,” reported the Associated Press.
While it is still unclear whether Westboro can pay the fines, another of Snyder's lawyers, Sean Summers, said he would tirelessly seek payment of the award from what he called a “71-member cult.”
Westboro Baptist, which is not affiliated with any Baptist denomination, holds an unorthodox view on predestination, the idea that God determined at the time of one's creation whether they were bound for heaven or hell.
While the belief, stemming from the teachings of John Calvin, is also taught in mainstream churches, members of Westboro Baptist particularly emphasize God’s hatred in spreading their message.
The members of the church, made up of mainly Pastor Fred Phelps and his relatives, also believe that they must alert the condemned of their fate even though such people have no chance of going to heaven. According to past media reports, the congregation prays that all of God’s chosen people will come to this church. When the last person comes, they believe, Christ will return and the world will end.
Given their background, it is not a surprise that most members of the church seemed pleased with the ruling. The Associated Press reported that they left the court room with tight-lipped smiles.
Rev. Phelps was confident an appeal would rule in their favor.
“Oh, it will take about five minutes to get that thing reversed,” he said.
Jonathan Phelps, son of Fred Phelps Sr, said the national media attention will just give church members another platform to preach their message.
“We haven’t completed our testimony yet,” Phelps said in a 49abcnews.com report. “We have things to preach and we have things to tell.”
Earlier this year the church outraged mourning Americans when it planned to picket memorial services of the tragic Virginia Tech shooting victims.
The obscene nature of its protests have led to 31 states in America to pass legislation banning protestors from attending military funerals.
The group has maintained that the Baltimore ruling Wednesday would not affect future protests at funerals.
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You can find out how to help the Snyder family at:
http://www.matthewsnyder.org/index.html
I hope that all will join me in prayer for Matthew Snyder’s family and friends. I can’t even imagine the pain and sorrow that they are experiencing. To lose one’s son is a horrible tragedy. To have your son dishonored after his death is beyond words.
ifeelfine--
so be it. and thanks for informing me of what i feel. until you told me, i wasn't aware that i felt i knew everything. i will concede and allow you this argument out of the fact that it has become quite inane. i have more important things to do, like share the truth with people who want to know. i'm sure that we will cross paths again. so, until we meet again.
Prop. - And your condescension gives you away. What bothers me most is that I don't profess to have all the answers - I know that the Bible is open to interpretation. You don't. You feel that you know everything and have nothing to learn.
But you don't. Do you really expect me to believe that you think a women should have kids with her dead husband's brother? That is ridiculous. Is there anyone on this post that believes that? Please let me know.
ifeelfine....you anger gives you away. Yes, you're right about the Bible. It's all about love....sometimes tough love. And true....sexual morals (as far as man is concerned) do change, but God doesn't...and either does His view on it.
I've read the Bible. The Bible isn't about Law - its about Spirit. Sexual mores change - the Spirit doesn't.
Prophet - You are a liar - you know nothing about me. How dare you suggest that I am not a Christian and that I don't read the Bible.
Do you know what levirate marriage is? It's mandated in both the Old and New Testaments. If you die, do you expect your wife to become impregnated by your brother?
I take the Bible literally...like when someone asked Jesus what the greatest commandment was. His response was "To love you God with all your heart and soul and mind...and to love your neighbor as yourself. Upon these two hangs ALL the law and the prophets". (paraphrased of course) If you want to read the verbatim version than you can look it up. But I realize that you've probably never cracked open a Bible. All you know is what's been told to you by someone else. Study the Bible. Not just one chapter or book. Not even just one of the Old Testaments. Study the WHOLE Bible. You will realize how the whole Bible fits together. I do not expect an unsaved person to understand.
Nobody takes the Bible literally. No one. Show me a "Bible believing Christian" and I'll show you a liar.
The fact is, we all interpret it according to our own agenda. Mainstream Christianity doesn't endorse polygamy, marrying the very young, widowed women getting pregnant by their deceased husband's brother, slavery, concubinage, no intercourse within seven days of menses, stoning women who commit adultry, etc and yet the Bible endorses and in some instances even mandates these things.
Look, abolitionists during the mid-1800's certainly didn't have the Bible on their side (it was more on the side of the slave owners) and yet that movement was rooted in Christian faith. All I'm saying is that the cultural interpretation of the Bible has changed over time and based on our understanding of things.
I'm sure someone will trot out a passage about the inerrancy of the Bible or how it never changes - but it has and our interpretation of it does too.
The way some folks act around here, Copernicus is lucky he isn't alive anymore.
God doesnt hate America. He is allowing our sin to run it's course in our country. "For the wages of sin is death." Romans 6:23. And it's not just America...its any country that claims to be a Godly country that this is happening in. But, unfortunately, there are a few countries in this world that claim to be Christian.
So if God hates America because of "fags", why doesn't he hate European countries or other countries. America isn't the only country that has homosexuals in it! Its a shame b.c these people may actually deter some people who God is calling to be closer to HIm, but non-believers or even new believers may become afraid believing they may be like this! And I think the more media attention Westboro gets the more they are going to keep burning. Lets ignore them and we'll see how things may change! We need to pray for them and their children!!
ifeelfine--
quote the scripture that says that God hates those types of people. i'll show you were it says it's a sin, but i will also show you John 3:16...for God so loved the WORLD.....(that includes homosexuals). God hates sin....not the sinner. Just as if your child were to steal money from your purse/wallet. He is a thief. Do you hate him? Or do you just hate what he did? That, in all it's simplicity and truth, is how God views mankind. He doesn't hate us...he hates the sin that we involve ourselves in.
ifeelfine72,
does the woman caught in adultry ring a bell? go sin no more. calling it a sin is saying it is wrong. telling her not to do it anymore.....
BTW: Jesus probably wouldn't tell gay people their lifestyle is wrong - he didn't do it then and I'm not sure he would do it now. Jesus called out the people in power, the wealthy, etc - he didn't ever ostracize the little guy.
Most Christian's may not say "God hates f*gs" but the Bible literally says that and while they may not say it, most gay people I know definitely feel that way about Christians. They don't feel to much "love" from Christians. And that is too bad.
Dan65802 hit it right on the head. Every Christian interprets the Bible - it doesn't matter if your part of a "Bible believing" church or one out on the fringes. We all do it. And the real hypocrites are the ones that say they don't.
torus,
Jesus came not to condemn the world but to save it. Jesus is love, Christians are suppose to exhibit love peace, longsuffering, turn the other cheek. forgive and ye shall be forgiven, condemn and ye shall be condemned.
You see this cult goes against everything Jesus taught us. We are suppose to take up our cross and follow Jesus. We are suppose to look like Jesus. Would you see Jesus standing around spreading the hate these people are. NO!!! Jesus would tell a homosexual his lifestyle is wrong, repent ask Jesus into your heart and ask forgivness. Go and sin no more. Everything we do should be in love.
Also, athesists have a set of belief's on "faith". But they are wrong, there is a God one God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Whatever you believe in w/out seeing is based on faith. I'm assuming is what your thinking. You can't see wind, but you believe. You'll say, but I can feel it, you can feel God to, you just have to seek and he'll reveal himself to you.
Torus asked,
"Why am I supposed to believe you when you tell me the word of god but not this group when they do?"
Any piece of authoritative literature can be misinterpreted and misused. The Constitution, The Koran and the Bible have all been misused in the past. Just because people misuse these documents doesn't mean that people are hypocrites for studying what they say in context and applying it to their lives righteously. One might try reading it for yourself in order to determine who is misinterpreting the Bible and who is properly applying its Truth.
What hypocrisy! This group has a set of beliefs based on "faith". Most posters here also have a set of beliefs based on "faith". What makes their views wrong and your views right? Why am I supposed to believe you when you tell me the word of god but not this group when they do?
IMO Phelps is a cracker jack box preache. He, his followers and supporters don't understand America's promises, much less God loves all of his children My rights end at the point they intrude on yours. Odd as it seems the ability to bury a loved one in peace, is in the pursuit of happiness and an unalienable right In preaching God hates, he forgetst the hate the sin love the sinner part
SIGH
although they have the freedom of speech these people violated the fathers rights by causing him emotional harm. I don't believe this will be overturned because the father is not claiming that they could not say what they said but that they caused him harm. There are restrictions on tour freedom of speech, it cannot cause harm (hence it is illegal to yell fire in a crowded theater)
www.bellybutton88.blogspot.com
Tell that to the parents of the soldier who comes home in pieces.
In America we have freedom of speech, even for people like Westboro Baptist. Based on the facts in the article it should only take about 5 minutes for this verdict to be reversed on appeal.
Wow...hard to believe this band of hate mongering misfits wasn't sued sooner. Don't these dim-wits; know it's the troops who are putting their lives on the line that guarantee their right to demonstrate? Duh!
This group sickens me. I think God has a special place just for this 'family'...
"the idea that God determined at the time of one's creation whether they were bound for heaven or hell."
And they've got to "alert people to their fate," even if those folks are never going to heaven. Lovely, just lovely. Sounds like a bunch of social deviants to me, gleefully spreading bad news where they can. Jesus must be SO proud.