The Westboro Baptist Church is less of a church than it is a hate group. The group, based in Topeka, is currently made up of only about forty members. The church was created in 1931 as a branch of the East Baptist Church. When pastor Fred Phelps took control of the church, he cut all ties from the East Baptist Church and changed the general motives of the church. Phelps participated in the Civil Rights Movement and was strictly against racism and the use of violence as a form of protest. After the change in leadership, the organization of Primitive Baptist Calvinists began to travel around the country protesting any movement they were against.
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| Members of the Westboro Baptist Church Picketing |
The list of movements they oppose is long, ranging from homosexuals to American soldiers. The group was popularized when seen picketing the funeral of Matthew Shepard, a man brutally beaten to death for allegedly hitting on another man. The group often pickets the funerals of soldiers, gay events, jewish institutions, and funerals of celebrities for the purpose of receiving national attention. It is estimated that the church spends over $250,000 a year on funding their picketing. Some money is earned back in lawsuits in which the church is violently retaliated against. Some controversial views held by members of the church include that Barack Obama is the antichrist and that his presidency is a sign of the apocalypse as well as supporting the deaths of American soldiers.
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/group/westboro-baptist-church
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westboro_Baptist_Church
This is a very interesting post. It is always interesting when we see a religious group, something intended to lift people up and hold them to some standard of morality, turns into an outlet or hatred and political protest. The issue of religious groups and their values when it comes to gay rights and women's reproductive health is certainly topical in today's society. Do you think that it is sustainable for the Westboro Baptist church to focus their energy into picketing and lawsuits, or do you think such an institution will eventually lose steam and die out?
ReplyDeleteIt's very ironic that Phelps was influenced by the Civil Rights movement and being against racism. After all, his group is now protesting against the civil rights of other socials groups. Illustrated by their disproval of violence contributing to the church's protest against the armed forces, it's easy to see how a mob mentality can twist a group's beliefs. It's interesting to see how the church can maintain the momentum to keep on protesting. For more info on where the church gets its money, read this article http://www.vocativ.com/culture/religion/how-westboro-baptist-church-make-its-money/
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