DOES GOD HATE FAGS?
The Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) and its website www.godhatesfags.com have been known to me for some time. But it wasn’t until recently that the hatred that they preach awakened the activist in me.
After doing some research on the Church and its leader Fred Phelps, I was left wondering why anti-gay propaganda and violence-inspiring hate speech are still allowed in the USA and for that matter anywhere else in the world.
Fred Phelps and his family have been running their “Church” since 1955. Both Fred and the rest of his clan have a dodgy past, with several criminal charges filed against them. Their Church consists of approximately 71 members with 80% belonging to the Phelps family. They have taken it upon themselves to preach the “Word of God” to the world and, according to them, we’re all going to hell.
God apparently hates just about everyone – including several countries but especially “faggots” and “fag-enablers” (people who support homosexuals). (The Church favours the word “faggot” over the word “gay” and it has a long explanation on its website on this issue). The members of the WBC come armed with several biblical texts to support their claims.
They picket military funerals, funerals of people who have died of AIDS or gay bashings and even Jewish and Muslim religious events. At all their protests, the church members carry signs proclaiming “God Hates Fags”, “Death Penalty for Fags”, “Your Son’s in Hell”, “God Hates America”, “Thank God for 9/11” – I could go on. After reading some of the tripe written on their website, I must admit I looked out my window searching for rain clouds: I was sure God was about to strike me dead with lightning because, according to the WBC, I am such an abomination and sinner that God’s wrath could befall me at any second.
The most entertaining Phelps of the bunch is Shirley Phelps-Roper, who is the official spokesperson for this loony family Church. In interviews she displays a distinct lack of fashion sense and a dread of hair product and make-up; maybe God hates cosmetic products as well. She looks as frightening as the words she spits from her mouth with extreme conviction.
I also noticed that she likes using the words “missy” and “bimbo” quite frequently in interviews. This makes her sound like the bible study teacher from hell. I would love to see her go one-on-one with a drag queen – discussing the issue of sodomy. I can just picture all the head-bobbing, finger-waving and hilarious statements, references and rebuttals; I’d pay good money to be a spectator.
The next generation of Phelps family members are just as scary and crazy; complete with two Paris and Nicky Hilton types. They don’t come across as very bright as their education stems mostly from their cult-like family upbringing. They disguise their festering hatred towards everything non-Phelps behind peroxide, makeup and cute Hilton inspired outfits (maybe they should give Aunt Shirley some fashion and beauty tips).
Fred Phelps is turning 90 and, while he will not live very long, his legacy and preaching of hatred will continue through his indoctrinated offspring. His voice will still be heard from beyond the grave; whether he’s in heaven or in hell. According to him, hell is going to be very congested so if he ends up there I hope he made reservations.
Being annoyed with the Phelps family and their Church of hate and intolerance, I recently started a campaign on Facebook to have the WBC website removed or banned. A friend asked me why I’m bothering to spend time protesting the WBC and their website as they are in the USA and I am in South Africa. My answer was “because I can access their website in South Africa. And if I can access it so can others; people who may just be inclined to take what the Phelps clan are preaching to heart and their cancer will spread.”
While I believe that all people should have freedom of speech, the line can easily be crossed as we have seen so many times before. In my opinion, the WBC and the Phelps family are raping their freedoms and are spreading hate speech. They are specifically targeting the homosexual community and innocent people who do not deserve to be disrespected at their own funerals. The Phelps family is causing harm and emotional distress to people who have done nothing wrong and they should be stopped. The United Kingdom is one country I’m aware of that has banned the Phelps family from entering its borders. At least their citizens are safe – until they go on the internet that is.
If what the WBC is saying is true, then we are all condemned to hell and most countries are doomed. In fact, hell will be bursting at the seams with all the homosexuals, Jews, Muslims, black people, soldiers and just about everyone else on earth that is not a member of the Phelps family.
In the real world however, where people talk sense, are rational and can distinguish between right and wrong, I will fight the WBC and the Phelps family. I will rally anyone who will listen to protest against their delusional cult-like tactics and the tripe they spew and the lies they spread. I hope you’ll join me in this endeavour. It only takes one person to make a difference, let that one person be you!
Do you agree that the WBC website should be banned or blocked from being viewed in South Africa, or should the Church’s members have the right to express themselves – no matter how extreme they may be? Give us your thoughts below.
Phelps. I am sick and tired of people saying that freedom has no limits. Its bloody ridiculous. The only thing in my opinion that is as bad as extreme conservatism is extreme liberalism. The Phelps website and all other hate based websites should be shut down immediately. The fact that these people, let alone their websites can cause irreparable harm to god knows how many people always seems to get pushed aside in the name of freedom of speech. This sort of speech should not be allowed anywhere.
Who are they to judge?. What became of “love your neighbour”? Is it okay to love your neighbour only if they’r not a “fag”? What and who gave them the right to judge anyone? We all would like to believe our own version of what qualifies as acceptable social behaviour, but have no grounds to force it through the system or propogate it as the only way or the truth. I believe that extreme homophobic people are ill informed and uneducated about love, sex and personal choices. May God have mercy for the Phelps family!
phelps. Pierre,,, maybe you can help… when is the generel population going to realize that being gay is a choice of what one does in one’s bedroom…. the rest of one’s life is conducted with, hopefully the same value system as the rest of the populace on this planet…. ‘hello’ can someone not wake up these arse holes… who by some accounts, are more bizaar in their bedrooms than the majority of gay people..
The sad truth. To most people, it’s more acceptable to see two guys walking down the street, holding guns, than seeing the guys holding hands.
We still have a long way to go, changing peoples perspective, and the Phelps sure ain’t helping.
Agree and Disagree. Firstly I disagree with “Me” comments when he says that being gay is a choice of what one does in the bedroom. I believe that people are born gay as i was because as far as i can remember i always knew that i was different from boys that kissed girls because i wanted to kiss those boys. *wink*
Secondly i agree with the article, as i am a christian believe God doesn’t want anyone to judge anyone because that’s what he will be doing on judgement day. These bunch of phelps people are just doing it for attention and i believe that their day will come. We should just ignore these types of people not go to their website because the more clicks it gets the more attention they are loving. We should embrace them and just tell them it’s OK! As Albert Einstein once said:
“True religion is real living; living with all one’s soul, with all one’s goodness and righteousness.”
You should know deep in your heart that there is nothing wrong with you, you are who you are and NEVER let anyone put you down for who you are because you are a fantastic and wonderful person and so are the rest of the people living in this crazy world. We all bleed the same colour!!
MWah
SAHRC. The Phelps website was reported to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) and I received conformation that the complaint(s) are being reviewed.
So if you also feel strongly that this website should be banned or blocked from South Africa, you can forward your complaint to them via e-mail:
mmoletsane@sahrc.org.za
jsteffers@sahrc.org.za
lmolepo@sahrc.org.za
smutlwane@sahrc.org.za
ndumane@sahrc.org.za
christian fanatics. its not just the phelps who are so veheminently anti gay.check on the mormon cult…..anti gay, they brainwash there members, spend millions on anti gay propaganda and ‘curing’ gays……according to them we choose to live this sinfull lifestyle…but yes the phelps cult ar totaly fucked up . ive seen the programe on tv and was fuming afterwards. they are the most backward bunch of americans ive ever seen , but they not the only ones
OMG. They sound just like my mother!!!God does not hate fags – god loves each and every person in this world gay or straight or fucking confused!!!!We just choose the life we live in and that is our choice – Im here – I am GAY & no one or family person will change the way i feel!this is my life and i can choose for myself.so put your issue in a bag make a hole and throught the bag in in close thehole and forget about it people – we aint going ANYWHERE! –
I agree completely. If only one person get hurts emotionally or physically it is already too much. Even in ancient was gay lifestyles more acceptable than today. Are we going backwards instead of as we proclaim to be so advanced? Get rid of them.
Banning of the site. I do believe that their site should be banned. The WBC spends a fortune every year on travelling across the US to picket funeral and cause trouble. Their funding comes from these websites – why do you suppose ALL the clothing while they are out and about displays their website names? Ban access to the sites and their income will dwindle…
God is a God of love not hate. when are these people going to realise the God is a God of love and that no matter who you are or what u doing God loves you and He will always be with you no matter what. he is not there for only the straight people God is there for everyone because he created us. I believe that I am what I am because God has this magnificent plan in my life and that I will get to the top with His help. The world must stop this hate speech, website and arrogantce agains others the whole universe was created for each and everyone of us. May these people must realise that this universe is for all of us and not only for them.
Banned. Must be banned
Shame. There site is so fucked it does not even work anymore!!!!I think ons moffies het hulle site gecrash!!!Wahahaha
Remember ZA did not sign UN declaration. Did our very own govt give a convincing argument why they did not sign the UN declaration declaring homophobia also a hate crime? Seems to me they also only pay lip service… let’s start civil campaigns in our own backyard…
Pinko’s. Saw a program done by Louis Theroux on this bunch of pinko’s….all I can say is: Shame…What a sad bunch of losers…dont hey have a life?…lol
god hates fags. How common can people be, the greatest evil of all RELIGION- it sparked of world wars in the past, claimed hundreds and thousands of lives… are they not suppose to preach tollerance and the love of the so called god…. or is the human mind god and what you believe?
Phelps fuck off
he who judge, shall be judged. let God sort them out! sure they have very miserable lives anyway
NEVER BAN OR BLOCK!. Whether it serves us or not, civil liberities dictate that we not ban free speech in any form simply because it offends us or even if it, by its very nature, spreads hate. You can dismiss ideas, but banning them means that someone or some group has made the conscious decision that we, as free citizens, cannot make choices for ourselves. When that begins, then we as people are doomed to slip down an moral and ethical precipice to which we have little chance of returning.
If you truly believe that all people should have freedom of speech, it doesn’t come with a rider (unless it actively incites violence or, by its intent, causes grievance bodily harm). Bottom line, you cannot believe in democracy “except for those people.” We should be better and wiser and stronger and more principled than that. Calling for a ban makes us no better than they are. Nazis ban, Mugabe bans. Lovers of democracy and civil liberties live by their ideals, no matter how bitter that pill can be.
And the one thing some of us often seem to forget is that the rage we feel is exactly where Phelps and the WBC get their strength. As unfashionable as it may seem, to turn one’s back and “rise above” diminishes their power altogether. They want to be watched; they want to be in the news. They want us to react as inarticulately as they do and grovel in the mud alongside them. They want us to debase ourselves and calling for a ban does just that. So don’t rise to the bait.
And Pierre, please don’t think that banning them makes us “safe.” It’s the same argument that Bush used to approved the Homeland Security Act just seven year ago and look where the world is now. Or have we forgotten that lesson already?
In many ways, this article offends me. (I’m sorry, but I’m offended by the very suggestion of censorship and the self-righteousness by which it is being called.) But despite my own personal feelings, I would fight for your right to print it. I would allow you to offend my sensibilities because you have the right to do so. At the same time, I have the right to choose whether to read the article or not; to make my own decisions and not be shielded for my own “protection.”
Surrendering that right is something we should never ask for.
Well said Jamie. I fully agree that free speech should always be protected and stifling it does not only put is in danger of having our own liberties curtailed by others, but pushes unpopular opinion underground where it can’t be confronted.
PRO vs ANTI. I reckon we should change from “ANTI-” campaigns to “PRO-” campaigns… so instead of being anti-[fill in your favourite nemesis here], rather support and publicise things that you do actually care about; in this case it would be publicising the wonderful pro-human rights websites etc. that are out there. *Being anti- just focuses attention on the negative.* We need to ***ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE*** (was it Pollyanna who said that!? *smiley*
Raul. I think you probably stated it better than anyone else here, Raul. Well put.
Jamie. Jamie I am sorry but as lovely as your little speech sounds you seem to be forgetting one VERY important thing. Its not just physical harm that counts. Phelps and his group of outdated idiots cause immense trauma to the feelings and minds of gay people by telling them they are going to hell forever. A persons feelings count as well as their bodies and if you think that free speech applies to hate speech then lets see how you react when the Phelps are camping outside your lovers funeral chanting that you and he are going to burn in hell for all to hear as they have been doing to soldiers and other high profile funerals for years.
Know thy enemy, for the enemy knows only to destroy you… I remember first hearing of Phelps and that insane asylum they call a church back in 2005, while living in London. I saw a rather fascinating BBC Documentary Titled”The most hated family in america”
My first thought, “once i raised my jaw off the ground” , was one of absolute overwhelming confusion, second thought was “those poor children”
being raised on a communal compound, so to speak , where all the family ie: Church members , reside .
So much hate all around them, words obviously including “hate fags, hate america, hoar, bimbo, hate ,hate ,hate “
Those kids are so traumatised by the hate in that place ..
“Royal Hoar in Hell ” placed on a photo of princess Diana … One of their famous picket signs …
God Hates Fags
I like this article because we should be aware of our enemy’s , and that’s exactly what those ppl are , they hate us , they are enemy’s..
So.. i don’t think we should ban the website, http://www.godhatesfags.com , i for one, want to see what those ppl are up to, I keep that documentary in my vast video library , I also have several podcasts from their church sermons…
well
fortunately for 4 of Fred Phelps’s 13 children escaped the madness, and I can only hope more grand children can escape because that old man is quite delusional ….
God hates no one!. Thanks for the great article, Pierre.
It took the greater part of my lifetime to realize that God hates no one. And along with that, one does not need the sanction of the church, any church, to be acceptable to God. We are His creation, and as such are already acceptable. Period.
Phelps family. CLOSE IT DOWN. It is time people stand up against all forms of abuse, whether child, woman, physical, mental, gay, strait, political, racial etc. It is not ok and it is not ok to be tolerant of it either
Religious Homophobia. Extremist homophobia is a pain in the #ss! Religious extremism is worse than anal warts.
Religion is daily becoming extinct and will implode into oblivion because it can’t speak to where peopleare really at REGARDLESS of whether or not they’re gay, straight or whatever!
God created Adam & Steve … get over it!
Censorship. Jamie, the issue of censorship is quite a tricky one.
South Africa is a democracy with one of the best Constitutions in the world protecting all its citizens’ basic human rights. Unlike in the USA our constitution also makes a clear distinction between freedom of speech and hate speech.
The banning of the Phelps God Hates Fags website is a matter of principle, sending out a clear message that South Africa does not tolerate hate speech and the malicious and unprovoked attacks of Homosexuals, Jews, Muslims, Black People etc, whether verbally, in written form or by any other means. We will also not tolerate the incitement of violence towards any groups of people or individuals.
Eventhough the banning of their website can to a certain degree can be construed as censorship, when the basic human rights of people to exist, be acknowledged and being laid to rest in peace or practice their religion is trampled on I believe it’s justified.
It has also been suggested that it would be best just to ignore the Phelps family and their “Church”. Unfortunately ignoring a problems does not make it go away. I am aware that they crave attention and publicity, but publicity goes both ways. If they get negative press from our protest, they will get the attention they seek but at least more people will know about their delusion messages and be better armed against them.
9/11. Ritful,
When faced with your enemy it’s always best to do it with grace and compassion, as at the end of the day you have to leave the battle with your integrity intact.
So even though I do believe in fighting fire with fire, there are right and wrong ways to go about it.
We don’t want to spread hate and intolerance do we? We are better than that! We want to promote peace, acceptance and tolerance. So I believe in approaching the Phelps in that spirit.
Gay Christian. I am a gay Christian and proud of it. Those incentious idiots in the so called “land of milk and honey” living there so called “American Dream” should be ashamed of themselves. They are an embarresment to the Christian faith as well as America. Looking at the picture of that female on your site, no straight man will touch her. Perhaps she tried her luck with a gay man and was rejected as well.
Trash the Phelps trash. Maybe in a situation like this, one should take the law into ones hands and with militant action wipe the lower than scum of the face of the earth. If they want to bash us, we should bash back with a force that knocks them out completely. There are so many ways, road side bomb, deranged parent, the devil told me to do it. In our day and age talking will not help and neither will God. When Hitler was massing his forces against the Jews, the world did nothing and look what happened! It is never to late to stop demons like the Phelps trash.
hhhhhhhhhhh. You are te demonized one pervert. Perverts like you are disgusting in the eys of God. You are hell bound motherfucker
The most hated family in America. I have done some research of this on my own, and this family is quite absurd however very intriguing… I recently watch a program on BBC knowledge about this family and it was so absurd that I actually could not stop watching ? it was really entertaining and I would advise all to try and see this programmed when it is re-broadcasts again (it is correctly named “The Most Hated Family in America “) .
Go google them, and they even have information on them on Wikipedia. Go educate yourself… however I expect that this family thrives on attention and any negative attention they get just makes them more committed in their message. I would call to the entire WORLD to just ignore them…
The most hated family in America. Sorry, I need to add to my previous message that NO ONE should go to their websites… Google them anyway you like, but DO NOT go to their websites as I believe this could be generating revenue for them (I’m not sure about this… but they are getting money somewhere…)
Phelps family and gay hate speech. Wow, this blog is alot to take in and is a subject very close to my heart. In pains me to see that someone is capable of spreading such hurtful and deceitful lies. We do not yet understand how powerful words are.. they can make or .. unfortunately break people. My vision is exactly opposite to that of the phelp family.. Its to tell our people that God loves us no matter what our skin colour, gender or SEXUAL ORIENTATION! God loves all nations.. including the gay nation. The phelp family will be in my prayers because it seems they are in desperate need of it. To all my gay brothers and sisters.. do some research.. everything is just a click away. dont let the world tell you wants right and wrong.. pray about it and make the decision yourself.. Blessings
Knowledge. I am surprised you even refer to God as your reference and you even offer to pray for them. Woman phuuulez. The same God you claim to want to pray to said, ‘HOMOSEXUALITY IS A GROSS AND ENORMOUS SIN’ he said again, ‘ do not be fooled, no homosexual shall inherit the Kingdom of heaven’ God is holy, he does not cohabitate with sin, homsexuals are disgusting in his eyes. He does not have to hate them, they are not of him and they hate him by being such. You are the one who need serious prayer. Indeed people perish because of lack of knowledge..You are the ignorant on love. I will make a point to pray for you.
no to ban. Mr Writer Sir. listern to your self. I am not surprised your epistle is infested with gross ignorance. Such is the pervert in you. A homosexual is mentally and bodily abnormal and homosexuality is a gross and enormous sin so they must be given more space to preach salvation to the ignorant and hell bound sinners like you. In fighting that who preaches salvation you are fighting God himself. I pity you pervert. Hell bound.
to ephraim. So u must be a closeted gay person who hates homosexulas because u cant accept yourself.what are u doing here in anycase if u not?
homosexuals hellbounbd. Mr Pierre or is it Miss, whatever you are. Because i care enough to tell you that homosexuality is a sin i ma the pervret one. You never seize to amaze, you are homosexual to the bone. A point that hits home the facts, a homosexual’s body is as much abnormal as his brains, indeed you are. Infantile reasonng clouds your whole argument. You never said anything. A sphicter is an elastic muscel at the mouth of the anus designed to let things out not in and sticking your dick down the shit pipe you are going against its design and man, this is gross sin,stinks in the eyes of God. Look, get your fix from behind like you just dont care, you going to hell.
Ephraim. Ephraim is the 1st homophobic comment to be written as a response to this article. Taking into consideration how many comments there are, one ignorant homophobe should not phase us by any means.
homo. I feel someone shaking and i see the ground you standing on shaking, you standing on sinking sand pervert. Its not about me or you, its about the pervert spirit in you. Look yourself in the mirror and say, screw me.