They're giving a bad name to Christians

[emorhconom esor]

I feel so disgusted by this since they call themselves a church and also baptist. I'm baptist and I think nothing like them.

Washington – A father of a Marine killed in Iraq says he won't pay the legal fees of a protest group who picketed at his son's funeral in 2006 – at least not until he hears from the US Supreme Court on the matter.

Albert Snyder, whose son, Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, was killed in Iraq, learned Friday that a federal appeals court is requiring him to pay more than $16,000 in legal fees to the Westboro Baptist Church, a Christian fundamentalist group that demonstrates during military funerals to gain attention for its antigovernment, antihomosexual message. The group rallied at Matthew Snyder’s funeral in March 2006 in Westminster, Md., chanting antigay slogans and carrying signs such as “Thank God for dead soldiers,” says Albert Snyder’s attorney, Sean Summers.

The group was protesting about 30 feet from the church’s main entrance, and Mr. Snyder had to enter through a separate entrance, Mr. Summers says.

Snyder subsequently sued the Westboro group for emotional distress and won a $5 million judgment. But on appeal, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed, finding in favor of protecting the protesters' free-speech rights. About three weeks ago, the Supreme Court agreed to take the case and is expected to hear it in the fall. (Last year, the high court had declined to take up the issue.) Meanwhile, the circuit court has ordered Snyder, a salesman, to pay the church’s court expenses.

Snyder, of York, Pa., told Fox News on Tuesday that he would not pay the Westboro Baptist Church "until I hear from the Supreme Court."

“It’s fair to say that they are not getting any Christmas cards from Mr. Snyder,” adds Summers, in a phone interview. “He obviously thinks they are despicable and doesn’t understand why they would target him.”

The Westboro group has been protesting at military members’ funerals for years. The church leader, Fred Phelps, preaches that American deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan are punishment for the nation’s tolerance of homosexuality. (He was among those banned from Britain last year for fostering hatred or extremism.) The protests have nothing to do with the fallen service members' sexual orientation, and the church says its protests are held within a “lawful distance” of the funerals.

Ultimately, say some, the church protests are a matter of constitutionally protected free speech.

“I really don’t see that [the protest] was a violation of the First Amendment [principles]. It was a violation of decorum and good taste and all sorts of other things, but not a violation of the First Amendment,” says Charles Gittins, a civilian lawyer in Virginia.

But Summers argues that his client’s right to peaceful assembly and freedom of religion were infringed by the protests and that, unlike at a public park where people are free to express themselves, a funeral setting draws a “captive audience” that requires attendees to be in a particular location – they can’t simply walk away.

Westboro Baptist Church, which is based in Kansas, plans to protest in Florida on Wednesday, outside a funeral for a Marine killed in Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan on March 22.

“Military funerals have become pagan orgies of idolatrous blasphemy, where they pray to the dunghill gods of Sodom and play taps to a fallen fool,” states a press release posted on the church’s website, announcing the rally at a memorial service for Lance Cpl. Justin Wilson. At the bottom of the press release are printed the words “Thank God for IEDs,” referring to the roadside bombs that have killed thousands of troops in both wars.  

[Seraphim6496]

Forgive my language, but that pisses me off. That church as entirely misinterpreted the Bible. It says, respect those in authority because God put them there. (paraphrasing) Our military is not Satanic. Geez, People like this, just.... They infuriate me.  

[Lady Tabula Rasa]

Si_Copathic

Forgive my language, but that pisses me off. That church as entirely misinterpreted the Bible. It says, respect those in authority because God put them there. (paraphrasing) Our military is not Satanic. Geez, People like this, just.... They infuriate me.

As a veteran, that pisses me off as well. I fought and bled for these idiots can make people who share similar beliefs as I do look like fools.  

[finalfantasyfreak1O1]

I hate is how people judge us on how people like this act.
Because of them people think we are uncivilized and some even think we are dangerous.
I really don't see how being gay or lez has anything to do with dieing in a war.
It's like saying my great uncles must be gay since they served in the military. (Which their not they are both married)
Being a Christian and being in the military is a good thing in my opinion, my great uncles were in the Vietnam war and were in combat a lot at the camp they were stationed at.
They both came back alive and didn't get injured, they also helped a lot of people come to know God.
My uncle is thinking of going into the army right now, so I guess in their eyes he must be gay.
How dumb can people get.
War is a punishment of people's own stupidity not because some people are homosexuals.  

[The_Cursed_Phoenix]

I didn't read your post, I saw it on Fox news, actions like this make me so mad I just want to rip them apart, but I won't were better than that, however this is personal because I plan on going into National Guard as a field engineer and if they are going to talk trash about the people who have prevented the Taliban from marching in and destroying them, I won't tolerate it, they deserve jail time for their actions.  

[Smol Pixel IV]

Well thats what happens when people go off to war
Im entering the marine corp boot camp soon, i'll start as a private graduate boot camp as a Lance Cpl. [corpal]

Hmm, i can see why someone who do that, its the blinding pain & furry inside of them, i don't think they would do something like that  

[Aquatic_blue]

Wow, that is just downright wrong =(

I'm not involved in the military in any way and I still find it offensive.  

[astralnautica]

What bull! I'd like to see those demented protesters to go do what those poor soldiers did in Afghanistan and Iraq. They wouldn't last a day with all that crap they're saying! It really makes me mad that people are ignorant enough to blame soldiers getting killed because of the acceptance of homosexuality!! Those brave men and women are fighting to protect our lives, sitting safe back here in the states and not even truly paying attention to the war! Then they're going to try and get the poor grieving father to pay for the strike they did at his son's funeral? What's happening in this world???  

[Azume-chan]

I see the WBC as a big internet troll. The more attention you give them the more reason they see to protest. People easily give in and feed them. I think the only true way to stop the WBC is to completely ignore them but that ain't gonna happen. People with half a brain should know better to NOT compare these people with humble good willed Christians.  

[Fates Oblivion]

ugh. They do give Christians a bad name. Jesus said to love everyone and hate no one but Satan. ( paraphrased ) We are not supposed to hate gays, we just aren't supposed to support them, and God dosn't punish people. And even if he did, he wouldn't punish someone else for someone else's wrongdoings.  

[Cocktail_queen]

Im military gonk  

[Hathor The Mad]

I think they forgot what being Christian is about.  

[kesuke uchiha]

...as many other times....this is a prime example of the difference between the meaning of Gods words and mans interpitation of Gods words.....
these people are no longer human to me....they are simply creatures that help carry out satans will....they do not deserve the God given gift of life though we must remember...vengence is Gods.....when the day comes....God will judge these creatures....and only the fires of hell will be waiting for them....
to change the word of God to fill your own agenda is a horrid heresy...and they will pay...



and yes...I am military too....USN oohya