Please take a look at this photo posted by WBCFredJr. on Twitter. According to the tweet, the Westboro Baptist Church is protesting the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton the day before the wedding. Please look! Take a good, long look at the photo of Westminster Abbey. Now that you've looked at it, I have a few questions for you...
Where is the security?
Where are the crowds of people from around England and the rest of the world?
Where are all the added decorations?
Where is all the press and the equipment they've had set up for days?
I am curious. Is it possible that the royal wedding was moved from Westminster Abbey to another location when the Westboro Baptist Church arrived? How did the Westboro Baptist Church get into England, seeing they were banned a few years ago?
You make the call. I know what I think - it looks like the Westboro Baptist Church failed to show up. Again. Please let me know what you think.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
The Westboro Baptist Church Threatens to Protest Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton
What did Prince William and Kate Middleton ever do to the Westboro Baptist Church? Yes, the Westboro Baptist Church is threatening to picket the royal wedding. WBCFredJr posted a tweet on Twitter about their plans to disrupt the royal wedding.
"You seen WBC signs aloft near Royal Wedding Site? Guess how many signholders are on the ground?" he asked his followers one day before the wedding.
One can only hope that disbarred attorney and founder of the Westboro Baptist Church, Fred Phelps, will try to disrupt the royal wedding. He has been barred from entering the United Kingdom from some time now. Should he be able to get into England, I am curious as to what they would do with him. No, I don't hate England, but it would be nice for them to keep him. I've heard that The Tower London is quite nice in the spring.
The security Great Britain has in place for Prince William and Kate Middleton's is quite extensive. It is doubtful that the Westboro Baptist Church would be able to get anywhere near the royal wedding. Should they manage to slip past the security, there is no doubt that the crowds of people would be more than willing to stop them from disrupting the ceremony or any of the events around the royal wedding.
Of course, the Westboro Baptist Church is more bark than bite these days. They threatened to protest Elizabeth Taylor's funeral, but failed to show up. The Westboro Baptist Church even canceled two of their protests at funerals in Oklahoma to be at the Academy Award-winner's service. As you probably know, Oklahoma is a "project" for the Westboro Baptist Church, seeing what happened to them in McAlester.
Should the Westboro Baptist Church actually show up at the royal wedding, I'm hoping they are given the "royal treatment." It would serve England well for them to follow the excellent example that Brandon, Mississippi set for the world. In Brandon, the Westboro Baptist Church was treated to some ol' fashioned southern hospitality.
We will have to wait and see if the Westboro Baptist Church actually falls through with their threat. If they do, it should be interesting. If not, it is, yet again, another Westboro Baptist Church failure - the one thing they are good at.
"You seen WBC signs aloft near Royal Wedding Site? Guess how many signholders are on the ground?" he asked his followers one day before the wedding.
One can only hope that disbarred attorney and founder of the Westboro Baptist Church, Fred Phelps, will try to disrupt the royal wedding. He has been barred from entering the United Kingdom from some time now. Should he be able to get into England, I am curious as to what they would do with him. No, I don't hate England, but it would be nice for them to keep him. I've heard that The Tower London is quite nice in the spring.
The security Great Britain has in place for Prince William and Kate Middleton's is quite extensive. It is doubtful that the Westboro Baptist Church would be able to get anywhere near the royal wedding. Should they manage to slip past the security, there is no doubt that the crowds of people would be more than willing to stop them from disrupting the ceremony or any of the events around the royal wedding.
Of course, the Westboro Baptist Church is more bark than bite these days. They threatened to protest Elizabeth Taylor's funeral, but failed to show up. The Westboro Baptist Church even canceled two of their protests at funerals in Oklahoma to be at the Academy Award-winner's service. As you probably know, Oklahoma is a "project" for the Westboro Baptist Church, seeing what happened to them in McAlester.
Should the Westboro Baptist Church actually show up at the royal wedding, I'm hoping they are given the "royal treatment." It would serve England well for them to follow the excellent example that Brandon, Mississippi set for the world. In Brandon, the Westboro Baptist Church was treated to some ol' fashioned southern hospitality.
We will have to wait and see if the Westboro Baptist Church actually falls through with their threat. If they do, it should be interesting. If not, it is, yet again, another Westboro Baptist Church failure - the one thing they are good at.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Westboro Baptist Church Gets Treated to Some Southern Hospitality
My hat is off to the city of Brandon, Mississippi. In fact, the entire country should offer this town of around 16,000 a giant salute. In case you haven't heard, this is what happened the Westboro Baptist Church in Brandon, Mississippi...
Staff Sargent Jason Rivers was killed in Afghanistan. Thankfully, the Westboro Baptist Church had to brag about their plans to picket. Brandon, Mississippi also made plans. As usual, the Westboro Baptist Church showed up to picket the funeral of this American hero. They were met with a healthy helping of good old fashioned southern hospital.
One of the Westboro Baptist Church members spouted off in a local convenience store before the funeral. Someone beat him up. The police arrived immediately, but no one at the store had seen a thing. Doing their jobs, the police took statements, short statements, from potential witnesses. Of course, it only gets better.
Back at the hotel, members of the Westboro Baptist Church found themselves stuck in the parking lot. Cars were parked around their cars and the Westboro Baptist Church members couldn't leave. Once again, the police were called. They, once again, got there to help the Westboro Baptist Church as quickly as possible. The owners of the cars couldn't be found (they were probably at the funeral which was starting shortly) and the cars couldn't be moved. The Brandon police called the wrecker services in town. Brandon was a busy town that down - not a single wrecker could make it out to help them for a few hours.
Despite this, members of the Westboro Baptist Church did get to the funeral. It was a great stroke of luck that they did show up because the police were there as well. The police, instead of paying their respects to Staff Sargent Rivers, thought it would be best if they took additional statements from the Westboro Baptist Church. Seeing that they wouldn't be in town long, this was so kind of the police department. No the church members wouldn't have to travel from Topeka, Kansas back to Brandon to give their statements.
No one from the Westboro Baptist Church was able to picket the funeral.
This is the exact type of southern hospitality that the Westboro Baptist Church should get everywhere they go! It is a shame that the man was beaten up (violence should be a last resort), but at least the Brandon Police were taking care of it. They even made arrangements with the terribly slow wrecker services to get the cars moved out their way. And, seeing that the Westboro Baptist Church is a non-profit organization, the Brandon Police didn't want them to have to spend additional money on a trip back so they covered their bases while the members were in town.
"I love seeing a town show Westboro that Americans will not put up with the way they treat people and that these soldiers deserve to be treated with respect," Mandy Robinson, Associated Content writer stated.
It will be hard for the Westboro Baptist Church to single out Mississippi they way they have targeted Oklahoma - seeing they were treated with such kindness there. I'm sure the disbarred founder and leader of the Westboro Baptist Church will try to find a way to sue the city of Brandon. That is, after all, what he does. Other than the assault on one of his members, no laws were broken. They did all they could to take care of that incident as well as everything else that happened to the Westboro Baptist Church in their town. They can't be blamed for the wrecker services being behind and running late. And, the statements from the Westboro Baptist Church members had to be taken before they left town.
Few things in life can make me smile more than knowing someone is shown some good ol' fashioned southern hospitality. Especially when they deserve "special treatment" as much as the Westboro Baptist Church does!
Staff Sargent Jason Rivers was killed in Afghanistan. Thankfully, the Westboro Baptist Church had to brag about their plans to picket. Brandon, Mississippi also made plans. As usual, the Westboro Baptist Church showed up to picket the funeral of this American hero. They were met with a healthy helping of good old fashioned southern hospital.
One of the Westboro Baptist Church members spouted off in a local convenience store before the funeral. Someone beat him up. The police arrived immediately, but no one at the store had seen a thing. Doing their jobs, the police took statements, short statements, from potential witnesses. Of course, it only gets better.
Back at the hotel, members of the Westboro Baptist Church found themselves stuck in the parking lot. Cars were parked around their cars and the Westboro Baptist Church members couldn't leave. Once again, the police were called. They, once again, got there to help the Westboro Baptist Church as quickly as possible. The owners of the cars couldn't be found (they were probably at the funeral which was starting shortly) and the cars couldn't be moved. The Brandon police called the wrecker services in town. Brandon was a busy town that down - not a single wrecker could make it out to help them for a few hours.
Despite this, members of the Westboro Baptist Church did get to the funeral. It was a great stroke of luck that they did show up because the police were there as well. The police, instead of paying their respects to Staff Sargent Rivers, thought it would be best if they took additional statements from the Westboro Baptist Church. Seeing that they wouldn't be in town long, this was so kind of the police department. No the church members wouldn't have to travel from Topeka, Kansas back to Brandon to give their statements.
No one from the Westboro Baptist Church was able to picket the funeral.
This is the exact type of southern hospitality that the Westboro Baptist Church should get everywhere they go! It is a shame that the man was beaten up (violence should be a last resort), but at least the Brandon Police were taking care of it. They even made arrangements with the terribly slow wrecker services to get the cars moved out their way. And, seeing that the Westboro Baptist Church is a non-profit organization, the Brandon Police didn't want them to have to spend additional money on a trip back so they covered their bases while the members were in town.
"I love seeing a town show Westboro that Americans will not put up with the way they treat people and that these soldiers deserve to be treated with respect," Mandy Robinson, Associated Content writer stated.
It will be hard for the Westboro Baptist Church to single out Mississippi they way they have targeted Oklahoma - seeing they were treated with such kindness there. I'm sure the disbarred founder and leader of the Westboro Baptist Church will try to find a way to sue the city of Brandon. That is, after all, what he does. Other than the assault on one of his members, no laws were broken. They did all they could to take care of that incident as well as everything else that happened to the Westboro Baptist Church in their town. They can't be blamed for the wrecker services being behind and running late. And, the statements from the Westboro Baptist Church members had to be taken before they left town.
Few things in life can make me smile more than knowing someone is shown some good ol' fashioned southern hospitality. Especially when they deserve "special treatment" as much as the Westboro Baptist Church does!
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Questions for The Westboro Baptist Church
I've read several interviews online and heard interviews on the news that the Westboro Baptist Church has given. I've heard them answer questions from the counter-protesters as they picket funerals. All of them have been lacking something. As a former newspaper editor and life-long nosy person, I have some questions I have never heard them ask. In fact, I don't have any information from the Westboro Baptist Church that would answer my questions. I'd love to have answers to these questions:
Souls Saved - How many people has the Westboro Baptist Church led to Christ in the past 30 days? In the past 60 days? In the last six months? In the last year? I want to know how many people they have come across that were lost in sin and, after having contact with the Westboro Baptist Church, gave their heart and lives to God and are now on their way to Heaven. That is the goal of all Christians - to add souls to the Kingdom of God and make sure there are as many names written in the Lamb's Book of Life as possible. Does the Westboro Baptist Church offer a "new convert ministry to these new Christians - a ministry that gives them Bibles for their own use, a Bible study for those who are new Christians that will help them understand God and grow their faith? As a Christian, I know there is nothing as wonderful as leading someone to Jesus - knowing that just a moment ago that person was dying in sin and now has eternal life through Jesus.
Crisis Pregnancy Counseling - I want the Westboro Baptist Church to tell me about their crisis/unwanted pregnancy counseling ministry. How many of the members of the Westboro Baptist Church counsel women and girls who are facing an unplanned/unwanted pregnancy as well as the men and boys in their lives? Do they have a clothes closet that has maternity clothes and baby clothes for the mothers who decide to not to take the lives of their unborn babies? Is there a place where these mothers can get the essentials to help with their babies such as diapers, lotion, baby shampoo and the like? What about baby formula for those who choose not to breastfeed? Is there a fund that helps the mothers pay for pre-natal care? How does the general public donate to these specific ministries of the Westboro Baptist Church?
Post-Abortion Counseling - Does the Westboro Baptist Church have a post-abortion counseling program? How does the Westboro Baptist Church go about helping women who have had abortions deal with their regret, pain and sadness over the loss of their child - due to a choice they made? Is this ministry of the Westboro Baptist Church only for women or do they also have a post-abortion counseling program for men as well? How does the Westboro Baptist Church go about explaining that God's love and forgiveness is bigger than any and all sins that have been committed in the past. Project Rachel is a post-abortion counseling program I have helped with and I am curious if Westboro Baptist Church has anything like it. How does the general public donate to this specific ministry of the Westboro Baptist Church?
Church Growth - How much has the Westboro Baptist Church grown in the past three months? In the past year? Of these new and active member of the Westboro Baptist Church, how many are new Christians that the church led to Jesus themselves? Are there entire families members joining the Westboro Baptist Church? What type of programs are available to the new members of the Westboro Baptist Church?
For me, these are the questions I want answers to. I don't particularly care about how the Westboro Baptist Church formed their extreme views or where the next funeral will be that they plan to protest. I want to know what they are doing to share God's love and forgiveness with a world that is lost. We all hear about what the Westboro Baptist Church is doing during their protests. There must be more to their church just that.
Souls Saved - How many people has the Westboro Baptist Church led to Christ in the past 30 days? In the past 60 days? In the last six months? In the last year? I want to know how many people they have come across that were lost in sin and, after having contact with the Westboro Baptist Church, gave their heart and lives to God and are now on their way to Heaven. That is the goal of all Christians - to add souls to the Kingdom of God and make sure there are as many names written in the Lamb's Book of Life as possible. Does the Westboro Baptist Church offer a "new convert ministry to these new Christians - a ministry that gives them Bibles for their own use, a Bible study for those who are new Christians that will help them understand God and grow their faith? As a Christian, I know there is nothing as wonderful as leading someone to Jesus - knowing that just a moment ago that person was dying in sin and now has eternal life through Jesus.
Crisis Pregnancy Counseling - I want the Westboro Baptist Church to tell me about their crisis/unwanted pregnancy counseling ministry. How many of the members of the Westboro Baptist Church counsel women and girls who are facing an unplanned/unwanted pregnancy as well as the men and boys in their lives? Do they have a clothes closet that has maternity clothes and baby clothes for the mothers who decide to not to take the lives of their unborn babies? Is there a place where these mothers can get the essentials to help with their babies such as diapers, lotion, baby shampoo and the like? What about baby formula for those who choose not to breastfeed? Is there a fund that helps the mothers pay for pre-natal care? How does the general public donate to these specific ministries of the Westboro Baptist Church?
Post-Abortion Counseling - Does the Westboro Baptist Church have a post-abortion counseling program? How does the Westboro Baptist Church go about helping women who have had abortions deal with their regret, pain and sadness over the loss of their child - due to a choice they made? Is this ministry of the Westboro Baptist Church only for women or do they also have a post-abortion counseling program for men as well? How does the Westboro Baptist Church go about explaining that God's love and forgiveness is bigger than any and all sins that have been committed in the past. Project Rachel is a post-abortion counseling program I have helped with and I am curious if Westboro Baptist Church has anything like it. How does the general public donate to this specific ministry of the Westboro Baptist Church?
Church Growth - How much has the Westboro Baptist Church grown in the past three months? In the past year? Of these new and active member of the Westboro Baptist Church, how many are new Christians that the church led to Jesus themselves? Are there entire families members joining the Westboro Baptist Church? What type of programs are available to the new members of the Westboro Baptist Church?
For me, these are the questions I want answers to. I don't particularly care about how the Westboro Baptist Church formed their extreme views or where the next funeral will be that they plan to protest. I want to know what they are doing to share God's love and forgiveness with a world that is lost. We all hear about what the Westboro Baptist Church is doing during their protests. There must be more to their church just that.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Westboro Baptist Church Plans to Picket Funeral of Geraldine Ferraro
The Huffington Post announced that the funeral services for Geraldine Ferraro will be held at the Church of Saint Vincent Ferrer in Manhattan at 9:30 a.m. The Westboro Baptist church plans to be there in full force (such as it is) to protest.
Margie J. Phelps announced on Twitter that the Westboro Baptist Church would be picketing the funeral. In her usual ranting style, Margie J. Phelps went on and on about the many of sins of the former Congresswoman and vice-presidential nominee. She tweeted about how Geraldine Ferraro "had the ear" of America before the country "crossed the line" with God.
No one will know if the Westboro Baptist Church will even show up. They have failed to make good on their threats to picket funerals in the past. Westboro Baptist Church failed to protest the funeral of Elizabeth Taylor. In fact, they failed to picket the funeral of three young people in Oklahoma in the past few weeks. They even stated that one reason they failed to make good on their threats was because they would be picketing the services of Elizabeth Taylor.
It seems that Westboro Baptist Church is making more news on their failure to protests funerals than with their actual protests. They also failed to picket the services of Heath Ledger and Natasha Richardson. They exchanged air time on the radio for their protest of the memorial services of those killed in the Tucson, Arizona shooting of Representative Gabrielle Giffords and several others.
The Westboro Baptist Church is a huge failure. Not only do they not carry through with their threats, but their church is also a failure. From all the media coverage they get, it would appear that the Westboro Baptist Church is a giant church in Topeka, Kansas. That is certainly not the the case. The church has less than 100 members and almost 100% of those members are in the Phelps family. The membership almost entirely consists of Fred Phelps, his children (except for those who managed to escape him and his hatred), the spouses of his children and his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Perhaps a better name would be the Westboro Baptist Church Phelps Family.
Margie J. Phelps announced on Twitter that the Westboro Baptist Church would be picketing the funeral. In her usual ranting style, Margie J. Phelps went on and on about the many of sins of the former Congresswoman and vice-presidential nominee. She tweeted about how Geraldine Ferraro "had the ear" of America before the country "crossed the line" with God.
No one will know if the Westboro Baptist Church will even show up. They have failed to make good on their threats to picket funerals in the past. Westboro Baptist Church failed to protest the funeral of Elizabeth Taylor. In fact, they failed to picket the funeral of three young people in Oklahoma in the past few weeks. They even stated that one reason they failed to make good on their threats was because they would be picketing the services of Elizabeth Taylor.
It seems that Westboro Baptist Church is making more news on their failure to protests funerals than with their actual protests. They also failed to picket the services of Heath Ledger and Natasha Richardson. They exchanged air time on the radio for their protest of the memorial services of those killed in the Tucson, Arizona shooting of Representative Gabrielle Giffords and several others.
The Westboro Baptist Church is a huge failure. Not only do they not carry through with their threats, but their church is also a failure. From all the media coverage they get, it would appear that the Westboro Baptist Church is a giant church in Topeka, Kansas. That is certainly not the the case. The church has less than 100 members and almost 100% of those members are in the Phelps family. The membership almost entirely consists of Fred Phelps, his children (except for those who managed to escape him and his hatred), the spouses of his children and his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Perhaps a better name would be the Westboro Baptist Church Phelps Family.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Heat from Oklahoma Kitchens
"If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen." We've all heard that old cliche. Just because it is a cliche doesn't mean it isn't correct. Westboro Baptist Church knows this. Perhaps that is one reason they are not following through on their threats to protest at funerals in Oklahoma.
Margie J. Phelps, daughter of the founder (Fred Phelps) announced on Twitter that the Westboro Baptist Church would be protesting at a funerals in Bixby, Oklahoma and another funeral in Elgin, Oklahoma. Despite their threats, they failed to protest at those three funerals.
Ten members of the Westboro Baptist Church were in Bixby on the day of Shane Reed's funeral. He was one of three people killed in a motorcycle crash on March 20, 2011. The church claims the three deaths were a caused by God's anger towards Oklahomans for a long list of sins. Despite being in Bixby, they did not protest the funeral. Spokesperson for the Westboro Baptist Church, Shirley Phelps-Rogers, said it was due to "too many God smacks."
Despite the failure of the Westboro Baptist Church to picket this funeral, the city of Bixby was ready for them. Approximately 300 to 400 people were on hand, ready for counter-protesting and to support and protect the family of Shane Reed. Many were member of the American Veterans Motorcycle club.
The Westboro Baptist Church also threatened to picket at the funeral of Kali Hull, a 17 year old girl killed in the same crash, and a the funeral of a soldier in Elgin, Oklahoma. Shirley Phelps-Rogers stated the reason they did not protest the funerals was because they would be protesting the funeral of Elizabeth Taylor.
The funeral of Elizabeth Taylor was also not protested.
Perhaps the real reason that Westboro Baptist Church did not protest has something to do with their past protests in the Sooner State. Since they protested a funeral in McAlester, Oklahoma, the Sooner State has become a target of the Westboro Baptist Church. Each time the Westboro Baptist Church protests they are met with huge opposition. Oklahomans come from all over the state to protect the right of the family to mourn the loss of a loved one in peace.
The protest in McAlester in 2010 that made Oklahoma a target for the venom of Westboro Baptist Church did not go well for this radical and crazed group. They reported the tires of their mini-van had been slashed. The McAlester police reported that no one in McAlester would repair the tires. That isn't a "God smack." It is a "Westboro Baptist Church smack," delivered by the good people of Oklahoma!
It appears the heat from Oklahoma kitchens is too great for the Westboro Baptist Church. They prefer softer targets, places where they will get more media attention and counter-protesters will not come out in droves to stop them from harassing and abusing the family and friends of the deceased. Seeing the heat is too much for them to handle, the Westboro Baptist Church fails to follow through on their threats.
I say let the Westboro Baptist Church bring it on. As a "cotton-pickin' Okie" and a Christian, I will stand with others against this hate-spewing, anti-God so-called church that is clueless what God is all about. I have been to other funerals that the Westboro Baptist Church has protested in Oklahoma and I will attend more. I will be there as often as possible to protect the right people have to mourn in peace.
Margie J. Phelps, daughter of the founder (Fred Phelps) announced on Twitter that the Westboro Baptist Church would be protesting at a funerals in Bixby, Oklahoma and another funeral in Elgin, Oklahoma. Despite their threats, they failed to protest at those three funerals.
Ten members of the Westboro Baptist Church were in Bixby on the day of Shane Reed's funeral. He was one of three people killed in a motorcycle crash on March 20, 2011. The church claims the three deaths were a caused by God's anger towards Oklahomans for a long list of sins. Despite being in Bixby, they did not protest the funeral. Spokesperson for the Westboro Baptist Church, Shirley Phelps-Rogers, said it was due to "too many God smacks."
Despite the failure of the Westboro Baptist Church to picket this funeral, the city of Bixby was ready for them. Approximately 300 to 400 people were on hand, ready for counter-protesting and to support and protect the family of Shane Reed. Many were member of the American Veterans Motorcycle club.
The Westboro Baptist Church also threatened to picket at the funeral of Kali Hull, a 17 year old girl killed in the same crash, and a the funeral of a soldier in Elgin, Oklahoma. Shirley Phelps-Rogers stated the reason they did not protest the funerals was because they would be protesting the funeral of Elizabeth Taylor.
The funeral of Elizabeth Taylor was also not protested.
Perhaps the real reason that Westboro Baptist Church did not protest has something to do with their past protests in the Sooner State. Since they protested a funeral in McAlester, Oklahoma, the Sooner State has become a target of the Westboro Baptist Church. Each time the Westboro Baptist Church protests they are met with huge opposition. Oklahomans come from all over the state to protect the right of the family to mourn the loss of a loved one in peace.
The protest in McAlester in 2010 that made Oklahoma a target for the venom of Westboro Baptist Church did not go well for this radical and crazed group. They reported the tires of their mini-van had been slashed. The McAlester police reported that no one in McAlester would repair the tires. That isn't a "God smack." It is a "Westboro Baptist Church smack," delivered by the good people of Oklahoma!
It appears the heat from Oklahoma kitchens is too great for the Westboro Baptist Church. They prefer softer targets, places where they will get more media attention and counter-protesters will not come out in droves to stop them from harassing and abusing the family and friends of the deceased. Seeing the heat is too much for them to handle, the Westboro Baptist Church fails to follow through on their threats.
I say let the Westboro Baptist Church bring it on. As a "cotton-pickin' Okie" and a Christian, I will stand with others against this hate-spewing, anti-God so-called church that is clueless what God is all about. I have been to other funerals that the Westboro Baptist Church has protested in Oklahoma and I will attend more. I will be there as often as possible to protect the right people have to mourn in peace.
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