Fred Phelps is the founding pastor of Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas. His church's goal is to teach that the world is evil and God hates America, homosexuals and soldiers.
Here's a sampling of Phelps' ideology:
"WBC engages in daily peaceful sidewalk demonstrations opposing the homosexual lifestyle of soul-damning, nation-destroying filth. We display large, colorful signs containing Bible words and sentiments, including: GOD HATES FAGS, FAGS HATE GOD, AIDS CURES FAGS, THANK GOD FOR AIDS, FAGS BURN IN HELL, GOD IS NOT MOCKED, FAGS ARE NATURE FREAKS, GOD GAVE FAGS UP, NO SPECIAL LAWS FOR FAGS, FAGS DOOM NATIONS, THANK GOD FOR DEAD SOLDIERS, FAG TROOPS, GOD BLEW UP THE TROOPS, GOD HATES AMERICA, AMERICA IS DOOMED, THE WORLD IS DOOMED, etc." (http://www.godhatesfags.com/written/wbcinfo/aboutwbc.html)
This is an intense overreaction to the stories in the Bible. In my own opinion, the Bible is literature, filled with stories to inspire good morals and values in its readers. The likelihood that it is an accurate record of true events is slim.
Westboro Baptist Church is basing their highly offensive and prejudiced protests on historical fiction at best.
The website says they conduct respectful and peaceful protests. What is respectful about insulting people for things they can't help?
Homosexuals, as far as I know and logic shows, don't choose to be attracted to their same gender. And furthermore, it's not a disease. It's no different from a man and a woman being in love. They shouldn't be attacked and punished for loving.
In fact, hateful people like Phelps and his followers ought to learn from people with love in their hearts. How does a person's love for another hurt Phelps in any way? I'm sure he won't have to worry about being loved with the way he behaves.
The website says protesters carry signs saying "God hates America." Phelps and his followers live in America. But would he say God hates him, too? Surely not.
Does he believe he is the only American God doesn't hate because he is being hateful to others?
I'm struggling to write this paper about a person whose actions toward innocent people are emotionally comparable to evil like Hitler.
Reading his website, I'm furious that he could be so horrible to people he has never met. His website spreads hate and anger. It doesn't matter where this hate and anger is directed. It's poisonous nonetheless.
Phelps' words do not convince me that a god who should be feared is good. All he's convincing me of is that a man can be an ignorant asshole, so afraid of what he doesn't understand that he responds with hate.
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