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Students react harshly to rhetoric of Westboro Baptist Church
By Alayna Smith and Kelsey De Haan on April 24, 2012 12:55 pm / 11 comments
Controversy came to the campus of Central Michigan University on Monday when Westboro Baptist Church spoke to three journalism classes and other curious students.
Westboro is infamous for their protests at the funerals of soldiers and spread of hateful rhetoric, particularly toward the LGBTQ community. The group has also recently started campaigns with signs flashing messages such as “Thank God for 9/11″ and “Thank God for cancer.”
Associate Professor of Journalism Tim Boudreau, who invited the group to speak at the Charles V. Park Library Auditorium, said there was an important lesson to be learned for students.
“(WBC was invited) to get students to think about the limits of free expression, how much speech is and should be protected,” Boudreau said. “These folks force them to think about these issues and ask these questions.”
The members of the church, who have been traveling with their message for 21 years across all 50 states and have even made trips to Canada and Iraq, said it is their duty to preach and spread the gospel.
Shirley Phelps-Roper, a member of the church, said their hatred was supported by the word of God, and society should be ashamed for allowing sinful behaviors — namely homosexuality — to continue.
“I have so much sorrow, because these children are supremely ignorant of what God says and desires,” she said.
WBC Minister Fred Phelps Jr. said the uproar and legal questions surrounding their protests was unfair.
“No one has ever suffered so much as a hangnail (from the protests),” he said. “It’s called freedom of speech, freedom of religion.”
Oregon State University student and Cadillac native Amanda MacKenzie said the group had a tendency of obscuring questions by only answering with vague or irrelevant quotes from the scripture. MacKenzie’s question about how the negative rhetoric affects others in the church was left largely unanswered, she said.
“I think what we learned from 9/11 is that the more extreme people from any religion are going to turn people off the moderate position,” MacKenzie said, pointing to the rise in Islamophobia since 2001. “I think if I was a Christian, I would be afraid of the message they’re putting out there.”
Chicago freshman Erica Brown said she was dissatisfied with their refusal to discuss some issues, or to seemingly change their stances when convenient.
“They think they love everyone equally and unconditionally, but they have so much hate,” Brown said. “Today was largely about contradictions and them just trying to spread their fame.”
A group of protestors gathered outside the library during all three sessions, handing out popsicles to those passing by and holding signs that read “Hell is hot!”
Bethany Zinger, a Leslie sophomore and member of CMU’s Dogma Free Society, was one of the avid protesters against what the WBC stands for.
“The Westboro Church uses religion to spread hate,” Zinger said. “Our group is fine with you wanting to believe whatever you want to believe, but don’t use your beliefs to put down other people.”
After the 5 p.m. session, about a dozen protesters followed the group to their vehicles carrying signs and chanting phrases such as “God loves all his children,” “All people are good people,” and “Jesus was a hippie.” The protesters were not allowed inside the auditorium for the speech.
Protester Sarah Winchester said bringing the group to campus was a bad idea, because it brought undeserved hate and harm for the LGBTQ community.
“Bringing people like that to speak when there are students who are not out yet is very discouraging,” the Owosso senior said.
One student in particular, Rochester sophomore Kathleen Molloy, was especially offended by the comments made by the WBC in regard to the Catholic Church. A verbal spat between Molloy and Phelps began during the 2 p.m. class, resulting in the WBC ignoring all further questions from her.
“I was a little bit annoyed, because I was trying to ask questions, but (Shirley) wouldn’t really answer me anymore,” Molloy said. “She didn’t give many clear answers in the first place, which I found interesting.”
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11 Comments
wbc are the best bible people in the land, they get to the point, college kids are like dogs they drink, eat and poop, bible study is too much for them.
College people are for the most part intelligent. We don’t all drink and the fact that you generalize a whole group makes you look ignorant. There are many Christians including myself on campus who read the bible regularly. Obviously you don’t or else you wouldn’t praise a group that spreads such hate acting as if it’s the word of god.
“For God so LOVED the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16. Obviously bible study is too much for YOU.
Westboro Baptist Church spreads its hate through picketing
in our streets, provoking attacks, with abusive language and flag desecration,
attempting to create a confrontation. This is not a church, this is a hate
group. This is not about protesting, freedom, or God. They are in it for the
money and the press; this is a family law firm. They are not a
“church.” It is a scam. They go after anything that can get them in
the news. This is a family of lawyers using this “god hates you” thing to make
money. It is time for this scam and the hate to end.
The church has
received money from lawsuits and legal fees. For example, they sued the city of
Topeka several times in the 1990s(this show has been going on for years). WBC
received $16,500, and is pursuing another $100,000, in legal fees for a case
won in court. The WBC is considered a nonprofit organization by the federal
government, and is therefore exempt from paying taxes!
Phelps-Roper of the Westboro Baptist Church is shown
admitting on camera that her oldest son was born out of wedlock. Hypocritical
Phelps-Roper’s vocal condemnation on strangers having sexual congress outside
of marriage while she herself was guilty of the same. They are NOT what they
say they are! THEY ARE NOT A CHURCH!
Phoenix Lee –
If you think the Bible and Christian Faith back what the WBC espouse, then you are Biblically illiterate and spiritually void.
WBC = H.A.T.E
If you think there is anything but a warm place in Hell for these Christians In Name Only (CINOs) then you are sadly mistaken.
Gays march into Hell.Most of them die of AIDS.
You are NOT a true Calvinist. You are a Bible illiterate hater.
This group is very accomplished trolls..I believe they are in it for the money and make money off it. I walk pass the fools and don’t give them much attention.
”
Shirley Phelps-Roper, a member of the church, said their hatred was supported by the word of God”
I’m sure she called her message “hate.”
Also, what ever happened to objectivity in Journalism? This article lacks most of it.
Just a thought about the printed article. WHERE DID THE REST OF IT GO?! It stopped on page 2A in the middle of a sentence, and did not direct the reader to additional reading either in the paper or to go online, and it was the MIDDLE OF A SENTENCE! A quote! I mean, come on! At least finish the thing! Dear Editor: You need to not let that kind of thing happen again. The article was interesting to read then I got to the second part of it and it didn’t continue to finish the sentence/article and it was really annoying to have to wait until classes were over to get on the internet to finish the thing. I mean, come on. Really!?
Just a thought about the printed article. WHERE DID THE REST OF IT GO?! It stopped on page 2A in the middle of a sentence, and did not direct the reader to additional reading either in the paper or to go online, and it was the MIDDLE OF A SENTENCE! A quote! I mean, come on! At least finish the thing! Dear Editor: You need to not let that kind of thing happen again. The article was interesting to read then I got to the second part of it and it didn’t continue to finish the sentence/article and it was really annoying to have to wait until classes were over to get on the internet to finish the thing. I mean, come on. Really!?
funny , they accuse WBC of contradictions in a society that boasts of freedom yet does everything they can to supress the churches speech. The fag community jabbers about tolerance and accuses the church of hate yet the fags and dykes are the most intolerant bigots and hateful towards anyone who disagrees with them that its ok to be gay.