Westboro Hate group plans to preach at Virginia Tech funerals

The website of the Westboro Baptist Church - a hate group masquerading as a Christian church — announces that its members will ‘preach’ at the funerals of the Virginia Tech students killed on campus during the April 16, 2007, rampage.

Led by extremist Fred Phelps, the Westboro cult — which consists almost solely of Phelps’ family members - is known for its sick behavior at the funerals of gays and military personnel.

The group claims to know the reason behind the shooting rampage:

Why did this happen, you ask? It’s simple. On April 16, 2007, this nation, through the offices of your military and conspirators therewith took a shot at the servants of God — your marksman was limp and lame and he had terror all around, so he did a lousy job. But what you get for your trouble is that your God shot at you! The LORD your God sent a crazed madman to shoot at your children, and he didn’t miss. Get this straight — God sent this South Korean madman to kill 31 of your children at Virginia Tech. Was God asleep while this took place? Was He on vacation? Of course not. He willed this to happen to punish you for assailing His servants.
- Source: http://www.godhatesamerica.com/, last accessed Apr. 18, 2007

The hate group, whose leader can also be described as a ‘crazed madman,’ was the subject of a recent Louis Theroux documentary broadcast on the BBC.

While the group claims to be Christian, its extremist views and despicable behavior mark the Westboro Baptist Church as, theologically, a cult of Christianity.

Though it carries the word ‘Baptist,’ no Baptist church or organization condones the group.

For research resources on these sad folks, see this Apologetics Index entry.

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