Grieving in Peace
As America continues to be involved in the Global War on Terrorism there are those who are making the greatest sacrifice one can make for their country: their life. Truly answering John F Kennedy’s call to “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country” (ThinkExist.com Quotations) by sacrificing their lives in order to defeat terrorism. Those who have sacrificed their lives for us are not given the proper respect by being buried in peace because of a “church”. Funerals are a time for family and friends to honor these heroes, pay their final respects and offer a time of peace, not a time for picketers to spread their message. Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) is doing the unbelievable by picketing and protesting at funerals. This church chooses to target military funerals holding signs with anti-gay and anti-soldier sentiments in order to spread their message. This is why we need to establish new laws or policies banning or limiting protesting and picketing military funerals.
Westboro Baptist Church is a small church from Kansas who has become known world wide for their radical thoughts and beliefs on homosexuality. The church’s main message is “God Hates Fags” which they believe “is a profound theological statement, which the world needs to hear more than it needs oxygen, water and bread” (GodHatesFags.com). Shirley Phelps-Roper is the church spokeswoman and says “members want God to punish Americans for tolerating homosexuality” (Hagerty). Since the military allows homosexuals to serve in the Armed Service it has become a target for WBC. Often protesting military funerals with signs such as “Thank God for IED’s” and “Soldiers Die and God Laughs” (GodHatesFags.com). ...
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God Hates Fags. Westboro Baptist Church. 2011. Web. 6 Oct. 2011.
Hagerty, Barbara B. "A Peek Inside The Westboro Baptist Church : NPR." NPR : National
Public Radio : News & Analysis, World, US, Music & Arts : NPR. 2 Mar. 2011. Web. 1 Oct. 2011. .
“John Fitzgerald Kennedy quotes”. ThinkExist.com. ThinkExist.com Quotations. 1 Sep. 2011.
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"Matthew." Holy Bible. Wheaton: Tyndale House, 1997. Print.
"Romans." Holy Bible. Wheaton: Tyndale House, 1997. Print.
“Zell Miller quotes”. ThinkExist.com. ThinkExist.com Quotations, 1Sep. 2011. Web. 6
Oct. 2011.
Howard, John Tasker. Our American Music. 1946. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1954. 666. Print.
When Timothy McVeigh was executed for perpetrating the Oklahoma City Bombing, he died as a martyr, though most were blind to the cause. The former Marine had become sickened by the myriad of abuse wrought by the United States government upon its own citizenry. Ruby Ridge. Waco. Who knows how many similar travesties remain secret? McVeigh could no longer idly bear witness to such oppression.
In order to get to know about the Westboro Baptist Church, a person needs to know a little about who they are, where they came from, and what they represent. The Westboro Baptist Church was created in 1955 by a man named Fred Phelps, in Topeka Kansas, and is considered to follow old school Baptist beliefs (God, 2011). The Westboro membership numbers less than 100 who profess to all of the teachings of the Bible, and preach against every type of sin (God). Uncommonly, the church has no known affiliation to with any other Baptist churches (Parks, 2010). The Westboro members have been known to picket at least six events a day, such as: soldier's funerals, celebrity funerals, homosexual functions, etc. (Parks, 2010).
Who does the Westboro Baptist Church consist of? What do they believe? Well, In 1955 Fred Phelps created the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) in Topeka, Kansas. The Westboro Baptist church follows the primitive Baptist tradition, which contains a very conservative ideology and practice. In the eyes of many people this congregation is considered extremist and labeled a cult because their idea of an injustice goes against popular beli...
...nal Public Radio: News and Analysis, World, US, Music and Arts. 31 March 2010. Web. 31 January 2011.
The Topeka, Kansas-based Westboro Church is a very small homophobic, anti- Semitic hate group that regularly stages protest around the country. The group first started as a non-profit organization in 1967. The Westboro Baptist Church is made up of its pastor, and some of his children and grandchildren. The Westboro Baptist church is well known for picketing places and or events they see as supporting homosexuals or Jews.
Willoughby, David. "Chapter 11." The World of Music. 7th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2012. 249-53. Print.
In Atwood's novel, Christian fundamentalists resort to military force to implement their vision of a theocratic state. Real-life Christian fundamentalists, however, are not so sanguine about the prospects of the U.S. being overthrown by military coup. Instead they put their energy into electing candidates -- from school boards to senators to presidents -- and that's where gay scapegoating has tremendous purchase power.
The Christian Science Publishing Society 30 Brad Knickerbockers, Staff writing of The Christian Science Monitor, Hate Crimes: Should they receive special attention? The Christian Science Monitor, 06-23-200, pp 22
Veterans’ Day is celebrated in honor of the men and women who laid their lives in war to uphold freedom for their nation. It was initially called Armistice Day, which marked the end of World War I on November 11, 1918. The war ended on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of
Landau, Elizabeth, and Daniel J. Levitin. "This Is Your Brain on Music." CNN. Cable News Network, 15 Apr. 2013. Web. 12 Oct. 2013. .
...e underestimate the influence religion has on American politics. According to public opinion polls, at least 40% of voters subscribe to a literal interpretation of the Bible and thus, 40% of voters are conservative Christians. Wald and Calhoun-Brown reveal the Christian Right is "closely allied with the Republican Party" (206). “Stealth campaigns” (219), led by committees who hide behind soft names like “Focus on the Family”, ultimately seek to eliminate same-sex marriage, women’s rights, and more. For example, while Concerned Women for America sounds like a women's right's organization, the 500,000-member committee focuses primarily on lobbying antigay and prolife legislation. Along the same lines Focus on the Family (founded 1981 by James Dobson) and the Traditional Values Coalition (formed in 1989 by Pat Robertson) are also advocates of the anti-gay movement.
Lampman, Jane. Christian Science Monitor. “New scrutiny of role of religion in Bush’s Policies”. March 17, 2003.
...in the concept of “separation of church and state”, the actions of the government throughout history proves otherwise. The use of chaplains in the military illustrates how the government played a part in monitoring and maintaining religion in the army. The four chaplain’s story exemplifies how the government used religion to unite different religious beliefs. In addition, in an effort to combat Nazi and communist ideals, the government encouraged a focus on religion and the morals that come with it. The government also found it advantageous to use religion to create nationalism and pride in America. The government united the country with religion, using the “Judeo-Christian” beliefs as the basis for the country. Despite the idea of “separation of church and state”, according to, history it appears that the church and state will always be intertwined at some level.
"The ACLU and Freedom of Religion and Belief." American Civil Liberties. (2013): n. page. Web. 2013.