Westboro Baptist Church Pickets Synagogues: Christian Extremist Group Protests Brooklyn Temples (VIDEO)

This past weekend members of the Westboro Baptist Church brought their vitriolic message to Brooklyn.

Known for picketing the funerals of soldiers with signs that read "GOD HATES FAGS" and similar wholesome messages, the Kansas-based group didn't get much traction with their protest, and were drowned out by about 200 counter-protesters.

The extremist Christians had also rallied in front of Brooklyn Technical High School on Thursday.

WATCH:

And in true Brooklyn-style, here's a video of young parents and their babies protesting:

Comments

[Hirnlego]

BS
These too are christians. But there are many kinds. Christians have in fact done a lot of worse tings than this group or people.*

"If all the Christians who have called other Christians "not really a Christian" were to vanish, there'd be no Christians left."

*slavery, wars, torture etc..

[anitaj]

They may be Christians, but they are not the best examples of the faith. As I recall from confirmation class, being a Christian means that one should focus one's attention on the New Testament, not the lengthy list of "thou shalt nots" in Leviticus.

While I am no longer a Christian, there are still a few nuggets in the Bible that are dear to my heart.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." --- I Corinthians, 13:4-7

That might be a good spot for the WBC crowd to begin a study session.

[GodIs]

God believes it is important for the righteous to judge the wicked

[wernerholm]

"God Believes" ??????

[JohnWilliam]

I believe you're insane. God doesn't believe anything, God is a figment of your imagination.

[SpoonieLuv]

God believes that World of Warcraft's developers should increase warrior attributes in the next patch.

PPLLEEAASSEE!? ...anybody there...?

[anitaj]

"God" seems to have a wide variety of often mutually exclusive opinions.

[Liberal Angel]

I see a lot of anger, even hate for religion in general, but Christianity in particular. I understand why a lot of folks aren't fans of religion, but to think that religion is the reason people fight wars all the time is just ignoring human history and primate behavior. Primates are particularly violent creatures. Violence is in our nature. Religion was not developed as an excuse for violence, rather a reaction to what we spiritually inclined folks call "God". Using religion as an excuse for the hate and greed we have in our hearts came after the the fact. Religion, like any institution man has created, is often used to justify the atrocities we as a species seem to love to commit against our fellow humans. If it's not religion, it's a politcal ideology. If not that, it's tribal hatred. lf not that, it's lust for conquest. There are many excuses we have for violence and hate, but singling religion out as the major cause is ignoring the bigger picture. The point of religion (other than promoting a relationship with the Divine) is to bring about a personal transformation precisely because we are such a violent species. Having problems with superstition is valid, but not a reason to try to abolish what nourishes so many spiritual lives.

[OkieIntellectual]

I would argue that your syntax is a bit skewed. You say that the point of religion is to bring about personal transformation, while I would say that you are talking about spirituality there, not religion. What does religion have to do with one's personal, private relationship with God? Religion TELLS one how to live, how to worship, who to interpret the Divine. On the other hand, if one fosters a personal relationship with the Divine and listens exclusively to that (rather than the prattlings of men in $3000 suits speaking from the pulpit about humility, then demanding that congregants send them money), that is where true personal transformation comes from. Everything else is little more than modeling behavior based on the tendancies of the herd (or congregation, in this case).

Real personal transformation comes from within.

Of course, one could also argue that we're merely talking semantics here. :)

[Liberal Angel]

We are just talking semantics. Religion in my experience has lead to a greater spirituality for me. I have had a personal encounter with God (I hear the uncontrollable laughter from my fellow lefties). I feel that religion (for me) helps people on their spiritual journies by giving them access to tried and true methods of spiritual disciplines. Various contemplative prayers to help focus your mind. Rituals that remind us of the Divine, and when done in fellowship with others, give us a palpable sense of communion with it. I'm not saying religion is for everyone. I have even counselled my boyfriend and a good friend of mine to try Buddhism. I feel Christianity is right for me. I would never attempt to trash other people's faiths (or disbelief). I don't think it's the religion that matters so much as the spiritual relationship with God (or whatever one wishes to refer to the Source of All Being), and how we treat our fellow beings. I'm just saying that religion isn't automatically a bad thing as many have been saying, it's the @$$ho!e$ who pervert them that are the problem.

[PoliticalRockChick]

I thought I should put up this again.

Wanna see Michael Moore vs. Westboro Baptist Church:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ra_fAYl4Th4

[StacyM]

Terrorism - the systematic use of terror especially as a use of coercion.

Why hasn't the Westboro Baptist Church and others like it been named terrorists in our effort to keep America and it's people safe?

[HeevenSteven]

Mmm, burgers..

[MIKEinNYC]

If it turns out that here is no god then are the so-called "phags" off the hook?

[4 Real]

Organized religion today is a business and should be taxed as such. It takes in money and it makes a profit, and if you don't believe me, look at some of those ornate evangelical mega churches.
Seriously, these people throw JC's name around like he's their BFF but what they preach and what they portray is so far removed from the teachings of JC, they should be ashamed.
JC should have the letters TM in superscript after his name because that's all he is to these people, a trademark..
Now, I am not lumping all christian religions together here, but the ones in the spotlight these days are NOT christian in any sense of the word.

[minimalist syntax]

That is a good point. They do seem to use Jesus as a trademark.

[KarateKid]

And he was Jewish. The Romans couldn't wipe out Judaism so they invented their own church and chose this long gone religious figure as its symbol.

[KarateKid]

And he was _Jewish. The Romans couldn't wipe out _Judaism so they invented their own _church and chose this long gone religious figure as its symbol

[Anne Johnson]

When will the human race evolve past the need for religion? Maybe we're making progress. Ancient cultures had multiple gods. At least the big three have it narrowed down to just one. Now if they would just keep their superstitions to themselves...

[i-am-mouse]

We can only hope... but I'm afraid there will always be people like Phelps who need that self-affirmation they get from dragging other people down.

Here's some entertainment. Michael Moore takes on Phelps and his band of fools.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ra_fAYl4Th4

[4 Real]

There will always be people who need inspiration or direction from something they think is bigger then themselves. Unfortunately those people are also easily manipulated.
If you can't take pleasure from just being alive, doing good things and treating people like you want to be treated without guidance from heaven, then what a sad life to live.

[KarateKid]

hear, hear!!

[al343806]

Well, the Jews have never forcefully converted anyone or stated that a good world is one where everyone is Jewish. Just to point out also that their belief is that righteous gentiles still are accepted into heaven. I believe it's the only one of the three to embrace that ideology, which is ironic considering it's the parent religion.

Also, Jews focus on fixing the world now, not on the afterlife. You would be hardpressed to find a Jewish Rabbi or Congregant going on about what happens after death. For Judaism, that's not as important.

[KarateKid]

hear, hear. And Judaism doesn't lay any guilt trips on its worshippers.

[danzbassman]

I'm an atheist, and no fan of organized religion in general. But even I have to admit that the members of this "church" are not representative of Christians in general in this country. These people are whack jobs who appear to get off espousing whatever absurd message and in the most abhorrent manner to get on the news.

[Anne Johnson]

No they don't look like christians just crazy and belligerent. I could of sworn that one guy had a sign in his other hand that said "GOD HATES YOU". I guess god only likes that guy??

[4 Real]

I believe this is a family that calls itself a church. I would say they are either a cult or they suffer from a genetic abnormality that causes them to act this way (like a some form of mental illness).
I've said this before in a previous post, if they weren't using their church to hide behind, they would have been taken in for a psyche evaluation and their kids put in foster care.

[Jazzijim]

Jim Dobson is to blame for Fred Phelps and Westboro Baptist and no one is more shocked than me to see Bill O'Reilly of all people let him have it. http://wp.me/pChUJ-3Y Now that the IRS is investigating Oral Roberts University, let the fun begin. Armadillo and poop.

[i-am-mouse]

Don't click on that link. It's some asinine right-wing blog.

[SeeDaddy]

It's time to set up demonstrations at the Westboro Baptist Church. Give them back what they do unto others.

[i-am-mouse]

I should take my boyfriend and have a picnic on the church lawn. :-)

[KarateKid]

Better yet, let's walk our dogs on their lawn and let them pee and defacate on it, and don't pick it up.

[witchband]

Why are so many christians always so angry and bitter all the time?

[Aquilina]

Some people spend too much time reading the Old Testament.

[learntofly]

It is generally one miserable group.

[KarateKid]

To be expected from descendants of the perpetrators of the Crusades. Some religious tolerance we have in THIS country. Organized religion is nothing but mind control. The people in this article sure were raised right by their parents, weren't they?

[TokyoCalling]

+1

[MountPanic]

Yes, it's a good thing that it's only those "mind controlled" religions that engage in religious intolerance...

[smileatfear]

It is good to be intolerant of intolerance.

[moveyourimage]

This is so disgusting. There is a place in Hell for these people.