A Baltimore jury levied a judgment of nearly $11 million against Topeka’s Westboro Baptist Church for picketing the funeral of a Marine killed in Iraq. Albert Snyder sued the church and its leaders after they picketed the funeral of his son Mathew in 2006. I caught up with an overjoyed Shirley Phelps-Roper, daughter of Westboro founder Fred Phelps, earlier this afternoon. Below are excerpts.
How have you been?
I can hardly describe how happy I am.
Why is that?
We are about the business of publishing the word of God and more specifically today to dismantle this doomed American beast and all of the parts of her. You see, we’re overseeing the undoing of doomed America, and the scriptures bear that out. We go faithfully every day, 17 years and put these words before the face of this nation and all along the way we ask the lord our God to open a door of utterance unto us. The scriptures say that God holds the keys to the doors of utterance, and he opens the door and no man can shut them. So today he didn’t just open them. He’s taken them clean off the hinges. So you look on Google, and we are the top story around the globe. Let’s look at what happened here. The whole world is now looking at America and they’re saying, “Hmm, that’s what doomed America looks like.” And they don’t deserve to have the First Amendment. They despise it.There is no religious liberty. There is no question that we were put on trial for our religion.
So you see this as the best thing that could have happened to the church?
Oh, it’s so awesome because behind it all, we’ve gotten this huge door of utterance. How awesome is that?
But you guys were getting publicity before.
We’ve never had anything that was this big at one time. Ever. In fact, we’ve literally had to divert traffic on all of the Web sites temporarily just because the surge on that God Hates Fags Web site is so huge. It’s just awesome.
Albert Snyder said on CNN that he feels sorry for your children.
Well, poor little Albert. Nobody cares. My children are alive and well. His child is dead and in hell. So you decide if any of those factors are important to you. Judgment has been executed on Albert Snyder.
Do you think this will lead to copycat lawsuits?
Hon. You know what? I don’t give one thought to that. They thought when they filed this thing and made great big pronouncements about and made a Web site trying to get everyone to sue us. And yet, they couldn’t do it.
How do you think your appeal will go?
Hon, there’s only one way for this appeal to go. Unless we’re going to kick the First Amendment to the curb, this thing doesn’t stand a chance of surviving.
The news quoted you as saying you were with an angel while you were on the stand.
Oh, hon. I had written an epic quoting a verse. The word rendered angel there is simply messenger. It’s a messenger. And so the guy reads that and says, “What’s that about?” I said, it’s a messenger. An angel is a messenger. But of course, when the guy reports it, he only reports about the part about the word angel.
If this judgment stands, will it bankrupt the church?
I’m going to say this one more time. Forget that. It’s a non-story. It’s an irrelevancy. It’s going nowhere. Do you think our
God who we serve who has promised to not forsake us? You think that that God is just impotent in this situation? That he didn’t just arrange for all of these things to happen just the way they are? The same God who arranged for us to have the huge door of utterance is the one who will arrange to keep us in all of our ways. I’m not worried about any of this, and you shouldn’t worry about it either, OK?
-- Justin Kendall
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If she thinks that all this has an effect she is wrong. SHirley Phelps-Roper is the one that is going to hell not those that SHE judges. She does not choose who goes to hell...she does not make the rules in that aspect. God is the one who passes judgment. God says Judge not lest ye be judged in the same manner. She is going to be judged just as harshly as she thinks she is condeming all these people. She is not God's judge. She has no right to pass a judgment on any person. So all she is saying is false. She chooses those statements to which she wants...
There is the one thing that everyone seems
to overlook in their protest, and that is that
they are not at a "public" function. I will
agree that funerals are not a RSVP affair but
there has always been an "applied" or an
understood invitation to come and pay your
last respects. When this idiot groups comes
and protest they are trespassing and inciting
riot.
If it is illegal to use fighting words then
why is it or should it not be illegal to come
and provoke a morning family at a funeral.
And why should the ACLU even try to butt in
and say it is a 1st amendment right? I can not
come into your private affairs to cause trouble
and a funeral is the last private affair you
will ever have.
This woman actually thinks somebody's child is "dead and in hell"? If it's true, I'm pretty sure she'll have a lot to say to that child when she dies (which I hope happens now) and goes there herself. Better pack a water bottle, you sorry cow.
The whole family is an incestuous toss-pile and seriously, seriously stupid to boot. Inbreeding causes that.
With the attention they so desperately need it is nice to see cities like Omaha, not mention one thing about the "in-breeders" picketing the victims of the Westroads Mall slaying. They were there to vindicate the fact that the disturbed kid that went on a shooting massacre was from Bellevue where Shirley Phelps-Roper was arrested for corrupting a minor by telling him to dessicate the US flag. Judgement is not a righteous virtue Phelps. If you don't like someone, keep it to yourself. Rumor has it Phelps Sr. started his one man HATE crusade after discovering one of his spawn was gay. A just punishment may be covering 'ol Fred in oil and locking him in a gay bar for awhile. Maybe the whole brood can be exiled to Iraq...won't last there very long.
I personally do not agree with the tactics the Phelps Klan has chosen to use. I have no problem with their ideas and opinions, as they are entitled to them. They are also entitled to voicing these ideas and opinions; however, they will be surprised when the verdict is upheld and the entire Phelps Klan will be bankrupted.
I am not affiliated with any church, but this does not mean I do not have my own beliefs in God and the holy spirits. I believe that even if you disagree with someone you should do it in a civil and tasteful manor. When Shirley says "Well, poor little Albert. Nobody cares. My children are alive and well. His child is dead and in hell. So you decide if any of those factors are important to you. Judgment has been executed on Albert Snyder." You can feel the anger in her words. She has been detached from reality by her father, and because of this she has detached her children from reality. As a mother she should realize how much it can hurt to lose a child. If one of her children where killed, would she be OK if people picked her child's funeral claiming the death was due to the acceptance of homosexuals in America?
I pray that the verdict against the Phelps Klan is upheld, in hopes that it will shock them back into reality.
As it stands right now the Phelps Klan = Squidbillies.
Ok, I have reseached this family and their church over the last few months. They are blind to the fact that they too are walking on thin ice. They have taken it upon themselves to preach GODS WORD. Ok, the Bible does say that we are to spread the word of his gospel, but where does it say that they are allowed to spread HATE. One of the seven deadly sins is WRATH and/or ANGER. Have any of you heard these people speak? They deliver their messages with anger. Fred Phelps is one of the angriest men I have ever seen. I have heard Shirley call people "Dummies" and "Bimbos". She constantly yells at people who are standing right in front of her. They express nothing but anger.
These people have the right to protest; however, they do not have the right to violate privacy. They also boast PRIDE...another deadly sin. They're proud of their message...they gloat at and taunt their fellow man. They cast judgment on other's...God is the only judge. I personally will not be judged by any man but God.
To conclude, these people are nothing more than a group of cowards who use the scriptures as a defense system to justify their hatred. They have no right to tell anyone that their love for God is fake. They have no right to tell these families that they're children are burning in hell. I have always been taught that God is love and that if you love him he will return your love.
If God is this ever hating being how can heaven be anything but hell?
They will be picketing all the way to HELL! I thought I was bad man these idiots are way out there......And I smoke, drink, listen to rock and curse like a sailor but I am sure I'd have a much better shot at getting thru the gates then they do.
If we were back in the 1800's these people would have had thier church burned and ran out of town a long time ago. So many people hate these bastards! They thrive on attention whether it be negative publicity or standing on the street corner being the creeps they are. I invite them back to Colorado Springs, they could use some egg on thier face.
i just saw this on the news i was brought up in the church my whole life and the things theses people are doing are not christian for the way thay act but that is just my opinion i dont think same sex partners right but i can not judge i was raised in the church and judgement is left to god not his people these people are making a mockery of the church and chirstian life and the understanding of the bible the word fag is not mentioned in the bible if im not mistaken and the definition of that word is not a person not living a christian life or a jew if my information is correct jesus was a jew and the son of god just wanted to get this off my chest and i think i will do this any time i hear this kind of thing i really think these people need to read or re-read the bible but this is just my opinion
This Westboro Baptist church say they hates the Gay-Community. But they also hate African-Americans, Canada, Sweden, the Fire Department of NY, victims of 911, other Christian Churches, The Pope, Judaism, America, Our American Troops, and the list goes on and on. Many of the groups they despise are specifically named on their hate propaganda, picket signs, and their many websites. They not only hate, but wish death on all that they abhor.
This sick, so called church spreads its hate through picketing in our streets, provoking attacks, with abusive vulgar language, attempting to create a confrontation.
This is not about protesting, this is about a life of hate. They are not peaceful. They are not a "church". They go after any thing that can get them in the news. I am all for protest when there is a reason, I have been in many. This group will protest anything to get its face on TV or in the news. It is about an old man lost in the darkness of hate, but will put his six year old grandson in danger to save himself. They protest at the funerals of our troops. Do we have a real need to protest at any funeral? Is that a real Freedom?
The city of Topeka, the state of Kansas and the U.S. at large, its citizens and their Churches, schools and events are all held hostage by this "hate group" - always at the tax payer's expense.
"First Amendment to the curb" and "dismantle this doomed American beast and all of the parts of her?"
What the...??? Did I read that right?
Smells like... treason, the traitors.
This Woman is clearly Insane, not to mention incredibly mean spirited. What in the world could possibly lead her and the others to believe that they are right to be doing this?
When their Judgement Day comes I fear they are in for a very nasty surprise.
has 'weep with those who weep' simultaneously disappeared from all fred phelps 50-odd bible versions ?
So let me see if I understand her... The people that are dying while fighting for her very right to spew her hate are the ones that are going to burn in hell? I'm confused by this.
I am sorry to read this article. I can't imagine how anybody could feel that way or behave or act like that. The Phelps's beliefs are wrong on so many levels and furthermore the pictures shown of their kids holding up those signs and banners.. They are only kids, and not making up their own minds about anything in life, but merely learning by their family members ignorance and shallow cold hearts. I too feel sorry for the kids, bringing them up to be closeminded and to learn that sort of behavior is just cruel. To goto those funerals and say that those soldiers are burning in hell.. How can a man of god - a preacher - or his family say such things? I remember when I was a kid in sunday school that I was told, "God loves everybody!" I think that the phelps should remember that and also remember that they are not god nor should they act like him. I hope that people reading this article that you see how much hatred and sadness can be displayed by this truely act of ignorance.
Hon, you know what? Spin it all they want, this judgment isn't going away. If this comes down to a First Amendment challenge, Westboro could be in for a surprise. The Federal Court has historically been averse to protecting speech that restricts the free function of government, and the military funeral is one of those functions. This decision opens the flood gates, others will follow.
Shirley Phelps-Roper is clearly mentally unbalanced and, even worse, that bitch is FUGLY! When I saw her photo, I thought, "Why is she still wearing a Halloween mask after October 31?" And then I realized it was HER face! She kind of looks like her FUGLY sister-in-spirit, Lisa "Faster Pussycat, Kill, Kill" Montgomery.
As far as I know, God does not condone hate of any form. The things these people do and the messages they vomit are truly some of the most hateful and hurtful things I have ever witnessed.
The worst part of this is the children they raise. What kind of children are raised when brought up with the belief that pure hate is a good thing?
If there really is a final judgment in Heaven or Hell, I think these people will have a very rude awakening.
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