The Westboro Cult
Merriam Webster’s dictionary stats that a cult is, “a small religious group that is not part of a larger and more accepted religion and that has beliefs regarded by many people by many people as extreme or dangerous.” According to this definition I believe that the Westboro Baptist Church is a cult. The Westboro Baptist Church is actually an independent church. Other churches including Baptist churches do not claim them as part of their denomination. “Westboro Baptist Church was established by East Side Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas in 1931, which at the time was a traditionally orthodox mainline Protestant church. Fred Phillips, the leader of Westboro Baptist, become the head pastor of the church in 1956 and immediately …show more content…
Many Americans disagree with their belief and their way of stating their opinions. There are those who believe that picketing an American soldier’s funeral is disrespectful and socially deviant. Most Americans agree that the Westboro Baptist Church are a social nuisance, a menace to society. The Southern Poverty Law Center called Westboro "arguably the most obnoxious and rabid hate group in America." (Burke, 2014) Other so called hate groups such as the KKK and the Satanic Temple have stated that they disagree with the church and its teachings. Their actions have landed them in court a number of times, however the freedom of speech and their family of lawyers seem to keep them out of trouble. When facing the Supreme Court it was ruled that they have the right to peacefully protest and assemble on public property. Now there are people who will protest against them holding opposing signage. There are also groups of people who have chosen to block out the Westboro Baptist protesters in order to protect families at …show more content…
Most modern churches teach that God is loving and forgiving. Although they may not agree with what a person is doing, they may not agree with gay marriage, most churches preach to love thy neighbor. Westboro teaches the opposite that God is full of hate and only his select chosen few are going to join him in eternity, they believe they are this select few. Even people who are not religious find the Westboro’s methods uncouth; picketing the funeral of slain child because God wanted them dead to teach America a lesson, is not only disrespectful but downright sickening. I personally think they have the right to practice their religion and freedom of speech, however I do not think that picketing funerals is the way to get people stop sinning. I think that you should respect the dead not picket their death saying it what God wanted. I know that I would be distraught and irate if someone were to picket my child’s funeral saying they were glad it happened. I can only imagine how the families feel when these Church members show up with their signs to spread the word that their loved ones died because God hates gays, or because God hates America.
I also think that teaching hate is not the way to win over followers. I feel sorry for the children who grow up in this church thinking that hating others is how they are supposed to act. I believe that Westboro Baptist Church is a cult that was brainwashed to hate
Merriam Webster’s dictionary stats that a cult is, “a small religious group that is not part of a larger and more accepted religion and that has beliefs regarded by many people by many people as extreme or dangerous.” According to this definition I believe that the Westboro Baptist Church is a cult. The Westboro Baptist Church is actually an independent church. Other churches including Baptist churches do not claim them as part of their denomination. “Westboro Baptist Church was established by East Side Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas in 1931, which at the time was a traditionally orthodox mainline Protestant church. Fred Phillips, the leader of Westboro Baptist, become the head pastor of the church in 1956 and immediately …show more content…
Many Americans disagree with their belief and their way of stating their opinions. There are those who believe that picketing an American soldier’s funeral is disrespectful and socially deviant. Most Americans agree that the Westboro Baptist Church are a social nuisance, a menace to society. The Southern Poverty Law Center called Westboro "arguably the most obnoxious and rabid hate group in America." (Burke, 2014) Other so called hate groups such as the KKK and the Satanic Temple have stated that they disagree with the church and its teachings. Their actions have landed them in court a number of times, however the freedom of speech and their family of lawyers seem to keep them out of trouble. When facing the Supreme Court it was ruled that they have the right to peacefully protest and assemble on public property. Now there are people who will protest against them holding opposing signage. There are also groups of people who have chosen to block out the Westboro Baptist protesters in order to protect families at …show more content…
Most modern churches teach that God is loving and forgiving. Although they may not agree with what a person is doing, they may not agree with gay marriage, most churches preach to love thy neighbor. Westboro teaches the opposite that God is full of hate and only his select chosen few are going to join him in eternity, they believe they are this select few. Even people who are not religious find the Westboro’s methods uncouth; picketing the funeral of slain child because God wanted them dead to teach America a lesson, is not only disrespectful but downright sickening. I personally think they have the right to practice their religion and freedom of speech, however I do not think that picketing funerals is the way to get people stop sinning. I think that you should respect the dead not picket their death saying it what God wanted. I know that I would be distraught and irate if someone were to picket my child’s funeral saying they were glad it happened. I can only imagine how the families feel when these Church members show up with their signs to spread the word that their loved ones died because God hates gays, or because God hates America.
I also think that teaching hate is not the way to win over followers. I feel sorry for the children who grow up in this church thinking that hating others is how they are supposed to act. I believe that Westboro Baptist Church is a cult that was brainwashed to hate