Westboro Baptist Church

On November 27th, 1955, a small church in Topeka, Kansas, held its first service. Those in the congregation had no idea that pastor Fred Waldron Phelps would become the leader of a notorious hate group. Westboro Baptist Church was not the place of love it seemed to be. East Side Baptist Church in Topeka appointed Fred Phelps as their associate pastor in 1954. In 1955, they made him the head pastor of their new plant, Westboro Baptist. By 1956, Phelps had broken away from East Side Baptist (Gospel). Suddenly, Westboro was a church that did not conform to any religious denomination. Things went quiet until 1964 when Fred opened his law firm, Phelps Chartered. In 1979, he was disbarred from state courts because he had, “...little care…

When asking people what they think about the word “Baptists” they immediately think about people who go to church or judgmental/hypocritical people, but the labels of being “judgmental” are totally false (Zhein’s Survey). However, according to the Westboro Baptist Church website their constant picketing and cruel offense that they do to judge people who are not only of the LGBT group (Figure 1). When the Orlando Shooting of the Pulse nightclub for gays took place, the WBC showed up to “support”…

The Westboro Baptist church became infamous in 1998 when they protested at the funeral of Matthew Shepard who was killed due to his sextual orientation. They originated long before this controversial protest, and they have continued to protest at funerals of: public figures, children, and soldiers. The Westboro Baptist Church claims to have taken part in over 40,000 protest since 1991, portraying an image of a huge enterprise; when in reality there is less than 100 members, primarily members…

Albert Snyder, father of Lance Corporal Matthew Snyder, filed a lawsuit against Westboro Baptist Church. This is because Westboro Baptist Church is liable for picketing the Maryland funeral of Lance Corporal Matthew Snyder on March of 2006. The Westboro protesters held signs with messages like “You’re Going to Hell”, “Thank God for Dead Soldiers”, and “Thank God for IEDs”. The Westboro Baptist Church believes the country’s values are wrong for allowing homoseuality and having soldiers protect a…

Since 1991 the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas has preached their hatred towards jews, catholics, homosexuals, and numerous funerals. Over the years the Westboro Church has formed into a hate group more than a religion. The church was founded by Fred Phelps. The church started off as a normal southern baptist church back when it was founded in the 1950’s. But as time went on Fred preached his beliefs to his small group of his parishioners. Fred Phelps forced his own incite onto God’s…

The Westboro Baptist Church is arguably a radical hate group who vehemently protests gay rights. Their presence disrupts the peace by inciting riots and violence, their protests can be seen as bullying or harassment, they are discourteous to the sanctity of a funeral and indifferent to the suffering of others. Therefore, this church and its followers should not be able to protest at service members’ funerals. This group is well known for its peaceful picketing of funerals that seem to respect…

The Westboro Baptist Church falls under IRS Section 501C which makes the church tax exempt, but they should have to pay taxes. To be in compliant with Section 501C of the Internal Revenue Code church must follow strict guidelines to keep their tax-exempt status. The organization cannot be organized or operated for the benefit of private interest. None of its earnings may inure to any private shareholder or individual. One of the biggest ways churches lose their tax-exempt status is becoming…

Our free speech is what makes The United States of America the United States of America, and if we take that away, our country would be corrupt, actions of disagreement, protesting, and more things like that. I agree with the Supreme Court's decision that allows the Westboro Baptist Church to protest in military funerals. The reasons I think this are because you cannot limit free speech, if you limit free speech, people everywhere would be protesting, there would be a nation outrage, and we…

Fred Phelps and six of his relatives belonging to the Westboro Baptist Church traveled to Maryland to specifically picket Marine Lance Corporals funeral services to communicate their beliefs that God hates the United States in reference to the military, the Catholic Church, and homosexuality. The church group picketed 30 minutes before the funeral within 1000 feet of the funeral service on public lands in compliance with local authorities [1]. In Snyder v. Phelps, 09-751 S. Ct. 1 (2011), the…

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…