Westboro Baptist Church: Difference between revisions
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A slogan commonly invoked at the counter protests is "God hates figs". Parodying the WBC all-capitals "God hates fags" signs, the counter-protest signs often invoke a passage in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bible Biblical] book of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_Matthew Matthew] to justify the claim about God and his feelings about [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_fig figs]. The signs have been noted at counter-protests at the University of Chicago; | A slogan commonly invoked at the counter protests is "God hates figs". Parodying the WBC all-capitals "God hates fags" signs, the counter-protest signs often invoke a passage in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bible Biblical] book of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_Matthew Matthew] to justify the claim about God and his feelings about [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_fig figs]. The signs have been noted at counter-protests at the University of Chicago; in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spartanburg,_South_Carolina Spartanburg, South Carolina]; and in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, as well as at the non-WBC-themed [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rally_to_Restore_Sanity Rally to Restore Sanity]. The use of the signs has been invoked as a sign of sanity by the ACLU<span style="font-size:11px;line-height:0px;"> </span>and others. | ||
Documentation given out at various counter-protests cite biblical | Documentation given out at various counter-protests cite biblical verses in which Jesus says that none should eat the fruit of a fig tree ([http://bibref.hebtools.com/?book=%20Mark&verse=11:12%E2%80%9314&src=NIV Mark 11:12–14]), in which [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cursing_the_fig_tree Jesus causes a fig tree to wither] ([http://bibref.hebtools.com/?book=%20Matthew&verse=21:18%E2%80%9320&src=NIV Matthew 21:18–20]), and in which God promises, as a punishment, to make someone like bad figs ([http://bibref.hebtools.com/?book=%20Jeremiah&verse=29:17&src=NIV Jeremiah 29:17]). These are genuine citations, but are not the sole mentions of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Figs_in_the_Bible figs in the Bible]. | ||
Other sites and organizations have parodied the slogans of the Westboro Baptist Church, including God Hates Fred Phelps, | Other sites and organizations have parodied the slogans of the Westboro Baptist Church, including God Hates Fred Phelps, God Hates Bags, and God Hates Shrimp. The Cooper family in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Smith Kevin Smith]'s 2011 film ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_State_%282011_film%29 Red State]'' was reportedly inspired by the Westboro Baptist Church. | ||
Protestors holding WBC-like picket signs are seen in the film ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_Bless_America_%28film%29 God Bless America]''. | Protestors holding WBC-like picket signs are seen in the film ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_Bless_America_%28film%29 God Bless America]''. | ||
===Criticism=== | ===Criticism=== | ||
A number of Phelps' critics have suggested that the actions of the Westboro Baptist Church are merely a ploy to receive attention and publicity above all else, though the Phelpses themselves deny this claim. Counter-protesting against the group, they suggest, gives them attention and incentive that they do not deserve; and a more effective response against Phelps would be to ignore his family and congregation completely.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-184">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westboro_Baptist_Church#cite_note-184 [184]]</sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-185">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westboro_Baptist_Church#cite_note-185 [185]]</sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-186">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westboro_Baptist_Church#cite_note-186 [186]]</sup> WBC, through the closely related Phelps Chartered law firm, has collected fees under the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Rights_Attorney%27s_Fees_Award_Act_of_1976 Civil Rights Attorney's Fees Award Act of 1976] when their protests have been unlawfully disrupted.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-187">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westboro_Baptist_Church#cite_note-187 [187]]</sup> | A number of Phelps' critics have suggested that the actions of the Westboro Baptist Church are merely a ploy to receive attention and publicity above all else, though the Phelpses themselves deny this claim. Counter-protesting against the group, they suggest, gives them attention and incentive that they do not deserve; and a more effective response against Phelps would be to ignore his family and congregation completely.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-184">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westboro_Baptist_Church#cite_note-184 [184]]</sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-185">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westboro_Baptist_Church#cite_note-185 [185]]</sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-186">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westboro_Baptist_Church#cite_note-186 [186]]</sup> WBC, through the closely related Phelps Chartered law firm, has collected fees under the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Rights_Attorney%27s_Fees_Award_Act_of_1976 Civil Rights Attorney's Fees Award Act of 1976] when their protests have been unlawfully disrupted.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-187">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westboro_Baptist_Church#cite_note-187 [187]]</sup> | ||