^^^^^

Baptist Churches just sound...nasty!

Most religious fundamentalists are nasty. WBC is a hate group but they also prey (and pray) on being in the media to further their crappy messages and to help bring in funds from like minded twats. The best way of dealing with them is ignoring them. They may not go away but they will be starved of funds if the media didn't follow their every move.

Careful what you say. Making broad and unfounded statements about any one group of people is the first step toward the same mistake these people make.

These people were all Baptists.

Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Abraham Lincoln, Harry Truman, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to name a few.

I'd be surprised if WBC actually and personally believe 1/10th of what their signs say. They're trolls who say things to get people riled up, that's all.

Is Westboro Baptist Church a hate group?

If you give the Wiki article on them a quick read, it appears that they hate almost everything and everybody. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck......

Agreed. Just another way to be famous. And make money.

The WBC is so extreme in their ways that even Ku Klux Klan doesn`t want anyhing to do with these guys.

I agree. Most religious people I know, Baptists included, are not all that different than non-religious people in their manner of expressing their opinions and beliefs. I know that probably disappoints any Baptist, they want to be different (in a good way). I would not say they are bad, they have their opinions like everyone else. And yeah, like you said, bashing Baptists or Christians is probably not a tolerant POV.

For me, when Pat Robertson makes some hateful remark, and it gets picked up by the news cycle, it's not in the same league as when the WBC makes an disruptive, innappropriate appearance in force at a funeral.

I always try to separate uneducated ignorance from intentional malice. They're both bad, but one can be excused, the other can't be. One can also be corrected if people are willing to listen. I don't see much hope for the other.

And that for me is one of the defining reasons I consider them (WBC) to be a hate group :yep:

I think it's high time the tax exempt status is removed for all churches etc.

That is a concept well worth discussing.

Personally, I feel churches should be taxed, but the church's not-for-profit activities should be exempt from taxation. In other words, the same rules for corporations should apply to religious corporations (churches).

Churches like corporations have their for profit activities and their not-for-profit activities. The same rules should apply to both.

Unless property is being used for recognized not-for-profit purposes, I do not understand how a church can receive income from owing property and not pay taxes.

Sadly, this is why they are NOT a hate group. The do not advocate that others hate homosexuals - they simply state that (they think) "God hates homosexuals". They do not advocate violence unlawful in any form against any group - including homosexuals.

Do not misunderstand - I find their tactics terrible, their lack of scholarship atrocious, and their intent despicable. That does not make them a hate group.

The first time there comes to light a "sermon" or "teaching" from Ole Fred, the patriarch, that says to go round up the gays and light em on fire or drag em through the streets - in other words - encouraging such action to take place outside the law - then they will be shut down immediately. These people are fools - but not so foolish as to step outside the boundaries of what this nation - that they so despise - affords them.

No question they fall under the definition of a hate group.
I would also say that the right to have an undisturbed funeral trumps their right to spill their agenda. From a moral point of view go as far and say their right not to be physical harmed is less worth than the right to bury a person in peace.

People who attend a funeral are there involuntarely, they would rather listen to 600 hours of Justin Bieber than being forced to bury a loved one.
It is a different case when the "church" protests a homosexual parade. These folks attend a rally by their own will, so protesting there is legitimate, the question if the protests are idiotic or not, is of no concern when it comes to the quesion about legality.

For me I think Pat Robertson is actually worse.
Unlike Phelps he has a wide reaching comprehensive media network which some people actually think is credible, unlike Phelps he has access to politicians and partakes in national events as an insider not as a nutter screaming from the sidewalk down the block, unlike Phelps I think the hate filled bigot actually really believes what he says.
Any one of those alone makes him worse than Phelps, a combination of them makes him a lot worse than the WBC

Binny Hinn... Dark Sith Lord ....Got to be one of the funniest videos on utube.

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=...4DBF6&first=21

They do advocate hatred. According to them, their interpretation of Christianity is the only true one. They worship their version of god, who hates about 99.9% of the world. As the "true believers" that they are they spread "god's will" by advocating hate. Their message is "You want to be saved? OK, follow the right way and hate (insert group)." As they are convinced of their version of truth, they want others to believe the same, to walk the way that is right according to them.
You can call it hate-by-proxy if you want, if people say "my leader hates fags" instead of "I hate them". Nonetheless they believe this and leave no chance out to spread their message.

The minute you hear them scream their "god hates fags" and *soldiers name* is a "sh.. doo doo Uhh eater" (please let that slide :))...at a soldiers funeral, who's only crime was dying in a war.

I am utterly disgusted by any group who capitalizes on soldiers deaths to get attention.

Especially when they are tax exempt, and their roll call sheet looks like the scene from Blazing Saddles, when the entire town council had the same last name (Johnson) implying incest.

How could I start my own tax exempt church... I want it stopped or Iwant in.

I will worship my pinky toe, and his name is Bubby. Bubby bless Bubby upon you all, now where is my tax exemption?

Bubby believes in masturbation and playing ping pong.

My new name is Grandmaster Shalabalabad of Eastus, and I am an apostle, and messenger of Bubby.
Call me silly.
So about that tax exempt thing... Not like I hate anyone without a Phelps or Roper last name like these fruits do.

You can allllllllll join my flock, I ask nothing, Just love of Bubby.

Actually many have started their own home church so they can get all the tax deductions. Just declare yourself a Pastor, have church at your house and let the tax deductions roll.....

If that is in fact the case where do I sign up :)

Right here!:D

http://www.amfellow.org/