Westboro Baptists fined $10.9mil for being asshats

Those fucking loonies at the Westboro Baptist Church have just gotten a bit of a pricetag for thier asshatness.

Church ordered to pay $10.9 million for funeral protest - CNN.com

Quote:

BALTIMORE, Maryland (AP) -- A grieving father won a nearly $11 million verdict Wednesday against a fundamentalist Kansas church that pickets military funerals in the belief that the war in Iraq is a punishment for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.
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A member of Westboro Baptist Church protests outside a veteran's hospital in Maywood, Illinois, in April 2006.

Albert Snyder of York, Pennsylvania, sued the Westboro Baptist Church for unspecified damages after members demonstrated at the March 2006 funeral of his son, Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, who was killed in Iraq.

The jury first awarded $2.9 million in compensatory damages. It returned later in the afternoon with its decision to award $6 million in punitive damages for invasion of privacy and $2 million for causing emotional distress.

U.S. District Judge Richard Bennett noted the size of the award for compensating damages "far exceeds the net worth of the defendants," according to financial statements filed with the court.

Church members routinely picket funerals of military personnel killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, carrying signs such as "Thank God for dead soldiers" and "God hates fags."

A number of states have passed laws regarding funeral protests, and Congress has passed a law prohibiting such protests at federal cemeteries.

But the Maryland lawsuit is believed to be the first filed by the family of a fallen serviceman.

The church and three of its leaders -- the Rev. Fred Phelps and his two daughters, Shirley Phelps-Roper and Rebecca Phelps-Davis, 46 -- were found liable for invasion of privacy and intent to inflict emotional distress.

Snyder claimed the protests intruded upon what should have been a private ceremony and sullied his memory of the event.

The church members testified they are following their religious beliefs by spreading the message that the deaths of soldiers are due to the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.

Their attorneys argued in closing statements Tuesday that the burial was a public event and that even abhorrent points of view are protected by the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech and religion.

The judge said the church's financial statements, sealed earlier, could be released to the plaintiffs.

Earlier, church members staged a demonstration outside the federal courthouse.

Church founder Fred Phelps held a sign reading "God is your enemy," while Shirley Phelps-Roper stood on an American flag and carried a sign that read "God hates fag enablers."

Members of the group sang "God Hates America" to the tune of "God Bless America."

Snyder sobbed when he heard the verdict, while members of the church greeted the news with tightlipped smiles

I'm against the war in Iraq, but what they did is un-fucking-believable. If I got to a funeral, and there's some fucking twat holding a sign saying that 'God hates your son/daughter" Holy fuck I'd probably kill them. At least show a little bit of fucking respect, hold the protest after the funeral, but don't go to some random soldier's funeral, and hold your protest there. Fucking cowards is all they are, fucking cowards.

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Ugh, the closed-mindedness of our world today makes me sick. It just goes without having to say that anyone can twist anything towards their biased views. It's even more disgusting when they attempt to use God as a reason for their own hatred. What the hell kind of "church" is this anyways?

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Summonmaster

Ugh, the closed-mindedness of our world today makes me sick. It just goes without having to say that anyone can twist anything towards their biased views. It's even more disgusting when they attempt to use God as a reason for their own hatred. What the hell kind of "church" is this anyways?

Its pretty much a cult, rather than a church. I've got respect for most Christians and most churches, because they don't do any harm to anyone. They are just practicing what they believe in a manner which is perfectly decent. I hate to group the Westboro Baptist 'church' with real churches because they seem to have nothing going on but hatred and the agenda to spread that hatred. I've encountered a few other 'Christians' like that (sup, FinalRob?) but not as bad as the Westboro Baptists.

The leader of the church is Fred Phelps, and most of the congregation are members of his extended family. I have no hesitation whatsoever in labelling it a dangerous and evil cult.

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Originally Posted by Summonmaster

Ugh, the closed-mindedness of our world today makes me sick.

I doubt the Wesboro people at all represent any significant portion of the regional or American population, much less the world.

And don't worry about this thing growing. The cult, as Soluzar described it, appears to be a personality-based one; very dependent upon the patriarchy of Fred Phelps.
When he dies, the group will fizzle out and die. Considering the utter unpopularity of their message, and their opposition to inbreeding (HOPEFULLY), they wont be getting many recruits and growing much.
Social darwinism will take its course.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Soluzar

Its pretty much a cult, rather than a church. I've got respect for most Christians and most churches, because they don't do any harm to anyone. They are just practicing what they believe in a manner which is perfectly decent. I hate to group the Westboro Baptist 'church' with real churches because they seem to have nothing going on but hatred and the agenda to spread that hatred. I've encountered a few other 'Christians' like that (sup, FinalRob?) but not as bad as the Westboro Baptists.

The leader of the church is Fred Phelps, and most of the congregation are members of his extended family. I have no hesitation whatsoever in labelling it a dangerous and evil cult.

I totally agree. I think it's sad bastards like Fred Phelps and his underlings give a bad name to Christians and taint how some people might view that religion. I'm glad that poor father won against something so hideous and disgusting.

I was speaking idiomatically.

It pretty much IS a cult. One gigantic family (Fred Phelps had what, 15 kids?) who unify and have a kind of complex on a large piece of land in Kansas.

Of course, there are a few non-family members in the "cult," expectedly.

I watched this awesome Louis Theroux documentary wherein he spent a week with the family. It breaks my heart, that documentary. The kids are clearly a little divided about how their family does things. And Fred Phelps himself is plain out batshit insane. He's brainwashed his kids, straight-out.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

They represent an extreme minority, yet nonetheless garner media attention many times a year. This blow is a long needed one, in my mind. The ignorance is stunning, though; they only get away with this religious free speech bullshit because they can. For all their hatred of America, they would be massacred if they tried this in any other country.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Sassafrass

I watched this awesome Louis Theroux documentary wherein he spent a week with the family.

Keith Allen did one too. His is more entertaining

YouTube - Westboro Baptist Church gets pwned

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Cellius

They represent an extreme minority, yet nonetheless garner media attention many times a year. This blow is a long needed one, in my mind. The ignorance is stunning, though; they only get away with this religious free speech bullshit because they can. For all their hatred of America, they would be massacred if they tried this in any other country.

They do have their right to believe in whatever the fuck they want to believe in. And they can preach it, too. Welcome to America. Everyone gets that right.

I think the majority of the nation, regardless of spirituality, knows that this is a group of lunatics.

The media covers them because they're hilarious. Who wouldn't be laughing at them?

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Sassafrass

They do have their right to believe in whatever the fuck they want to believe in. And they can preach it, too. Welcome to America. Everyone gets that right.

Right that's my point. It's a right in America, but I think they lack the perspective that such a right is not granted everywhere in the world. They despise the very thing that affords them their freedom.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I think they pretty much despise everything, even themselves. I as well saw the documentary of them with the british man interviewing them, and they don't even like themselves. The children who were old enough to go to college, are totally into thinking that they don't even deserve heaven, but rather feel they are going to hell, and they're almost fine with it.


But the whole pickets and signs at funerals...I mean, that's to create attention to themselves [which they obviously got], and just be antagonizing. Thankfully, the courts I believe where they live have banned demonstrations like the Phelps do from funerals. So hopefully there's some hope there.

It is amazing though, a religion that's supposed to be tolerant, is taken to such an extreme, that Jerry Faldwell looks like Captain Kangaroo compared to them. And aren't there more important things going on in our country, than 'fags'? Morons.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Good God, can religion make people anymore stupid? Where do they get off blaming the war in Iraq on gays? That makes absolutely no sense at all, theres not even a hint of philosophical speculation in their protest. I'm a straight guy and I wish people would stop all the damn gay bashing. Leave that stuff in the 20th century and get with the times. Homosexuality is not some almighty evil here to destroy the world. It may be a sin but so is adultery, stealing and murder. Which of these things are the most dangerous? Gee, I dunno, lets just pick on the fags since they're an easy target. This story reminds me of a movie called The Devil's Advocate. In the movie there was this Satanist church disguised as a regular Christian church. On the outside it appeared the members were just regular everyday people practicing their faith on Sundays. But on the inside they were planning the coming of the Anti-Christ and the fall of Christianity. This article makes me wonder if Westboro Baptist is such a Church. A community full of hypocrites, which the majority of religious people are anyway, claiming to do God's work but they're just spreading more anger and hate, causing even more violence. Protesting a funeral, what despicable bastards, I hate fanatics with such blind faith.

By the way I'm agnostic with partial faith in Christianity.

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I'm still not 100% convinced that these guys aren't some sort of super-elaborate performance art spectacle, myself.

Actually, that's not true. It's just wishful thinking. Theocracy is not cool, sorry.

I was speaking idiomatically.

This Google ad is very much relevant:



What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

I fucking hate these assholes. Reading about them and their actions makes my blood boil. Why couldn't these people follow Jonestown's example and kill themselves?

FELIPE NO

I posted about these bastards on here once when they did this crap in Michigan. I know some people don't pay attention to what they're really protesting, I've talked to alot of people who think they're against the war in Iraq, they're not, they're against gays. These people won't be happy unless people are executed for being gay.

It's about time something bad happened to them, I'm amazed no one from any of the families has snapped and killed them all.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by SCHWARZE-2

This Google ad is very much relevant:

I want to get me some of that shit.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Trance Machina

I want to get me some of that shit.

Wanna bet they're tinny versions of AC/DC?

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Wouldn't gay people be offended by that then? I mean who in their right mind would want to be associated with those crazy fucks?

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Originally Posted by Stop Sign

Wanna bet they're tinny versions of AC/DC?

Highway to Hell, obviously. :\

Hells Bells would also be an acceptable answer.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by RAZGRIZ-2

I don't consider gay people "Fags", I consider total asshats fags.

Ah. You've got a point there.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Its good to see some vindication to a certain extent.

I've watched quite a lot of excerpts about this family. I also seen that documentary with that british guy about america's most hated family and its just sickening about some of the stuff they actually go on with.

They do have the right to believe in what they want they believe, and to preach what they want to preach but there has to be a fine line that they should at least have some decency to have a little bit of respect for people who may think differently than them. I guess in the sense that they're so arrogant and ignorant to the world around them that they take a lot of pride in knowing that what they say and what they do makes them so hated.

In the sense of them being sued, its honestly about time. I don't think this is going to make them think twice about their actions. They're still going to do what they want to do despite whatever consequences may await them. This so called cult will probably extinguish into nothing once Fred Phelps passes away.

It is nice to see that one family who suffered such a horrific loss stood up to this family and showed that in their eyes what they're doing is wrong.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by Angel Of Light

It is nice to see that one family who suffered such a horrific loss stood up to this family and showed that in their eyes what they're doing is wrong.

You do realise that the Phelps clan won't admit that what they've been doing is anything other than right by divine mandate, though? Just because the American legal system says they were wrong, they will still believe they are right. As proof of this notion I cite the thousands of people worldwide who continued to practice Christianity when the religion was outlawed by their country.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Soluzar

You do realise that the Phelps clan won't admit that what they've been doing is anything other than right by divine mandate, though? Just because the American legal system says they were wrong, they will still believe they are right. As proof of this notion I cite the thousands of people worldwide who continued to practice Christianity when the religion was outlawed by their country.

In fact, I'm pretty sure they're going to use this incident as "proof" that America is damned or something.

Everything anyone does or says will be twisted to benefit them in a way.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Whether they believe they're in the right or not, I think the best part is that the church could be hit with bankruptcy with this. I wish I knew whether it has any kind of D&O insurance. It gives me the warm and fuzzies to think that the family's personal assets could be taken down also.

Jam it back in, in the dark.