Westboro Baptist Church

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Persuasive Argument Essay Westboro Baptist Church: Why Attention Seekers Should be Ignored In our society, the First Amendment is a national treasure that comes with its share of challenges and headaches. Individuals and groups are free to express viewpoints that may be extremely offensive to others. When those viewpoints are hateful and harmful to others, what should be the response? Should demonstrations of hate be met with counter-demonstrations, or just ignored with the hope that less publicity will calm the fires of misguided passions and prejudices? The Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) of Topeka, Kansas, established in 1955 by Pastor Fred Phelps, is an example of a group that stretches First Amendment rights by preaching intolerance and hate. As stated on the WBC website, www.GodHatesFags.com: “We adhere to the teachings of the Bible, preach against all form of sin (e.g., fornication, adultery [including divorce and remarriage], sodomy), and insist that the sovereignty of God and the doctrines of grace be taught and expounded publicly to all men." (God). For better or worse, this church walks its talk. On its website, the church describes its activities: “WBC engages in daily peaceful sidewalk demonstrations opposing the homosexual lifestyle of soul-damning, nation-destroying filth.” (God). Their rationale for these demonstrations? “Perceiving the modern militant homosexual movement to pose a clear and present danger to the survival of America, exposing our nation to the wrath of God as in 1898 B.C. at Sodom and Gomorrah, WBC has conducted 44,659 such demonstrations since June, 1991, at homosexual parades and other events, including funerals of impenitent sodomites (like Matthew Shepard) and over 400 military funerals of troops whom God has killed in Iraq/Afghanistan in righteous judgment against an evil nation.” (God). The message being

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