# Baptist Church Celebrates Anniversary of Matthew Shepard's death
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baptist-church-celebrates-anniversary-of-matthew-shepards-death/129196
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [September 23, 2002, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baptist-church-celebrates-anniversary-of-matthew-shepards-death/129196 "2002-09-23T00:14:57Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Stupendous\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stupendous_man)
#### Post date: [September 23, 2002, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baptist-church-celebrates-anniversary-of-matthew-shepards-death/129196/1 "2002-09-23T00:14:57Z")
We just heard on the national news update that a particular church in the States somewhere is planning to celebrate the beating death and “entrance into hell” of gay man Matthew Shepard. These are their own words…
Normally, most news stories have no lasting effect on me, but I find myself seriously disturbed and even enraged at this church and its parishoners. Imagine celebrating the brutal beating death of another human being… Sickening and horrific.
How much longer can we allow people like this to poison our society with their hate-filled messages? They’re akin to the terrorists of last September as far as I’m concerned.
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### Author:  [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)
#### Post date: [September 23, 2002, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baptist-church-celebrates-anniversary-of-matthew-shepards-death/129196/2 "2002-09-23T00:23:07Z")
> [@](#):
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> We just heard on the national news update that a particular church in the States somewhere is planning to celebrate the beating death and “entrance into hell” of gay man Matthew Shepard. These are their own words
I suspect you heard something about the Westboro Baptist Chruch of Topeka, Kansas, which is not a real church at all, just the anti-gay wacko Fred Phelps and the sad collection of inbred freaks that are his family. He represents nobody but himself.
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### Author:  [@airdisc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/airdisc)
#### Post date: [September 23, 2002, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baptist-church-celebrates-anniversary-of-matthew-shepards-death/129196/3 "2002-09-23T00:36:55Z")
I take it this is the Westboro Baptist asshats. I just laugh at them now, nothing they say angers me anymore. They are just like the street nuts rambling about Time Cube, only with a different pile of shit.
And gobear, IIRC, most of Fred Phelps’ family hates him.
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### Author:  [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)
#### Post date: [September 23, 2002, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baptist-church-celebrates-anniversary-of-matthew-shepards-death/129196/4 "2002-09-23T00:42:28Z")
> [@](#):
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> \*Originally posted by Stupendous man \*
> \*\*How much longer can we allow people like this to poison our society with their hate-filled messages? They’re akin to the terrorists of last September as far as I’m concerned. \*\*
I suppose America could go the route of Canada and simply ban ‘hate-speech’.
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### Author:  [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)
#### Post date: [September 23, 2002, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baptist-church-celebrates-anniversary-of-matthew-shepards-death/129196/5 "2002-09-23T00:57:59Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Stupendous man \*
> \*\*
> How much longer can we allow people like this to poison our society with their hate-filled messages? They’re akin to the terrorists of last September as far as I’m concerned. \*\*
No. They’re not.
I suspect that the families of the employees of Cantor Fitzgerald might disagree as well.
We “allow” the people to spew their poison (within a few restrictions of time, manner and place) because of this pesky thing called the first amendment.
And we “allow” the rest of society to point out the bone headed ignorance that they are spewing.
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### Author:  [@PosterChild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PosterChild)
#### Post date: [September 23, 2002, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baptist-church-celebrates-anniversary-of-matthew-shepards-death/129196/6 "2002-09-23T01:14:57Z")
> [@](#):
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> \*Originally posted by beagledave \*
> \*\*No. They’re not.
>
> I suspect that the families of the employees of Cantor Fitzgerald might disagree as well.
>
> We “allow” the people to spew their poison (within a few restrictions of time, manner and place) because of this pesky thing called the first amendment.
>
> And we “allow” the rest of society to point out the bone headed ignorance that they are spewing. \*\*
Right, they’re like the people who celebrated in the streets on hearing of the attacks. So far, AFAIK, they’ve only talked like terrorists, they haven’t acted on their hate.
PC
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### Author:  [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)
#### Post date: [September 23, 2002, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baptist-church-celebrates-anniversary-of-matthew-shepards-death/129196/7 "2002-09-23T01:24:42Z")
Phelps and his cult \*have \* acted on their hate!. Several years ago a jogger tried to run by them on the sidewalk. They had it blocked, and when he tried to go through anyway they took him down. And they also attacked the pastor of a church I was once a member of. Rev. W went out onto the church lawn next to the sidewalk where they were picketing. He intended to pound in a sign that says “God’s Love Speaks Loudest” , on church property, next to the sidewalk. As he hammered the stick the sign was attached to the head of the hammer popped off. The WBC interpreted this as an attack and, \*coming onto the church property, \* four guys grabbed him and threw him to the ground. They sat on him until the cops came and charged him with assault! Of course other church members tried to rescue him but later he said “I thought I was going to die with two tons of Phelps on top of me.” There were counter charges of course and nothing much ever happened.
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### Author:  [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)
#### Post date: [September 23, 2002, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baptist-church-celebrates-anniversary-of-matthew-shepards-death/129196/8 "2002-09-23T01:55:47Z")
> [@](#):
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> \*Originally posted by airdisc \*
> \*\*And gobear, IIRC, most of Fred Phelps’ family hates him. \*\*
That’s because (if you believe the ones who’ve managed to extract themselves from his influence) he’s a long-term [child- and spose-abuser](http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/michael_haggerty/expose3.htm)
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### Author:  [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)
#### Post date: [September 23, 2002, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baptist-church-celebrates-anniversary-of-matthew-shepards-death/129196/9 "2002-09-23T03:36:46Z")
Westboro Baptist Church – really just Phelps and family – is really just a leech on society. They survive by provoking people and then suing them, using that money (as well as contributions from individuals) to tour the country and repeat the process. While they’re certainly interesting – in the sort of way that a multi-car collision is interesting – the best thing to do is not to get very upset and just ignore them.
I can’t support taking away their right to freedom of speech, though. I wish their abuse of the legal system (not to mention Phelps’ reported abuse of family members) would end, as well as their picketing of gay individuals’ funerals.
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### Author:  [@Buck\_The\_Diver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_The_Diver)
#### Post date: [September 23, 2002, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baptist-church-celebrates-anniversary-of-matthew-shepards-death/129196/10 "2002-09-23T03:44:20Z")
Regarding the OP: cite? link? hint?
Or did I just miss it?
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### Author:  [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)
#### Post date: [September 23, 2002, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baptist-church-celebrates-anniversary-of-matthew-shepards-death/129196/11 "2002-09-23T03:53:16Z")
Phelps is crazier than a shithouse rat, and scary to boot.
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### Author:  [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)
#### Post date: [September 23, 2002, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baptist-church-celebrates-anniversary-of-matthew-shepards-death/129196/12 "2002-09-23T04:01:45Z")
\*\*Buck, \*\* I don’t know where the OP got their info, but if you want confirmation or backup you might try these two fliers from Phelps website.
WARNING: Before you look at these be sure your kids can’t see them. Some of Phelp’s faxes are obscene, IMHO.
[http://www.godhatesfags.com/fliers/aug2002/University\_Wyoming\_Colorado\_State\_8-26-2002.pdf](http://www.godhatesfags.com/fliers/aug2002/University_Wyoming_Colorado_State_8-26-2002.pdf)
[http://www.godhatesfags.com/fliers/sep2002/Open\_Letter\_Central\_Wyoming\_Evangelical\_Fellowship\_9-16-2002.pdf](http://www.godhatesfags.com/fliers/sep2002/Open_Letter_Central_Wyoming_Evangelical_Fellowship_9-16-2002.pdf)
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### Author:  [@NeutronJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NeutronJack)
#### Post date: [September 23, 2002, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baptist-church-celebrates-anniversary-of-matthew-shepards-death/129196/13 "2002-09-23T04:57:52Z")
Yup, he’s at it again. Here’s an article from our local paper in Ft. Collins, CO:
[http://www.coloradoan.com/news/stories/20020922/news/135950.html](http://www.coloradoan.com/news/stories/20020922/news/135950.html)
> [@](#):
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> “We are celebrating the fourth anniversary of Matt Shepard’s entry into hell,” Phelps said. “There will be nobody that does not need this message preached to them.”
What kind of sicko **celebrates** that? Regret, sorrow, pity, _maybe_, but celebration? That’s not right.
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### Author:  [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)
#### Post date: [September 23, 2002, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baptist-church-celebrates-anniversary-of-matthew-shepards-death/129196/14 "2002-09-23T05:51:39Z")
\*\*Mr.Neutron, \*\* that is an interesting article from the Colorado paper. But I \*think \* that they have the wrong person in the photo. I know Phred by sight and he doesn’t have a beard like that, at least not since I have seen him around(ten years). I saw him just two weeks ago at the Topeka City Council meeting and he is thinner in the face as well, quite gaunt actually. If it turns out there was a picture mixup let us know. But tell the paper not to feel bad. The WBC faxes once misidentified a person in a photo as the Episcopal bishop of Washington DC, when it was actually the cathedral verger. Some people just don’t know their clerical vestments, do they?
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### Author:  [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)
#### Post date: [September 23, 2002, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baptist-church-celebrates-anniversary-of-matthew-shepards-death/129196/15 "2002-09-23T06:28:14Z")
I missed the passage in the Bible that said a soul’s entrance into Hell was cause for celebration.
Anyhoo, they can spew whatever they want. They’ll only find an audience in fellow idiots, miscreants and thugs. Preaching to the converted, so to speak.
Perhaps, one day, they will see the error of their ways and actually find God…
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### Author:  [@Philosophocles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philosophocles)
#### Post date: [September 23, 2002, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baptist-church-celebrates-anniversary-of-matthew-shepards-death/129196/16 "2002-09-23T06:37:58Z")
The irony is that Phelps used to be a civil rights lawyer before he became insanely obsessed with gay-bashing.
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### Author:  [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)
#### Post date: [September 23, 2002, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baptist-church-celebrates-anniversary-of-matthew-shepards-death/129196/17 "2002-09-23T07:34:07Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Brutus \*
> \*\*
>
> I suppose America could go the route of Canada and simply ban ‘hate-speech’. \*\*
I’ll pray that never happens.
Though I’ll celebrate Fred Phelps entrance into hell if one of you wants to take the initiative. 😉
Erek
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### Author:  [@BooBoo316](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BooBoo316)
#### Post date: [September 23, 2002, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baptist-church-celebrates-anniversary-of-matthew-shepards-death/129196/18 "2002-09-23T08:11:45Z")
Good article, **Mr.Neutron**. I never get tired of reading about Phelps making an ass of himself.
This quote from his daughter almost made me choke on my tea:
> [@](#):
>
> “Our goal in this life is to publish the gospel of peace. Our job is to preach it right, not alter it.”
Um, yeah.
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [September 23, 2002, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baptist-church-celebrates-anniversary-of-matthew-shepards-death/129196/19 "2002-09-23T08:28:25Z")
> [@](#):
>
> _Romans 12:_
> 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
> 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; **mourn with those who mourn.**
> 16 **Live in harmony with one another.** Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
> 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. **Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.**
> 18 **If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.**
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### Author:  [@Stupendous\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stupendous_man)
#### Post date: [September 23, 2002, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baptist-church-celebrates-anniversary-of-matthew-shepards-death/129196/20 "2002-09-23T12:38:30Z")
Thanks for posting the Cite. I could not find it last night.
Theirs is an emotional terrorism. The pain of losing a loved-one can continue to be reopened all the time by this.
I’m sure Matthew Shepard’s family and friends are upset over this news… That’s what I meant by comparing them to Terrorists of September 11, so my mistake for wording it poorly.
I also don’t imply that we should censor them from being able to make those kinds of statements, but we really don’t need to have the media broadcsting his hate-message across the country either, no?
I guess I should have written the OP more carefully to avoid misunderstandings…
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