Westboro Baptist Church Is Picketing Comic-Con

Did you hear the one about the batshit insane lunatic and his inbred clan who spread the word of hatred and intolerance like Christmas carolers from hell? Yeah, there’s no joke there. Fred Phelps’ close friends and family–mostly family–who in the past have picketed the funerals of gays and soldiers, as well as many other political or gay events, are going to be picketing the first full day of Comic-Con, Thursday, July 22 from 1:15-2:00 PM. Why? Why, pray tell, are these soldiers of hate going to be picketing such a geeky, relatively unimportant event? I refuse to link to their website, so I’ll just post their rationale for you, though as you’ll see, rationality has nothing to do with it:

Are you kidding?! If these people would spend even some of the energy that they spend on these comic books, reading the Bible, well no high hopes here. They have turned comic book characters into idols, and worship them they do! Isaiah 2:8 Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made: 9 And the mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself: therefore forgive them not. It is time to put away the silly vanities and turn to God like you mean it. The destruction of this nation is imminent – so start calling on Batman and Superman now, see if they can pull you from the mess that you have created with all your silly idolatry.

So, um…yeah. Sort of speaks for itself, doesn’t it? I don’t post this to bring awareness to their so-called plight, but to make attending nerds aware. I can’t wait to see the counter-protest that is sure to occur. The only problem with these wingnuts, though, is that they don’t care if you’re mocking them or not because, bottom line, they think you are going to hell no matter what you do. They’re the righteous bearers of God’s word. I’m not a religious man, but it’s plain that they’re not.

I’ve been fascinated with Westboro Baptist Church, its leader, and his congregation for years now. If you’d like to learn more about the disturbing Phelps family, you can read the moving speech by his escaped son Nate, or you can watch the documentary Fall from Grace on Netflix Instant Viewing.