Westboro Baptist Church to Protest Military Funeral in Brandon on Saturday

The church’s leader, Fred Phelps, claims that American soldiers are dying because of America’s tolerance of Jews and homosexuality.  He and his daughters, Shirley Phelps-Roper and Rebecca Phelps-Davis, who help lead the protests, claim that President Obama is the “beast” from the Christian bible’s Book of Revelation and that he is part of the “Unholy Trinity” along with Satan and the leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI. The WBC describes the Roman Catholic Church as, “the largest, most well-funded and organized pedophile group in the history of man” and goes on to say that, “There are over 1 billion Catholics in the world—that’s one out of every six people alive today—and every single one of them will split Hell wide open when they die—period. And there is nothing they can do about it.” The WBC also criticizes Catholicism, as it does Eastern Orthodoxy, for venerating the Virgin Mary, the Saints, relics, and icons; accusing the Catholic Church of committing idolatry. Many people across the country have banded together to ensure that the families of those who are dealing with the loss of their loved one do not have to deal with the protesters.  They do so by standing in front of the protesters with large flags, signs… even bed sheets painted with patriotic slogans… thus blocking the protesters from being seen.  Some of those who show up to these funerals are members of the Patriot Guard Riders.  The group, composed mostly of veterans, ride their motorcycles to the funerals of members of the U.S. Armed Forces at the invitation of the deceased’s family.  The group was initially formed to shelter and protect the funerals from protesters from the WBC. Representatives from Vicksburg Daily News will not only be there to cover the protest, but to COVER the protest.  We feel that his family should NOT have to deal with the presence of the protesters and are committed to taking a delegation of people from Vicksburg to help in the cause.  We encourage you to grab a flag, a bed sheet anything that will help obscure the family’s line of sight to these protesters.  If you would like more information, please call Cristy Whittington at 601-415-3267.]]]]> ]]>