Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) was founded in 1955 by Fred Phelps in Kansas, USA.
It gained notoriety for its views on various social issues, particularly its views on homosexuality and why ‘God hates fags’.
The church’s membership primarily consists of Phelps’s extended family.
God hates homosexuality
The church operates independently and is not part of any larger church body.
They hold the view that, pretty much, only their members can achieve salvation and are notorious for their strong opposition to homosexuality and anybody endorsing it.
They are known for protesting at various places and events linked to homosexuality, including gay and lesbian gatherings, churches and groups they believe are too lenient towards homosexuality, and soldiers’ funerals, arguing that the wars are a result of America’s acceptance of homosexuality.
In other words, God is pouring out his wrath.
God also hates everything else
Furthermore, the church views natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and wars as divine punishments for the world’s sins.
They argue that events like 9/11 were God’s way of punishing America and leading it into an unwinnable war, resulting in many soldier deaths.
Westboro Baptist Church loves dead soldiers.
Plus, they believe every natural disaster is a consequence of either supporting homosexuality or attacking their church members.
How do they make money?
The church’s funding has been a subject of intrigue and speculation.
It appears that WBC is financed through a combination of member donations and aggressive litigation.
Several members of the Phelps family are lawyers, and they have successfully sued various entities (and successfully defended various actions), earning settlements that fund the church’s activities.
In other words, WBC has been involved in numerous lawsuits, both as plaintiff and defendant.
Basically, they win a lot of lawsuits surrounding freedom of speech.
They have sued municipalities for not providing protection during protests and have been sued for defamation and invasion of privacy. Their legal battles have often reached high courts, including the US Supreme Court.
The church is infamous for its protests at funerals, particularly those of military personnel and high-profile individuals.
Fred Phelps’ death and beyond
The death of Fred Phelps in 2014 led to internal changes, but public opposition to the church’s tactics remains strong.
The church’s legacy is one of division, legal battles, and a complex debate over the limits of free speech.
All of that being said, I found the following conversation with a WBC pastor to be fascinating and brutally honest.