GlidingWings Posted December 27, 2012 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 169 Topics Per Day: 0.04 Content Count: 345 Content Per Day: 0.08 Reputation: 107 Days Won: 4 Joined: 11/24/2012 Status: Offline Share Posted December 27, 2012 A Westboro Baptist Church petition to have the group labeled a "hate group" has received more than 250,000 signatures by Wednesday afternoon - making it the largest online White House petition in history. The petition was started on Dec. 14 and in less than two weeks has received more than a quarter of a million signatures. The number of people needed to force White House administrators to officially review and respond is just 25,000 signatures, meaning the petition will definitely spark some kind of official review. The Westboro group has been highly controversial in recent years, and has been rebuked for its methods by most mainstream Christian groups. The group has become famous for picketing military funerals, and protesting them with banners and posters celebrating those killed as God's judgment. In the latest incident Westboro announced plans to protest a vigil being held for the 20 children and six adults killed in the recent Newtown, Connecticut shootings. In that incident a lone gunman forced his way into Sandy Hook Elementary School and used multiple guns to kill a whole first grade class, as well as a number from a second class of six and seven year olds. He also shot dead the school's principal as well as five other teachers, in one of the worst mass school killings in U.S. history. The recent petition was sparked when one member from the Westboro group, Shirley Phelps-Roper, tweeted plans to protest a vigil for the Sandy Hook victims to "sing praise to God for the glory of his work in executing his judgement." The announcement disgusted hundreds of thousands who heard about it across the nation, and has sparked people to sign the petition to officially label Westboro a "hate group." Westboro member Margie Phelps has commented in an interview that the group believes God sent 20 year old shooter, Adam Lanza, to shoot and kill the 20 children and six adults in Connecticut because the state had legalized gay marriage. Phelps controversially connected the two events together by pointing out, "Connecticut was one of the first states to come out with same-sex marriage." She said that as she sat beside a sign in the interview saying, "God sent the shooter." She added, "Many more shooters, many more dead are coming." The group has had groups attempt to stop their protests before. However, the Supreme Court ruled in Westboro's favor in 2011 when it said the group had a right to protest and picket soldiers' funerals as it was protected by the First Amendment. That decision sparked President Barack Obama to sign into law earlier this year new legislation that forced any such protests to take place at least 300 feet from military funerals. However, the latest decision by the Westboro group to try and organize protests at the funerals of the six and seven year olds who died in the school shooting has reignited opposition to the group. The official White House petition can be read below or by clicking here. WE PETITION THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION TO: Legally recognize Westboro Baptist Church as a hate group. This group has been recognized as a hate group by organizations, such as The Southern Poverty Law Center, and has repeatedly displayed the actions typical of hate groups. Their actions have been directed at many groups, including homosexuals, military, Jewish people and even other Christians. They pose a threat to the welfare and treatment of others and will not improve without some form of imposed regulation. Here is a video of an interview with the Westboro group: http://www.christianpost.com/news/westboro-baptist-church-petition-250000-sign-up-to-label-westboro-a-hate-group-87261/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayin jade Posted December 27, 2012 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 44 Topic Count: 6,178 Topics Per Day: 0.88 Content Count: 43,784 Content Per Day: 6.23 Reputation: 11,227 Days Won: 58 Joined: 01/03/2005 Status: Offline Share Posted December 27, 2012 While I feel that westboro is not a Christian group and is hateful, a definite hate group, this kind of petition can come back to bite believers. Folks could use this as an example to label Christians a hate group because we do not agree that homosexuality is ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 While I feel that westboro is not a Christian group and is hateful, a definite hate group, this kind of petition can come back to bite believers. Folks could use this as an example to label Christians a hate group because we do not agree that homosexuality is ok. All Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 2 Timothy 3:12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjp34652 Posted January 7, 2013 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 17 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 448 Content Per Day: 0.10 Reputation: 156 Days Won: 0 Joined: 05/19/2012 Status: Offline Share Posted January 7, 2013 (edited) A Westboro Baptist Church petition to have the group labeled a "hate group" has received more than 250,000 signatures by Wednesday afternoon - making it the largest online White House petition in history. The petition was started on Dec. 14 and in less than two weeks has received more than a quarter of a million signatures. The number of people needed to force White House administrators to officially review and respond is just 25,000 signatures, meaning the petition will definitely spark some kind of official review. The Westboro group has been highly controversial in recent years, and has been rebuked for its methods by most mainstream Christian groups. The group has become famous for picketing military funerals, and protesting them with banners and posters celebrating those killed as God's judgment. In the latest incident Westboro announced plans to protest a vigil being held for the 20 children and six adults killed in the recent Newtown, Connecticut shootings. In that incident a lone gunman forced his way into Sandy Hook Elementary School and used multiple guns to kill a whole first grade class, as well as a number from a second class of six and seven year olds. He also shot dead the school's principal as well as five other teachers, in one of the worst mass school killings in U.S. history. The recent petition was sparked when one member from the Westboro group, Shirley Phelps-Roper, tweeted plans to protest a vigil for the Sandy Hook victims to "sing praise to God for the glory of his work in executing his judgement." The announcement disgusted hundreds of thousands who heard about it across the nation, and has sparked people to sign the petition to officially label Westboro a "hate group." Westboro member Margie Phelps has commented in an interview that the group believes God sent 20 year old shooter, Adam Lanza, to shoot and kill the 20 children and six adults in Connecticut because the state had legalized gay marriage. Phelps controversially connected the two events together by pointing out, "Connecticut was one of the first states to come out with same-sex marriage." She said that as she sat beside a sign in the interview saying, "God sent the shooter." She added, "Many more shooters, many more dead are coming." The group has had groups attempt to stop their protests before. However, the Supreme Court ruled in Westboro's favor in 2011 when it said the group had a right to protest and picket soldiers' funerals as it was protected by the First Amendment. That decision sparked President Barack Obama to sign into law earlier this year new legislation that forced any such protests to take place at least 300 feet from military funerals. However, the latest decision by the Westboro group to try and organize protests at the funerals of the six and seven year olds who died in the school shooting has reignited opposition to the group. The official White House petition can be read below or by clicking here. WE PETITION THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION TO: Legally recognize Westboro Baptist Church as a hate group. This group has been recognized as a hate group by organizations, such as The Southern Poverty Law Center, and has repeatedly displayed the actions typical of hate groups. Their actions have been directed at many groups, including homosexuals, military, Jewish people and even other Christians. They pose a threat to the welfare and treatment of others and will not improve without some form of imposed regulation. Here is a video of an interview with the Westboro group: http://www.christian...te-group-87261/ The language of the Baptist statement, although likely closer to the truth than most Americans are comfortable with, remains a bit raw around the edges. My problem with it is that the assertion "God sent the shooter" presumes knowledge that none possess. It's close to the mark, but a bit too over the top. It would be more correctly phrased, I think, to say that since God has been evicted from the classroom and all public American life - its time to dance to the devils tune. The petitions to the living quarters of the chief sheriff of the land at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue reveals the current bankruptcy of our once vaunted national preoccupation with liberty - of religion and speech. Apparently the only folk who have the freedom to speak their minds are those who enjoy the flavor of the sewage that passes for moral standards today. Finally I believe that I agree with one statement that was made by the group. There will be more blood shed in the weeks and months to come. Those who deny the mercy of God must suffer at the hands of the evil one to whom they have given their allegiance. IF GOD DOES NOT JUDGE AMERICA, THEN HE WILL HAVE TO APOLOGIZE TO SODOM AND GOMORRAH. I see and hear statements every day stating 'God Bless America.' Let's be honest. Does it look to you like blessings are raining down upon us from heaven or does it look like its time for some healthy national repentance? but that's just me, hollering from the choir loft... Edited January 7, 2013 by rjp34652 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Patriot21 Posted January 8, 2013 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 28 Topic Count: 338 Topics Per Day: 0.05 Content Count: 15,673 Content Per Day: 2.46 Reputation: 8,494 Days Won: 39 Joined: 10/25/2006 Status: Offline Birthday: 02/27/1985 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Already has started to come back and bite us, take a look at this petition: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/white-house-petition-calls-for-obama-admin-to-designate-the-catholic-church-a-hate-group/ wonder whos next? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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