Westboro Baptist Church, a fundamentalist anti-gay group known for protesting military funerals, plans to picket three Malibu churches later this month, according to its website.
The pickets are planned for 8:45 to 11 a.m. Feb. 24, starting at Malibu Presbyterian Church, moving to Waveside Church and ending at Our Lady of Malibu Catholic Church.
The Kansas-based group, which is also planning protests Santa Monica High School and at the Academy Awards, says the protests are "to remind this nation that they need to worship the one true God instead of these vain movie stars" and "Hollywood freaks."
The group regularly plans protests but fails to show up. When the demonstrations are held, they often draw counter-protests.
An official from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Lost Hills/Malibu Station said the department is aware of the protest plans.
On its website, Westboro says it will "picket the Malibu Presbyterian Church which burned to ground by an angry God in the 2007 wildfires for their disobedience to His standards. Rather than acknowledge that this event occurred at the hands of an angry God and REPENT, on their website, they brag that this adversity brought 'passion, unity and determination.' Let's break that down now."
The group also took issue with Waveside Church's message that all are welcome, posting: "Does this mean they will welcome WBC members with their glorious picket signs of Gospel truth? Something tells me this is a lie and the only people welcome at Waveside are those that will tell each other is it is OK to sin their lives away."
The group plans to protest Our Lady of Malibu, describing the Catholic church as a "pedophile machine masquerading as a church."
Calls to all three churches were not immediately returned.
- Santa Monica Patch Editor Jenna Chandler contributed to this report.
This is an amazing idea. As a student at Pepperdine and a follower of Jesus I firmly believe LOVE is the only way. I propose Malibu and the Pepperdine community "loves their enemy and pray for those who persecute them." Let's pour love over them and ask God for healing and revelation over all! Thank you for proposing love. Perfect love casts out fear.
They are a family of lawyers that have found a very easy way to get rich! They NEED to make you angry and act out do that they in turn sue you and win. That's all. If you know when they are coming, I would honestly do something totally special, like, have someone grilling hot dogs or them, or invite them into the church and treat them like guests. Don't yell back, because they are professionals at making you discusted and angry. Don't let them. Stay silent and smile and offer them drinks and kindness. It will drive them, mad, and since they truly have no Idea who Jesus is, or what it means to be a Christian, it will be a testimony to them, and drive them away, to find money from a law suit somewhere else. they are just bullies who CAN DO NOTHING BUT BARK! thats all they can do, because they are very well versed in the law, of the freedom of speech. That's it. God Bless, Good Luck!
http://www.examiner.com/christian-faith-and-culture-in-wichita/samuel-connelly
Took the words out of my typing. Ignore. Imagine - throw a rally and no one comes. Boring. They're fueled by attention. Don't give it to them.
Years ago I - when I was the New Zealand correspondent for NBC News - I covered a Royal visit off Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip to Auckland. To be honest, the only reason they wanted me there is if someone was shot. There were hundreds, if not thousands of enthusiastic, cheering people around the Aotea Square in Auckland as the royal couple cruised along a well defined route to meet and greet the VIPs. I was right in the middle of the action with a group of media when my colleagues suddenly bolted away towards Queen Street. Curious about what they were running towards I followed at a more sedate pace and caught up with them. Cameras and microphones were all focused on a group of about six or eight slovenly protesters who were yelling and waving signs demanding to talk to the Sovereign about Maori grievances. Even more curious, I asked one of the reporters I knew why the local media were giving these few malcontents front page treatment while totally ignoring the many hundreds of the other people who were there to celebrate the Royal visit. And he said, "Because they're making the loudest noise," adding "But it would be much be much better if someone was yelling back at them." The media thrive on conflict. Don't give them anything to report. The real media focus will be on the Academy Awards' protest.
Blame it on social environment instability. or... fog.
The new Sanctuary, built with the 'passion, unity and determination' of the congregation, reflects our desire to love, praise, and worship God.
Win - Win. It drove them out pretty quick though. This is a much better solution than having someone slash their tires and then making sure the tow truck companies and repair shops in the area refuse to service them. right? We could all dress as Nazi's with Hitler moustaches and write hateful signs and join them in the protest. Guilt by association. There are plenty of costumes like that in LA studios. We could make white angel costumes 7 feet high, with 8-foot wingspans and surrounded the Westboro protesters so no one could see them. The group is called "Angels of Peace" and "Action Angels" if you want to look them up to learn more. Westboro Baptist Cult likes attention.