They're coming.

A small contingent of our brothers and sisters from the Westboro Baptist (and I use that word hesitantly, because no Baptist that I know wants to claim fellowship with these folks) Church of Topeka, Kan., (and I use that state hesitantly, because no Kansan that I know wants to claim shared citizenship with these folks) are coming to Salt Lake City on Saturday to demonstrate on the southwest corner of North Temple and State Street, just a block away from the Conference Center, where President Hinckley�s funeral will be held.

Exactly what it is that they will be demonstrating is subject to debate. Poor taste? Bad judgment? Intolerance? Bigotry? There are plenty of possibilities.

Except Christianity.

This isn�t the first time these folks have done something like this. You may have seen coverage of their protests outside military funerals and memorial services. According to a report in Thursday�s Deseret Morning News, they believe that �the war in Iraq and tragedies such as the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks are God's punishment for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.� So they stand as a congregational group outside the funeral services for fallen soldiers to cheer for the death of their fellow Americans and jeer at those who have gathered to mourn.

I know. It doesn�t make sense to me, either. I�m having a hard time imagining a ward council meeting at which the bishop says, �OK, that covers the compassionate service portion of our agenda. Now, who is available to go scream vile, nasty things at grief-stricken parents, new widows and fatherless children?�

I just can�t wrap my brain around that kind of expression in the name of religion, you know?

Of course, terrorism, war and homosexuality aren�t the reasons they will be picketing outside of funeral services for President Gordon B. Hinckley. According to Shirley Phelps-Roper, Westboro spokesperson and daughter of Pastor Fred Phelps, they will be there to proclaim that President Hinckley was a �lying false prophet,� and to criticize him for �leading millions of people astray.�

And, I�m assuming, to cheer for his death.