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Anti-gay church cheers disaster

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Travis Brinton | 12:41 a.m. Aug. 12, 2007
This sort of thing is not even worthy of the public attention. Let's focus our attention on the resolution of the crisis and ignore such immature attention ploys.
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Patrick Campbell | 12:50 a.m. Aug. 12, 2007
"God hates Utah and America for surrendering to the fag agenda..."

Sure, I can see the logic here. I mean, Utah IS a pretty gay-friendly state now isn't it?

How sad, distasteful and pathetic.
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Christine Johnson | 1:28 a.m. Aug. 12, 2007
The members of the Westboro Baptist Church have somehow lost compassion and proper judgment. Their comments and intent exhibit an utter lack of empathy and loving kindness toward the family members who suffer so greatly at this time. I will keep not only the friends and family of the miners, but also the hardened hearts of the Westboro Church members in my prayers for peace and end to suffering. Hatred is suffering and tolerance is peace.
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Mark | 1:33 a.m. Aug. 12, 2007
It seems like the problem here is they refuse to give God credit for anything good that happens and interpret any bad event as God's curse upon their fellow human beings. I pity those who hold to such a spiritually improverished mindset!



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Bob | 2:47 a.m. Aug. 12, 2007
So, if we DID have dead miners it would be okay?
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David Schantz | 2:48 a.m. Aug. 12, 2007
Westboro protestors have visited us here in Saint Joseph, Missouri too. They have protested Military Funerals and legislation banning funeral protests. Their church (if thats what you want to call it)is not that far from here. I've thought about trying to get some people together to hold a protest at the church some Sunday morning. I wonder how they'd feel about a few "God Hates Promoting Hatred" signs.

The missing miners, their friends and families will all be in my thoughts and prayers.

God Bless America, God Save The Republic.
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Eric | 6:15 a.m. Aug. 12, 2007
What positive thing could anyone learn about Christianity from a group that promotes such hatred and bigotry?

Thank heavens there are more people out there who really are showing what Christianity is all about by showing love and compassion to the families of the miners through prayer services, masses, candlelight vigils, and supporting the families with their love and service.

The last thing we need in Utah or anywhere else in the world is for people with an agenda of this nature to spread their hatred around and cause even more pain and grief. The last time I checked the God I worship is one of love and hate isn't in his vocabulary.

My thoughts and prayers are with the miners and their families.
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J. Allred | 6:23 a.m. Aug. 12, 2007
This group makes its infamous statements based on the media coverage they obtain. Is this really a story that needs to be told? Does it add to the general sensibilities of society? I don't think so it is just the babblings of a group that seeks attention. Lacking attention will limit the babbling. They certainly have their right to free speech, but at what point will the media determine that their rantings are no longer newsworthy. I hope that this is the time for the media to make that decision.
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Margaret Edwards | 6:37 a.m. Aug. 12, 2007
I am sorry that people claiming to worship the Savior cannot follow the admonition, "Love one another as I have loved you." Christ taught us to love the sinner but not the sin. I chose to not embrace the lifestyle.
You, too, are free to make the choice.
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Anonymous | 6:53 a.m. Aug. 12, 2007

If only these indidividuals promoting hate, and fear and all else they promote knew the Savior and his sacred message of forgiveness, love and not judging during his earthly ministry they would not be promoting such hate and discontent and realize they have fallen into satan's game plan promoting what satan believes in!!
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Robert Just | 7:03 a.m. Aug. 12, 2007
Toronto, Canada. How sick is this! I'm aghast to think these people who would go around bashing people in time of tragedy would have the brass to call themselves a Christian church. If they are a church, they might do well to remember Christ's admonition: "Let him who hath no sin cast the first stone".
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L.G.R. | 7:22 a.m. Aug. 12, 2007
Baptists? Church? Christians?
Maybe now I understand why these Baptists come every year to the Manti Pageant to harass.
Instead of espousing the good, uplifting, and building beauty on their own, they come to tear down.
The irony is that they supposedly do these things in the name of God, to save souls! WOW!

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Anonymous | 7:44 a.m. Aug. 12, 2007
That is real low. I am sure most of those miners are God Fearing religious and family men. Who abhor the behavior. And according to Spencer W Kimball Tragedy or Destiny in order to further the work of the lord sometimes accidents happen.

Hopefully they are ok the miners but in order for agency to work he does allow accidents not because they sin but because it is part of this mortal probation.
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Voyager | 7:48 a.m. Aug. 12, 2007
These are very sick people who are trying to call attention to themselves. Don't give them the time of day.
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M Noker | 7:48 a.m. Aug. 12, 2007
This group from Kansas is really something else. Most of their very small membership is one extended family.
Mr. Phelps who started it was 'kicked-out' of a regular Baptist church and started his own church, which has no ties to other Baptist churches. It was just the Phelps and Hockenbarger families with two or three other individuals. They were later joined by the Drain framily.
Shirley Phelps-Roper (mother of 11) is the one who leads most of the protests. She is the main lawyer in the Phelps' law firm. This law firm (church) gets alot of its money from court ordered attorney fees it collects everytime it is sued by victim families, cities, states, etc.
In Bellevue, Nebraska, 5 June 2007, at a funeral for a National Guard soldier, Shirley threw a flag on the ground and allowed her 10 yr-old son to stomp on it.[see www.ketv.com/news/13447168/detail.html]
While attending a funeral for a young Navy Seaman from my Scout Troop, I was very grateful for the Patriot Guard riders who sheielded the mourners from the Phelps' family. [see www.patriotguard.org]
Having seen this family in action, I am left wondering.... when does 'church' status end and hate crimes begin?
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Bob B | 7:55 a.m. Aug. 12, 2007
And the world thinks Mormons aren't Christian? Mormons believe that Christ taught we should "mourn with those that mourn and comfort those in need of comfort."
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Enter nameGrandma B | 8:55 a.m. Aug. 12, 2007
By any standard, this is not a church of any kind. They are no better--and no brighter--than the KKK. "As I have loved you, love one another." That would be a correct theme within a church. Not terrorizing people who are trying to quietly bury their loved ones. Shame on them.
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D. Arruda | 9:05 a.m. Aug. 12, 2007
God is about love, not hate. "by thier works ye shall know them if ye have love one to another". This church really needs to get a grip.
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samhill | 9:34 a.m. Aug. 12, 2007
"The lady doth protest too much, methinks."; Shakespeare

I am beginning to wonder if the "pastor" of this congregation may be afflicted with the same kind of over compensating hatred of homosexuals that marked certain Mayors in Washington state and even the other pastor in Colorado Springs as deeply closeted homosexuals.

It's hard to come to any other explanation for such a virulent hatred that seem so completely antithetical to the basic teachings of Christ.

I would think he might at least be able to apply the often abused saying, "Hate the sin, not the sinner"?
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Paulina F. | 9:36 a.m. Aug. 12, 2007
Why does the D News take the bait on such a pathetic, sensational and tasteless press release. It looks like a Mormon owned paper is using the stupidity of these Baptists to its advantage.
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No. Utah sees a major earthquake every 350 years. Last one? 350 years ago.