Since we had a thread on these idiots a few months back, I thought it might interest some of you that at last these mad people have been given a hefty fine \

 

 

 

Its not enough to close them down, but hopefully it will show grampa a message

 

 

 

Huge fine for anti-gay US church

 

 

 

A church whose members cheered a soldier's death as "punishment" for US tolerance of homosexuality has been told to pay $10.9m (ÃÆââ¬Å¡Ãâã5.2m) in damages.

 

The Westboro Baptist Church was taken to court by the father of Lance Cpl Matthew Snyder, a marine who died serving in Iraq in March 2006.

 

 

 

The church cited its constitutional right to free speech in its defence.

 

 

 

But Albert Snyder's lawyer urged the jury to ensure the damages were high enough to stop the church campaigning.

 

 

 

Members of the church - based in Topeka, Kansas - have denounced homosexuality for years, initially targeting the funerals of Aids victims.

 

 

 

But they later extended their pickets to the funerals of soldiers, who they say are being punished by God because of the US' tolerance of homosexuality .

 

 

 

Last year they caused outrage when they attended the funeral of Matthew Snyder with signs reading "Thank God for dead soldiers" and "You're going to hell".

 

 

 

On Wednesday, the jury ordered the church and three of its leaders to pay $2.9m in compensatory damages, and an additional $8m for invasion of privacy and for causing emotional distress.

 

 

 

Albert Snyder's attorney, Craig Trebilcock, had urged jurors to agree an amount "that says 'Don't do this' in Maryland again. Do not bring your circus of hate to Maryland again".

 

 

 

Defence attorney Jonathan Katz's argument that the $2.9m in compensatory damages already far exceeded the defendants' net worth and would be enough to "bankrupt them and financially destroy them" was ignored.

 

 

 

The church, which is unaffiliated with any major denomination, is headed by Fred Phelps. Most of its 70-odd members belong to his extended family.

 

 

 

Appeal

 

 

 

Albert Snyder sobbed when he heard the verdict.

 

 

 

"I hope it's enough to deter them from doing this to other families. It was not about the money. It was about getting them to stop," he said, according to Reuters news agency.

 

 

 

Members of the church, however, reportedly greeted the verdict with tight-lipped smiles.

 

 

 

"It will take the 4th Circuit of Appeals a few minutes to reverse this silly thing," said Rev Phelps.

 

 

 

Daughter Shirley Phelps-Roper - co-defendant along with another daughter, Rebecca Phelps-Davis - called the verdict a blow against free speech and vowed to continue picketing military funerals.

 

 

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7072404.stm

Awesome, they're keeping them in the public spotlight yet...

Most people know about them by now anyway

 

 

 

Hopefully that fine will have done mre damage than good :)

What an annoying folk.

Haha! in your face asshats! =D>

wayta go give them more publicity.

I can't honestly say that I am not against homosexuality, but =D> Definitely.

 

Just because you are against it doesn' mean you have to force it on people, seriously. They are lucky to get such small fines for the damage that they've done. Losers.

I'd rather treat people with respect in this life time.

 

 

 

If any God wants to punish me for that, I don't want to bat for his/her team anyway. Nor do I wish to bat for a team who supports making this life time hell for others.

 

 

 

Afterall, if these people have apparently "sinned" and are going "straight to hell" isn't that for their God to decide and deal with? Rather than them taking it in to their own hands and hurting people globally by their acts and verbal abuse?

 

 

 

I could say I hope they get what's coming to them but an eye for an eye would make the whole world go blind.

 

 

 

Legally battling for freedom of speech? Then I guess they should let those who are gay, come out to speak freely also.

I laughed at the whole fact that the fine is worth more (or something close) than the defendants net worth. Stupid bastards should've thought about that before their picketing got out of control.

 

 

 

Their stunts have basically ruined them all for life now if it is true. Nothing like a bit of bankruptcy to destroy their credit ratings, and put them out on the street, with everything they hate =D>

I have a feeling this punishment has gone a little too far. We're almost treating this as though the whole of that church was involved in the picketing. I simply don't believe that to be true. I suppose it's the leaders' fault for this, but why should tolerant Baptists be punished for the actions of a mindless few? Not to mention this makes complete martydom out of their cause.

 

 

 

Having said that, good for the court! The Church needs to learn that it cannot carry on persecuting homosexuals anymore, and that it has to abide by the law of the land. The time of religion-dominated politics is over. The Church should have no say in how people should live their lives. Only the Courts have the right to do that.

While they may hold up a "christian tag", they are far from christian.

 

 

 

They must have ripped out the new testatment and only read the old one a million times.

 

 

 

Besides, their too stupid to think that if God really was punishing us, they do not have to do anything then, its Gods work being done.. I don't really recall where he said "jump in, lend me a helping hand at hurting these folks!".

 

 

 

Besides, Gods not like that at all.. Jesus.. some people are SOOO STUPID.

 

 

 

Its like they got droped when they were kids.. over and over and over and over again.

Case looks like it could open a can of worms, to me.

I fail to see the connection between homosexuality and a soldier's funeral...

it's about [bleep]ing time. those douchebags are lucky that no one close to me in the military has died yet. those idiots show up at a member of my family's funeral, for any reason, and not one of those bastards is going to leave alive. good luck picketing funerals when they're dead.

 

 

 

free speech my [wagon]. that's the biggest load of bull i've ever heard in my life. they're the ones going to hell, not the soldiers.

I fail to see the connection between homosexuality and a soldier's funeral...

America is tolerant of homosexuals they get exact same human rights, in some states they are allowed to get married. Now Christianity condemns homosexuality because it's a sin. So therefore they are saying God is punishing the soldiers and America as a whole because of their acceptance to homosexuality.

 

 

 

 

 

I do think the punishment for them will be lessened in the appeal court.

 

it's about [bleep] time. those douchebags are lucky that no one close to me in the military has died yet. those idiots show up at a member of my family's funeral, for any reason, and not one of those bastards is going to leave alive. good luck picketing funerals when they're dead.

 

 

 

free speech my [wagon]. that's the biggest load of bull i've ever heard in my life. they're the ones going to hell, not the soldiers.

hypocrisy - Your saying you will physically harm/Kill a human because he/she disagrees with your point of view and has different set of moral beliefs. That makes you even worse than these 'douchebags'. And anyway if you believe in the idea of 'hell' then they're right the soldiers are going to hell but for other reasons (unless it's a Christian soldier in which case he/she would not be involved in combat duties)

:-k double

Case looks like it could open a can of worms, to me.

 

 

 

If you're going to open a can of worms, you might as well eat every one.

I have a feeling this punishment has gone a little too far. We're almost treating this as though the whole of that church was involved in the picketing. I simply don't believe that to be true. I suppose it's the leaders' fault for this, but why should tolerant Baptists be punished for the actions of a mindless few? Not to mention this makes complete martydom out of their cause.

 

 

 

Having said that, good for the court! The Church needs to learn that it cannot carry on persecuting homosexuals anymore, and that it has to abide by the law of the land. The time of religion-dominated politics is over. The Church should have no say in how people should live their lives. Only the Courts have the right to do that.

Considering said church is/was comprised of almost just one family, I wouldn't exactly say the rest are tolerant. I'd be suprised if they all weren't for the picketing to begin with.

I have a feeling this punishment has gone a little too far. We're almost treating this as though the whole of that church was involved in the picketing. I simply don't believe that to be true. I suppose it's the leaders' fault for this, but why should tolerant Baptists be punished for the actions of a mindless few? Not to mention this makes complete martydom out of their cause.

 

 

 

Having said that, good for the court! The Church needs to learn that it cannot carry on persecuting homosexuals anymore, and that it has to abide by the law of the land. The time of religion-dominated politics is over. The Church should have no say in how people should live their lives. Only the Courts have the right to do that.

Considering said church is/was comprised of almost just one family, I wouldn't exactly say the rest are tolerant. I'd be suprised if they all weren't for the picketing to begin with.

 

 

 

Exact same thoughts to be honest with you, Even if they werent picketing, They were still supporting what Grandpa says, which is utterly stupid

I have a feeling this punishment has gone a little too far. We're almost treating this as though the whole of that church was involved in the picketing. I simply don't believe that to be true. I suppose it's the leaders' fault for this, but why should tolerant Baptists be punished for the actions of a mindless few? Not to mention this makes complete martydom out of their cause.

 

 

 

Having said that, good for the court! The Church needs to learn that it cannot carry on persecuting homosexuals anymore, and that it has to abide by the law of the land. The time of religion-dominated politics is over. The Church should have no say in how people should live their lives. Only the Courts have the right to do that.

Considering said church is/was comprised of almost just one family, I wouldn't exactly say the rest are tolerant. I'd be suprised if they all weren't for the picketing to begin with.

 

 

 

I agree with Rick, and I also have to say that these guys are Baptists, which are Protestants, which are called so because they reject affiliation with the Church. They are in no way representative of the proper noun Church, which is Catholic. The statement in your signature pretty much serves to refute what you said, Ginger.

I don't like the OP's statement of "Grandpa."

 

 

 

Just because someone is conservative doesn't mean they are old. It's pretty unfair, and pretty much sounds like biased statements making it look like liberalism = progressiveism.

What idiots, i simply don't understand how someone can hate a person for being gay.

i just don't understand how harassment and abuse can be protected under free speech. don't men get sued and lose jobs over sexual harassment cases where they did nothing other than verbally harass a female co-worker? why isn't that protected under free speech then?

 

 

 

 

 

how many soldiers died for what they use as shelter to continue harassing others?

 

 

 

disgraceful.

Hurray, take that Church! People that do stuff like that piss me off. There was a group of people at the Family Values tour this year protesting out front with signs like "you're going to hell! You must repent!" and stupid stuff like that. I mean come on, don't you have anything better to do with you're Saturday afternoon that protesting to a bunch of people that don't give a crap about what you have to say? Glad to see they got what they deserve.

=D> :lol: :lol:

 

 

 

 

 

This is exactly why I despise the majority of the U.S. christian community... The message basically is: God loves you. Unless you don't believe in our god. Or you're gay. Or you've had an abortion. Or you're liberal. Or you're not a member of the KKK. Or you're not a member of the NRA. Or you're against stealing oil and bombing random countries that we can't pronounce. [/Mild exaggeration] Mind you, I'm talking deep south for most of this...