MSNBC reports that the UK is banning a US pastor and his daughter from entering the country. The Rev. Fred Phelps, founder of the Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas was planning to lead a protest in the UK. Phelps has made news in the US for claiming that deaths in Iraq were due to the US tolerating homosexuality. The UK chose to stop Phelps from entering the country due to his extremist views and tendency to incite hatred.

From the Westboro Baptist Church website:

"God hates the Queen Mary's College, and the fag-infested UK, England, and all having to do with spreading sodomite lies via The Laramie Project, this tacky bit of cheap fag propaganda masquerading as legitimate theater..."

We're aware that Christians have varying views on issues such as homosexuality, but in our opinion Westoboro's approach moves far beyond expressing a viewpoint and enters hate territory, which counters everything we understand about Christian faith. What do you think? Was the UK justified in banning Phelps from entering their country?

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Sad things
written by droslovinia, February 20, 2009

One of the saddest things that I ever saw was a tape (yes it was that old) of the TV Nation television show. It had, at the end, a story about Phelps and his church, where various church members were asked about their views and why they do what they do. While it kind of turned me off, some of the teenagers I was watching it with were openly weeping, asking how any church could condone raising people to act this way. Since then, I've come to believe that we need people like Phelps and his minions. I will never, ever, agree with him, but he serves as a great example and cautionary tale on what can happen when someone misuses their authority as a teacher.

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