Kansas Baptist Church Intends to Picket Heath Ledger’s Funeral Because He Played Gay Character
‘A radical Baptist church in Kansas known for picketing the funerals of soldiers who perished in Iraq said it intends to protest Heath Ledger’s memorial service with signs claiming the actor died and is in Hell because he played a gay character in “Brokeback Mountain.”
Shirley Phelps-Roper of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka said that she and other members will picket Ledger’s United States memorial services, not those held in his native Australia.
“You cannot live in defiance of God,” she said. “He got on that big screen with a big, fat message: God is a liar and it’s OK to be gay.” [..]
“Heath Ledger is now in Hell, and has begun serving his eternal sentence there,” the Westboro Baptist announcement says.’
I’m not usually a fan of violence, but there are just some people who need a really hard smack in the face. Several smacks in the face, actually.
Followup to Heath Ledger, Actor, Is Found Dead at 28 and Jury Awards Father Nearly $11 Million in Funeral Protesters Case.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
I read somewhere else that the above person actually said something about Heath’s dead rotting carcus??? What an awful and offensive statement to make. I would just like to express my disgust (as an Australian, a fan of Heath as a person and actor and as a human being) at the attitude expressed by Shirley and her church. After looking into the church’s history and website I am left wondering where all the love is that we as religious people are meant to feel towards our fellow people. The church’s site clearly mentions the word HATE far more often. In addition, I am still struggling to find a verse in the bible that calls gay people “fags”. You cannot scare people into believing in God.
In regards to Heath Ledger, he was a kind gentle soul who was talented at his chosen profession. He put a lot back into the community and helped others in need (which is more than I can say for WBC). In addition, his family loved him dearly and he has a little girl that has now lost her father. Someone like this does not deserve to be in hell.
I hope that the WBC are given a message from the rest of the community that their behaviour is not acceptable. Surely they have better things to do than disrespect human life in this way.
Perhaps, if they stopped interpreting the bible how they choose to allow them to make excuses for their own issues, they would spend more energy helping and accepting people, than wasting their energy on hate. It gets us no where.
RIP Heath xxxx
April 25th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
As a Christian and a preacher, I can honestly say that this Church’s view of ANYBODY dying and the response to it is disgusting, it does not reflect the heart of God or what our message of hope and love should be. I don’t know if I’m a position to apologize for what has been said by the Church, but as a Christian I can say that this is so wrong. My deepest sympathy to Heath’s family and all who knew him and those who loved his work.