Members of a notorious U.S. church that's been branded a hate group are coming to Winnipeg to protest at the funeral of Tim McLean Saturday.
A spokeswoman for the Westboro Baptist Church -- which is known for staging protests at funerals of American soldiers who have died in Iraq -- said seven members will picket outside the Westwood Community Church Saturday to let Canadians know that "God hates you, and it's because of your rebellion against his word that this child is dead."
Member of notorious Westboro Baptist Church will be in Winnipeg on Saturday.
Shirley Phelps-Roper, the daughter of Fred Phelps who heads the church in Topeka, Kansas, said the murder of Tim McLean was God's response to Canadian policies that allow homosexuality, abortion and adultery.
"Is it legal to have abortions up there? They are teaching you that God is a big fat liar (by making sins legal)," she said. "God sent that guy to do it."
Tim Dedelly, McLean's stepfather, declined to comment on the church's planned protest but said he had notified the police.
The horrifying murder of Tim McLean on a Greyhound bus just west of Portage la Prairie grabbed international headlines last week.
Allan Mailloux, youth pastor for the Bethel Baptist Church in Winnipeg, said he was appalled that the Westboro church would consider appearing at McLean's funeral.
"That is so dishonouring to Tim McLean's family. It's a slap in the face," he said "The main purpose in life is to love God and to love one another. I don't know how this falls into that definition."
Over the past few years, members of the Westboro Baptist Church - almost all of whom are blood relatives - have upset Americans coast-to-coast by showing up at the funerals of U.S. soldiers carrying large "God Hates America" signs. The church claims U.S. soldiers are killed to punish the country for its "disobedience to God and filthy manner of life." Last January, they picketed the funeral of Hollywood actor Heath Ledger because he played a homosexual character in the movie Brokeback Mountain.
The church is considered a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Phelps-Roper said the church had already scheduled protests for this week in Red Deer, Alta., and Toronto, Ont., when they received news of the Greyhound bus massacre.
"Lo and behold, we were going to Canada and God offered us a gift. The curse of God was put upon you (Canada) when that young man's head was cut off," she said.
Mailloux said the Phelps-Roper's retributive beliefs are not reflective of Christian faith.
"That runs absolutely contrary to what is taught in the Bible," he said. "God loves all people, that is 100 per cent true. God will love us no matter how far from we stray from things. Who are they to judge?"
paul.gackle@freepress.mb.ca
PREVIOUS
