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U.S. Supreme Court refuses Westboro Baptist Church case
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Westboro Baptist Church demonstrator
Believing that mourners are most receptive to their message while attending a funeral, the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, wants to spread their message that God is punishing America for its sins.
However, the addition of demonstrators bearing signs reading, “Thank God for Dead Soldiers” and “God Blew up the troops” is a grisly reminder for those attending the funerals of the ultimate sacrifices their loved ones have made on behalf of an apparently ungrateful country. And the recent refusal of the U.S. Supreme Court to take on the appeal to enforce a Missouri law regulating protest at funerals has added further insult to injury for the grieving families. Tom Carpenter, Little Rock city attorney, says, “The First Amendment, especially on sidewalks and parks, is one of the most protected areas under the law, but even so, you can still keep people from blocking traffic or creating traffic jams.”
Does that give the Westboro Church the right to infringe upon military funerals or for that matter the public to prevent them from doing so? Furthermore, this situation begs the question of how an apparent group of Christian believers can be so insensitive to the moment. Should we be thanking God for dead soldiers? Where does the line between First Amendment rights, personal privacy and Christianity fall? In a country becoming increasingly more diversified, the answer to this question will have a significant impact on Christians.
A simple truth and one most of us understand is that the blood of an individual is what gives them life. From its earliest teachings, Christians are taught to preserve and appreciate life. Cain, having struck down his brother Able, found himself confronted by God for his brother’s death. “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.” How then could any church come to the conclusion that God is pleased with the death of any individual? Moreover, why would God place the sins of another upon the shoulders of an American soldier? Was it not God’s own Son who shed His blood for the remission of mankind’s sin? Would the members of the Westboro Church dared picket the tomb of Christ?
Our men and women of the armed forces have made the greatest sacrifice on behalf of their nation. How much more could one demonstrate their love than to lay down their life for their friends? As a Nation, we should in turn show our gratitude for their sacrifices by honoring those who now grieve the loss of our fallen Heroes. Even more so, as Christians, we should be humbled by the noble surrender of their dreams, hopes, and life. In their death we are given the gift of freedom, just as we are given the gift of life through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
No, God is not pleased with the death of these men and women, but perhaps we should give Him thanks anyway. As the rockets fill the sky and the sparklers dance above the crowds this Fourth of July, it is both our civic and Christian duty to say thank you. Thank you for paying a price that allowed us to be free as well as give us the right to demonstrate at your funeral.
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