Westboro Baptist Church is a religious organization based in Topeka, Kansas, headed by Fred Waldron Phelps, Sr. It runs the website GodHatesFags.com[1] and other websites expressing condemnation of homosexuals, Catholics, and other groups. The organization is monitored by the Anti-Defamation League,[2] and as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.[3][4]
Its members identify themselves as Baptists; the church is an independent Baptist church not affiliated with any known Baptist conventions or associations. The church describes itself as following Primitive Baptist and Calvinist principles, though it has been accused by others of Hyper-Calvinism.[5]
The church bases its work around the belief expressed its best known slogan and the address of its primary website, "God hates fags", and expresses the opinion, based on its Biblical exegesis, that nearly every tragedy in the world is linked to homosexuality – specifically society's increasing tolerance and acceptance of gay, lesbian, and bisexual people. It believes God hates homosexuals above all other kinds of "sinners"[6] and that homosexuality should be criminalized, punishable by the death penalty.[7]
Not only is Westboro opposed by supporters of gay rights, but most other Christian groups (including those who agree with Westboro that homosexuality is a sin) oppose Westboro's theology and practice, believing it to be incompatible with authentic Christian teachings.[8]
