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Westboro Baptist Church Fire Called Hate Crime By Church's Leader

By Howard M. Friedman

On Saturday morning, according to a report by PageOneQ, a fire broke out at Topeka, Kansas Westboro Baptist Church causing from $10,000 to $30,000 damage. Westboro has gained national notoriety by its activities in picketing military funerals and other events with signs condemning America's tolerance for homosexuality. The Church's pastor, Fred Phelps, sent a hate crime complaint to the Justice Department and other law enforcement agencies on Sunday, charging that the fire was motivated by religious hatred. (WIBW). Meanwhile, in a message posted on You Tube, Phelps said: "This is the latest in a long line of criminal acts perpetrated against us by the mean-spirited citizens of this evil, hellbound nation." (PageOneQ report containing the YouTube clip.)

Full post as published by Religion Clause on August 05, 2008 (boomark / email).