Thankful Thursday: One Small Step for Humankind

Is this your first visit to On the Horizon? You're invited to subscribe to the RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

As Christians, we should all be rejoicing and giving thanks today that a Maryland jury has rendered an $11 million verdict against the church and several members of the Westboro Baptist church in Topeka, Kansas. The legal victory is also a victory for Christians everywhere who are embarrassed, humiliated, and outraged by the outrageous and decidedly un-Christlike behavior not only of that group, but any organization that engages in hate speech and promotes bigotry, intolerance, and disdain for any segment of society — all in the supposed name of the Savior.

The Westboro clan is notorious for its repulsive and reprehensible conduct. In the case of Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, they subjected a grieving father to emotional abuse and harassment. Admirably, that father decided to take action.

The misguided members of the Westboro church believe that American soldiers are dying as a result of God’s wrath upon this nation for exhibiting tolerance regarding sexual orientation. They have made it their practice to picket during funerals for service men and women. ((Church members also plan to protest during funerals for the seven University of South Carolina students who recently died in a North Carolina beach house fire.))

In this instance, church members — three adults and four children — stood outside the Baltimore, Maryland, church where Matthew Snyder’s funeral was being conducted holding signs displaying phrases like “Thank God for Dead Soldiers” and “God Hates F—.”

They also demonstrated outside the federal courthouse during the trial. In particular, their leader ((Their leader is an attorney.)) carried a sign that said “God is your enemy.” Hate is apparently a family affair: His adult daughter stood on an American flag and boasted a sign that read “God hates — enablers,” while other members of the group sang “God Hates America” to the tune of “God Bless America.”

Matthew Snyder died as a result of injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident while serving in Iraq.

The church’s attorneys argued that his funeral was a public event and the group’s activities were protected by the First Amendment. However, the United States Supreme Court has always held that First Amendment protections are not unlimited, especially with regard to, for example, hate speech or inciting violence.

The right of free speech must be balanced against other competing, fundamental rights such as, in this case, the right to privacy, i.e., the right to be let alone, especially during an intensely personal and emotional event such as the burial of one’s child.

Matthew’s father said he was compelled to pursue legal remedies because he was outraged by the group’s attempted use of the “First Amendment guarantee of free speech to spread hate and inflict pain on grieving families.” He was most offended by signs that said “You’re going to hell” and “God hates you.”

Defiant in the face of such a huge legal defeat, the group’s leader promised an appeal. “God promised dire outpourings of very painful wrath, and there’s nothing more painful than killing one of your children and that’s what’s going on in Iraq,” he told msnbc.com in 2006. “That’s what we’re preaching and the forum of choice to deliver such a message, obviously, is the funeral of the kid that’s been blown to smithereens.”

Several states already have laws on the books that prohibit protests at funerals and Congress enacted a federal statute prohibiting protests at federal cemeteries. But this lawsuit is believed to be the first prosecuted by the family of a deceased member of the military.

Christians across America should immediately lobby their legislators to enact similar legislation if none exists in their state.

The behavior of the zealous defendants in this case begs the answer to the question, “What would Jesus do?” Would he taunt, harass, vex, and set out to deliberately inflict pain upon the grieving families of men and women who are serving their country in Iraq, Afghanistan or any other part of the world? Would he tell those families that he hates their deceased son, daughter, husband, wife, father, mother, sister, brother . . . ? Or that he hates those left behind to mourn?

One need look no further than the very first chapter of the New Testament to find the answers to those questions:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Matthew 5:3-11

In addition to rejoicing and thanking the Divine Creator for the wisdom and courage of that Maryland jury, we must, of course, pray for the ignorant hatemongers involved in this lawsuit, as well as any person who condones or encourages their vile behavior. We must ask the Holy Spirit to enter and change their hard, bitter hearts and reveal to them the true nature of the one who offered his life for each and every one of us.

The Maryland jury verdict is just one small step for humankind in the fight for equality, fairness, and tolerance. Let’s hope that further steps are taken by legislatures across this great country so that the behavior which formed the basis for this lawsuit is eradicated in its entirety soon, leaving grieving families to mourn in peace.

Update: On Friday, November 2, 2007, “20/20″ broadcast a report on this report on the verdict:

What are you thankful for today? Leave a comment and link to your Thankful Thursday post! Thanks go out to Crystal for being our wonderful host this week!