DERANGED members of the world’s loopiest Christian sect – The Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas – are threatening to travel to Norway to disrupt the funerals of those who killed by right-wing lunatic Anders Behring Breivik.
The WBC claims in a press release that Breivik had been appointed by God to punish Norwegians for their tolerant attitude towards homosexuals.
Unlike the US, where the Supreme Court has upheld the church’s right to conduct their foul demonstrations, Norway has laws banning hate speech. Its penal code reads, in part:
Any person who wilfully or through gross negligence publicly utters a discriminatory or hateful expression shall be liable to fines or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years. An expression that is uttered in such a way that it is likely to reach a large number of persons shall be deemed equivalent to a publicly uttered expression, cf. section 7, No. 2. The use of symbols shall also be deemed to be an expression. Any person who aids and abets such an offence shall be liable to the same penalty.
The Atlantic Wire report points out that:
If Westboro is going to protest, its members had better get their lawyers ready. Holding a sign outside a funeral would certainly constitute public speech.
In a story about the church’s plan, the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) got a quote from Oslo Police Chief of Staff Johan Fredriksen.
If they implement what they threaten, I can only confirm that it is one of the most bad ideas at the moment.
But it is unlikely that this scum will ever wash up on Norway’s shores. One Norwegian posting in an English-language message board said he doubted the church would even be granted access to enter the country, and if they did make it to a funeral:
They’ll be surrounded by some tens of thousand people telling them how completely insane they are.
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
August 6th, 2011 at 11:38 am
Before I post this I must point out that I strongly abhore violence.
In my wayward youth I was in the armed forces for a few years, so I find the bile that this family spouts particularly offensive. The hatred that these people feel for their fellow man/woman (regardless of sexuality) is quite beyond me.
If a bereaved relative of a serviceman, of whose funeral this lot had attended, was to ‘take out’ the adult members of this cult, I have to be honest, I would applaud them. Sometimes the only way to deal with evil is through violence.
August 6th, 2011 at 11:55 am
Mercifully for the beraved families, and for the country as a whole, I doubt the WBC will be permitted to / have the guts to carry out their disgusting threat.
August 6th, 2011 at 12:02 pm
They should be allowed into Norway as long as they are boycotted in any way possible. Let them find closed doors wherever they go and don’t let come within miles of any ceremony for the dead. I’ve been to Norway and it’s a friendly country, but on an empty stomach that soon wears off. And let them not be arrested, if possible, Norwegain jails look way too nice for these idiots.
August 6th, 2011 at 12:06 pm
Oh religion…How low can you go?
August 6th, 2011 at 12:11 pm
These creatures are beyond ridicule. They, in their superstitious mania, have decided that they know what is right and anyone who disagrees is wrong. The mere idea of these demented clowns disrupting funerals of what appear to have been admirable young people with positive values will sicken anyone with a shred of decency.
August 6th, 2011 at 12:14 pm
Reading the laws as quoted, Norway sounds a pretty oppressive regime against dissent. You could go to gaol for saying that Gordon Brown single handedly destroyed the British economy, even if it’s true.
August 6th, 2011 at 12:30 pm
@Newspaniard:
1) That was massively off-topic.
2) Any evidence (which we’re supposed to value in the skeptical world!) for your claim that GB did what you claim? (Which seems unlikely, as I can’t imagine that any one person could have that power!)
3) While you’re perfectly free to believe the laws represent an “oppressive regime against dissent” I can’t see it myself; it doesn’t seem to refer to dissent at all, rather hate speech (tell me how the two are the same?)
August 6th, 2011 at 1:11 pm
More pathetic posturing from a bunch of deranged, publicity-seeking lunatics who have no intention whatsoever of ever going anywhere near Norway. (In fact, I bet they don’t even know which continent it’s on.)
August 6th, 2011 at 1:11 pm
Repellent the Westboro morons may be but they probably damage xtianinsanity a lot more than we do.
The Norwegian government would never allow WBC to enter the country.
August 6th, 2011 at 1:30 pm
Apparently they are also threatening to travel to the UK to picket the Church of Scotland because of a threatened schism within the Kirk over the ordination of gay ministers.
http://news.scotsman.com/news/.....6813790.jp
Let them come. Please let them come!
August 6th, 2011 at 1:37 pm
I hope they go and i hope they get arrested. There is no possible way they could sue and win if they’re breaking Norway’s laws.
@AgentCormac, they have been banned from Britain apparently.
August 6th, 2011 at 1:50 pm
Most of the time I’m proud to be an American. But sometimes….
August 6th, 2011 at 2:19 pm
I’d love to see what happens when Fred Phelps comes face to face with a polar bear.
August 6th, 2011 at 2:26 pm
the Polar Bear would probably throw up his last dinner and say to himself Idon’t eat s—t
August 6th, 2011 at 2:54 pm
Well, this might play out well, come to think of it. Hopefully, Norway will imprison them for 3 years.
August 6th, 2011 at 5:10 pm
remigus/AgentCormac: Or risk even greater mutilation from an angry Scotsman. Here is a possible exchange:
Fred: You are breaking God’s holy word by even considering appointing gay Ministers.
Angry Scotsman: Hey Jimmy, what’s it got tae dae with yous. Say anither word and you’ll get a Glesga sandwich.
No contest.
August 6th, 2011 at 5:12 pm
David Lawson,
You hit the nail on the head. If there was no religion there would be no religious extremists.
The issue is not so much the “Crazy Christian group.” By virtue (no pun intended) of their beliefs, all Christian groups are crazy.
In Reason,
Madison
http://alwaysquestionauthority.wordpress.com/
August 6th, 2011 at 7:10 pm
What have they got against fags? I know we’ve banned smoking in public places now but I think this lot are protesting too much, it’s almost enough to make me take up smoking again!
(for any north americans reading this and wondering wtf I’m on about, in the UK fags is slang for cigarettes.
August 6th, 2011 at 7:48 pm
I know it will only encourage them but I really do wish some one would give these horrors the hiding of their lives. It’s no more than they deserve.
August 6th, 2011 at 9:08 pm
Broga, I think you mean a Glasgow kiss. A Glasgow sandwich is a deep fried pizza in between two potato fritters.
I’m not sure why the WBC are banned from the UK and the Pope gets a gilded invitation. Both preach an identical message of hate based on identical fantasies, the only difference is the WBC signs are much more colourful, but they don’t wear dresses.
August 6th, 2011 at 9:17 pm
Confirmation – As a resident of the town in question, it’s a glagow kiss. A glasgow sandwich is a sandwich…wait for it…that has been made within the greater Glasgow city limits.
As for the WBC, I’ve been longing to kick the shit out of them for a long time. I’d quite willingly pay for the ferry.
August 6th, 2011 at 9:36 pm
Pls come Scotland WBC… Visit you will never forget..
August 6th, 2011 at 10:18 pm
Part of why many nice Christians speak against the WBC is that the WBC is acting in accord with the bible and with two thousand years of church history, while the nice Christians want to pretend those verses and that history doesn’t exist.
I am against hate speech laws and am glad they do not exist in the USA.
August 6th, 2011 at 11:03 pm
Graham Matin-Royle: “What have they got against fags?”
Translate as: ‘God hates pooftas.’
(Yes, I understood that you were joking.)
August 6th, 2011 at 11:04 pm
“Part of why many nice Christians speak against the WBC is that the WBC is acting in accord with the bible…”
The WBC is just as selective in their use of the Bible as “mainstream” Christians. It’s just that they select the most vile and hateful verses, rather than the least offensive.
August 7th, 2011 at 9:18 am
JohnMWhite/Ewan: Thanks for putting me right on my mistake. One of the great aspects of this site is the deep information resources of its members. Barryjohn being a constant source of wonder to me as I struggle in my lack of ability to access computer resources.
Anyway, it is many years since I left my native Scotland but the culture of, and identification with, Scotland and the Scots is deeply ingrained. I return occasionally and have many relatives there and we keep in touch.
August 7th, 2011 at 2:08 pm
I have nothing to declare but my genius, Broga (but thanks for that unexpected accolade anyway!).
They have already been stopped from visiting Great Britain. Read this load of garbage:
http://www.godhatesfags.com/le.....sponse.pdf
Personally, I believe in free speech (and they do the cause of rationalism no end of good).
August 7th, 2011 at 6:36 pm
Apparently a few members of this crazy church made the mistake of trying to pass off their beliefs at some kind of biker convention several months age, or it could have been a solders funeral in the state of Missouri, I think.
Seen some video of one of these WBC guys surrounded by hundreds of bikers getting punched and kicked…eventually the police escorted this asshat out of danger, with his cloths all ripped up.
People are fed up with them here and it is no surprise that they would now attempt protests across the Atlantic.
If they show up, kick their ass…they’ll go away, or else they will demonstrate until you do.
They are officially a hate group as far as I’m concerned.
August 7th, 2011 at 8:48 pm
Marky Mark: I think you may be referring to the Patriot Guard Riders, who turn up at all the funerals nowadays:
http://youtu.be/551rdS5DREY
August 9th, 2011 at 11:35 pm
Rather than ban these vile religious morons, I think it is incumbent upon American atheists to fight fire with fire. Members of the Westboro Weirdo-Cult presumably die from time to time, so why not stage offensive counter-demonstrations at their funerals? Banners saying “Suck My Cock In Hell” and “Good Riddance To God-Bothering Trash” would seem appropriate. It’s great watching religionists go into a tail-spin of hysteria when the boot is on the other foot – like when the Muzzies insisted on their “right” to open a mosque at Ground Zero, then had an attack of the screaming Abdabs when someone applied to open a gay club right next door to it!
August 11th, 2011 at 11:46 pm
Diesel Balaam: I feel that that would be playing right into their hands, and that they would relish it. They lap up all the antagonism that they engender. They would actually be mortified were they to be ignored!