The story was compelling: Westboro Baptist Church announced plans to protest the funeral of Marine Staff Sergeant Jason Rogers in my home state of Mississippi. Staff Sgt. Rogers was killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan. The wackadoos from Westboro were demonstrating, as usual, because the death of American soldiers is the result of God’s persistent discontentment with the gays.
I don’t think their rationale gives God enough credit. I think if God was really so single-minded on an issue, He wouldn’t distract himself with churning up tsunamis, slaying soldiers, and bringing down the Twin Towers. Go back and read your Old Testament — if God gets the notion to punish you personally, he lets you know.
Anyhoo, an article detailing Westboro’s Mississippi protest plans ran in the Jackson paper, and folks back home were not pleased. They began making plans of their own.