Members of Westboro Baptist Church forcefully protested the Rosh Hashanah holiday in front of Hillel today, while another crowd protested and shouted across the street in opposition.
Shirley Phelps-Roper, leader of the Westboro protest, said the church stopped at OU as part of a love campaign across the country to protest Jews killing Christ over 2,000 years ago. She said despite the common belief that Christ’s death brings salvation, members of the Jewish community should not have killed Christ.
“These people killed our Lord, and they know it,” Phelps-Roper said. “The hour of judgment is near and everything bad happening in the world is in part their fault for killing Christ.”
Westboro protestors held up signs reading “God hates fags,” “God hates Jews,”America is Doomed” and “God hates Israel,” among other derogatory statements.
“I’m Catholic,” said Scott Jech, music performance senior, who stood on the opposition side. “I came out here to show that I and a majority of America and the world disagrees.”
Hillel, a campus Jewish organization, did not stage a counter protest, and none of the protestors were part of the organization.
“We did not protest the Westboro Baptist Church visit, as this is exactly what they try to provoke, and we encouraged people not to protest,” the organization wrote in an online statement. “We are very proud that Hillel students understood the importance of not engaging with these people, and instead have been inspired to think about tolerance programming. We will keep the OU community informed of our future plans.”
Phelps-Roper said the major focus was on the Jewish community because Friday marks Rosh Hashanah, the start of the Jewish new year. She said the Westboro has been protesting the gay and lesbian community along with Mormonism, and now it is time for the Jewish community to “learn the truth.”
Westboro is a church in Topeka, Kan., owned and operated by the Fred Phelps, Phelps-Roper’s father, and the grandfather of the young men who accompanied Phelps-Roper to the protest.
“We are living in our last days and these Jews need to hear the truth,” Jacob Phelps said. “We are here to send a message to them that they are responsible for killing our Lord.”
Phelps said he felt the protest was a way to send a message of salvation and warning to the Jewish community because judgment for killing Jesus is coming soon.
“I know we were asked to not come out today, but I wanted them to see that we really do care about our Jewish community,” said Kara Joy McKee, OU alumnus. “We love our Jews. We love our everybodys.”
Greg Blumberg, meteorology junior, protesting with the opposition crowd, said he was not surprised at the protest’s large turnout.
“If you’re going to mention Westboro Baptist Church, people are going to come out to protest, I can guarantee you that,” Blumberg said.
Patrick Quick, Norman resident, said he organized his own counter-protest group of about 100 people, named the Silent Opposition Protest.
“We don’t believe [Westboro] is logical or rational,” Quick said. “The reason we’re standing here is to show that they’re the minority in this city today.”
John Calvin Abney III, anthropology junior, who was playing guitar and harmonica among the crowd, said he just happened to be outside playing his guitar when he realized there was a protest. He said he stayed to help support the counter-protest.
“I have a lot of gay friends and lot of Jewish friends,” Abney said. “[The counter-protest] was really a pleasant surprise. It shows that people do care and all do want to make a difference.”
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mythman 2 years, 8 months ago
I must respectfully disagree with Hillel's opinion that the answer was to ignore the problem. Of course, no amount of protest would change the minds of the WBC, but Hillel was not the only group that was offended, and we felt the need to inform all who were watching that our community strongly disagrees with such messages of hatred.
cowd3769 2 years, 8 months ago
"But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, DO NOT BE ARROGANT TOWARD THE BRANCHES; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, 'Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.' Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. DO NOT BE CONCEITED, but fear; for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either. Behold then the KINDNESS AND SEVERITY of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, IF YOU CONTINUE IN HIS KINDNESS; otherwise you also will be cut off."
Paul's Epistle to the Romans 11:17-22 (my emphasis, NASB). I wonder if the members of Westboro Baptist have ever considered this passage.
I hope the readers here know that true evangelical Christians like myself (which I am by God's grace alone and not because of my own merits or efforts) would not ever want to associate with Westboro. We believe in salvation through Christ alone and the necessity of evangelism, but we do not believe in hateful action like that of Westboro.
LeeU 2 years, 5 months ago
It seems that Jacob Phelps is very ignorant of the Scriptures. From the looks of it, he has never even opened the book. Many times in Scripture Yahweh tells Israel that they are His people and that he has given them the land "from the Mediterranean to the wilderness, and from the River Euphrates to the great River of Egypt". Many times Yahweh tells Israel that, although He may punish them for their sins, He will NEVER cast them off for good. If the god that Phelps proclaims to serve will break His promises, he better be careful because He could just as easily cast him off also. Just another anti-God, anti-Israel, anti-Jew pagan.