Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas, announced its plans to protest Steve Jobs’ funeral, sending the message out via Twitter for iPhone.
Westboro Baptist Church leader Margie J. Phelps has announced that the group will picket the Apple co-founder’s funeral, condemning him for “teaching his neighbors to sin.”
Margie J. Phelps, daughter of the small church’s founder and the lawyer who represented the church during their First Amendment case at the Supreme Court, (which Westboro won,) was among the Phelps family members to use Apple products to Tweet about the death of Steve Jobs.
“Westboro will picket his funeral. He had a huge platform; gave God no glory & taught sin,” Margie J. Phelps tweeted Wednesday night on her iPhone.
The tweet that has critics pointing out the irony says little more than “He is in hell.” The controversial church seems to be sticking by their words, however, ignoring criticism of the method used to get out their message.
After a number of groups pointed out the irony, Phelps continued to tweet:
“Rebels mad cuz I used iPhone to tell you Steve Jobs is in hell. God created iPhone for that purpose!”
The iPhone-wielding Westboro members seemed unable to find any irony in their embrace of the technology of a man they condemn. One church member even suggested that God was using Jobs to help advance the message of Westboro Baptist Church:
“God used Steve Jobs to create amazing STUFF for WBC to preach,” wrote Shirley Phelps-Roper.
Westboro Baptist Church is mostly made up of Phelps family members but has risen to international infamy because of their funeral protests of celebrities and American soldiers. The church’s members believe that God punishes America for its tolerance of sin, including acceptance of homosexuality.
Westboro Baptist Church, which has become famous for its unofficial “God Hates Fags” slogan, has been at the center of many controversial pickets in recent years, including sending congregation members to protest at the funeral of Elizabeth Edwards. The church also picketed the funerals of those killed in the Arizona shootings, an act many found particularly distasteful.
