Would someone please enlighten me as to the purpose of picketing anyone's funeral? I just cannot see one grain of logic in that...am I missing something here? A FUNERAL, for cryin' out loud!! The man is dead, leave him alone. They are only hurting his family. Why can't they just be happy that he's going to "burn in hell" for his transgression of portraying a gay man? <--sarcasm here. Picket a funeral?? Is the man not supposed to be buried or something? The Westboro Baptist Church should be picketed as a congregation of walking assholes trying to portray people. Their asses should be arrested. It's idiots like these who are giving real Christians a bad rap. They are not only beyond ridiculous, they are fanatics and, therefore, dangerous.

Evidently, this "church" is not tired of being sued. Here is a link to the flyer that they have been handing out. http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b46/hanagumori/heath.jpg

I think it is sick and not what G-d would want.

I think that they are desperate for attention.

I haven't heard that? Why would they be picketing someone's funeral?

I don't advocate shooting people, but someone needs to shoot AT them. Spray a volley over their heads or use a water cannon or two on these bastards and see how often they come back. I am all for freedom of speech, but there are consequences!!

I think the "Reverend" Fred Phelps and his group of goons are nothing but a hate-mongering cult. Not one thing at all Christian about this bigot.

I think they're a bunch of tossers and really need to smarten the f*** up. It's disrespectful, and disgusting.

Nasty people with more psychoses than you can poke a stick at, desperately seeking media attention.

I think its a terrible thing to do. Disrespectful.

I don't think ANYONE's funeral should ever be picketed. Even if it's someone who has done some not so great things in their life, someone is grieving for them, and the funeral is really for the surviving. Heath Ledger did nothing wrong that I ever knew about. I'd assume this has something to do with Brokeback Mountain? So they're going to picket because someone did their job and did it well? I just think it's an awful thing to do. His loved ones, friends, and fans will all be having a difficult enough time as it is without this extra rude distraction going on.

Nothing like good Christian love to bring the people together. I say the less attention they get, the better.

I think the whole Westboro congregation is WHACKED!! Do you hear me? WHACKED! Nothing there that a good ethnic cleansing couldn't take care of. Too much inbreeding, maybe? Jeez! Where do these people get off thinking that they ARE God?? Or that they profess to speak on God's behalf? WHACKED, I tell you!!

Thats really sickening. It was a FILM!!! They are just fascist idiots.

The Westboro Baptist church... aren't they the "God Hates Fags" church? The ones who changed the song "We are the World" to "God Hates the World"? These people are absolutely evil. Twisting words of love and kindness into messages of hate. I'd love to be a fly on the wall when they die and wake up in hell.

Now this makes absolutely no sense, since 1) it isn't even scheduled yet, and 2) HL was straight and an ACTOR, for goodness sake.

I think they must be some bunch of media whores.

As a Christian, I am horrified. No one's funeral should be picketed, no matter your beliefs about the person.It is a time for family to say goodbye. I hope that no one pickets his funeral.

#1. I am sick and tired of hearing about WBC. #2. Everything they do is unnecessary and barbaricly insensitive to grieving families #3. Why would they picket Heath Ledger's funeral, he didn't die in Iraq or Afganistan...

Anyone who is planning on doing that could not be MORE disrespectful! They believe in God. God created all people right? So God created "fags"! I believe in God, I have always believed in God. But homosexuals are people to and anyone who disagrees deserves to burn in hell along with people like Hitler! And even though Heath played a gay in a movie, he still has a family at home that will be attending that funeral, and his funeral is NOT THE PLACE! He is already gone, so your not hurting the guy who pretended to be a gay, you are hurting his mother, his father, his daughter, his daughters mother, his friends, and everyone else who cared about him. HE IS GONE HE WILL NOT BE AFFECTED BY YOUR IGNORANT ACTIONS! Instead you will be hurting a 2 year old little girl who just lost her father you sick bastards! She is TWO YEARS OLD and all you can think about is the fact that her father pretended he was gay!? If God hates gays don't you think hes already in hell? Why do you need to turn his memorials into a fucking gay bash fest!? HE WASNT EVEN REALLY GAY! And even if he was thats none of anyone elses damn business! Your so holy and you want to fight for what God believes, but I dont think God would treat someones family like that only because he didnt like them! And as I said before, Heath Ledger is GONE and he is already wherever God wanted him to be, and I PRAY that that is Heavan, but you do not need to hurt this family more than thay already have been.

As a 'born-again' Christian with strong convictions, even though I don't agree with homosexuality, I can't condone picketing at a funeral. Not only is it distasteful, but it's a sin. It intentionally causes great pain and distress to people. It destroys their witness and I would be ashamed to be associated with them. Sometimes a preacher can get people so stirred up that they don't pay attention to what's correct. People don't need a preacher. They need a minister and pastor.

I think they need to step back and have a look at what they are doing. That is both distasteful and disrespectful. Can we picket at their funerals for being ignorant bigots?

As an AUssie, I am ignorant to most of this, so I looked these guys up. They are horrific, and are a cult. There are only 150 of then, most of them related to each other by blood or marriage. That they make much more of an influence than they should is because of the stance they have decided to take, which mainline Christianity certainly violently disagrees with. However, I am glad to say that the main funeral service for Heath will be in Perth Australia, and I doubt that Westboro will picket anything there. As a practicing Christian, if I thought anyone was going to picket any funeral for any reason, I would be calling the police. It is the lowest act I can think of.

just go to www.godhatesfags.com, the church's home page, to see how evil these people are...did you know the war is God's way of punishing us because of homosexuality? they are sick

It's a shame when anyone would picket anyone's FUNERAL. People should not curse the dead.

I think it's the best thing that could happen for gay awareness. The press would be incredible, and people would talk about it.

Even if they are homophobic, it's a ridiculous thing to make a big deal about an actor playing a gay character. There have been thousands of movies depicting violence, war, rape, murder, drugs... does anyone make a big deal about that? Brokeback Mountain was a movie that helped open people's eyes to subjects of homophobia and homosexuality. No one is forced to watch the film if they don't want to, so these people have no right to shove their opinion in anyone's faces, especially when people are at their most fragile grieving for someone they've lost.

I am staunchly anti-violence and always have been. However, the WBC is coming dangerously close to changing my mind. WHAT. THE. F*CK. Seriously, anyone who's made it their life's work to make other people's lives miserable need some severe mental help. Preferably applied with a two-by-four.

I am trying to find ways to do so. I have yet to find one.

I find just about anything Phelps and his pack of nut cases do repulsive and disrespectful. And that includes the fact they breath.

Send them to the hell they so desprately are working themselves towards.

That is absolutely revolting and morally bankrupt. I wish that "freedom of speech" could be repealed for this. It is hard for me to come up with the words I feel to express my disgust.

They cannot fall under a banner of God with this behaviour. What happened to forgivenes, they are clearly a cult.

it's reprehensible... no other word for it. unfortunatly they take great licence with our freedom of speech and unfortunantly there is not a damn thing we can do about it. funny thing is... Shirly Phelps Roper (the crazy daughter) had a child out of wedlock (in bible terms "fornicating") so yeah... she says "f... are going to hell"... well she f*cked out of wedlock and gave brith to a bastard... which is a sin so she's going to hell too. right?

Hopefully someone present will have the courage to pick up a rock and incite a riot against them. Following the congregation back to their place to burn the church to the ground would also be looked upon with great satisfaction by me.

if you want some background on them i suggest this: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/michael_haggerty/expose3.htm it's the whole history of Fred from childhood on. it is some frightning stuff. it's a long read, but worth it.

What a leading question! No, I don't think free and moral speech is repulsive. I am not a Baptist, but I admire what they are doing. I am a fan of Ledger, but I was disappointed that he accepted that role and even more so that he was rewarded for it.

Im not sure that physically you can do anything about the picketing since this is a country that thrives on freedom of speech. But yes, that is too bad and very sad. I saw that movie and thought is was very profound. I understand the whole thing about the men being homophobic and all, but really all it was portraying was two men showing their "feelings" for one another. One thing that men don't show enough of for fear they will either be labled or not macho enough. One thing you could do is just pray for him and his family and ask God to place his armour around them especially on that day and help protect them from all the media hipe that will be around and from the negativity of the picketers.

the answer is so simple ...you go to the funeral and just out number them ...if these scum start anything ...close ranks around them and all take a step in and another and another until they cannot be seen or heard... remember these fools are only a very very very small minority so shear weight of numbers will drown them out ... now these fools are getting backing from certain businesses so you can hurt them by finding out who they are and exposing them then boycotting them that will starve them of funds ... but being an Aussie I would make it even simpler ..by taking a bat to them ...very hard to hold up banners with broken arms and legs

I'm in Germany for the time being, and spent most of my time in Europe thus far. These WBC chaps didnt really ring any bells for me, so I scoped them out online -- They're absolute freaks to say the least. Someone should hold these people accountable for the sort of public statements they've come out with in regards to various issues & stances. Which sect of any organized religion comes out with slogans like "God Hates you", and for that matter what type of a sick sect advocates the use of derogatory colloquialism like 'Fag' or 'Who#e'. I found myself quelling with disdain after reading bout' these nutters. They give not just Christianity a bad name, but just about every organized faith in the world is being tarnished by these masquerading maniacs. They're indoctrinations reek of hate, violence and biligerence which in itself is proof that these freaks have an extremely deviated perception of God and what He wants. My prayers are with Heath's family on this tragic occasion. I do hope that somehow the family finds legal means to restrain the WBC, besides that unfortunatelty I fear there isnt much you can do within the lawful boundaries. Its really sad to see this sort of behaviour purported under the guise of God's name.

I think that they are the best thing for gay rights to come along in a long time...However, they work as hard as Paris or Britney for their unquenchable desire for publicity.. However, I think that there days are numbered..Someone will do them in...some crazy somewhere who is even crazier than they are... I find them offensive..but then that is exactly what they want. Ignore them and they just look like the useless trash that they are. They are the ultimate trolls.

Very disrespectful. Isn't it a sin to place judgment on others? I thought that was supposed to be left for God to do at the gates of Heaven. I cannot believe there are people out there so cold hearted to actually disturb a funeral! That poor family is grieving for their loved one. Unfortunately unless they are on private property or something there's nothing that can be done.

It made me think it was just a movie "Broke Back Mountain" and Heath was an actor and he finds the role as challenging so he take the role.. but I guess he was only gay in that movie but not in real life.. this wonderful person is dead so why bother asking about his gender.. if ever his a gay I guess there is no problem his still human and deserves respect for eternity..

there is a line between freedom of speech and hate speech. these people don't just cross it, they throw up on it. i'm not a christian, or anything else specifically, but i DO believe that there is a higher power out there, and that people like this are going to get what's coming to them eventually.

god hates fags, god hates canada, god hates everyone... bah. if you ask me, god hates HYPOCRITES, which is exactly what these #&*(#@&s are. if i could pick one person to gut with a machete, it would be fred phelps. bastards.

These are the same people who protest dead US soldier funerals and even those who were injured but lived with signs like "Thank God for IEDs" and "Thank God for Mained Soldiers". They're assholes. It's a radical splinter group formed from the Baptists who will NOT claim them in any way. It appears the majority of the group are related to the leader (It's a "family"). They claim that everything that's happening (from 9/11, Iraq War, Dead Soldiers, the USS Cole, etc.) are because the US support homosexuality. You can read a LOT about them at the following pages and links from there: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westboro_Baptist_Church http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Targets_of_Westboro_Baptist_Church http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Phelps (Pastor of the "church") Their websites include: Website http://www.godhatesfags.com/ http://www.godhatesamerica.com/ Yes... I find this group EXTREMELY repulsive, and cannot understand how ANYBODY would think they're a "church"... They're a HATE group. How to stop them? At funerals, they can be kept away a couple of ways I can think of: 1) If its' a private cemetery, they can be arrested for trespass if they set foot on it. 2) If it's a public cemetery, each individual who owns a plot (or their relatives), could DEMAND that the group not trespass on their relatives' graves. If they do, they can be arrested. If they stay out of the "trespass zones", then an ANTI WBC group (preferably made up of a number of churches in the town/city and the cemetery association connected to the cemetery) could be set up to protest BETWEEN the WBC and the funeral, allowing the families a buffer zone of peace and respect. As for the group themselves, the pastor founded, and the family owns a law firm who handles all the church's civil rights complaints. (What's THIS say about "separation of church and state"? Each family they protest, each funeral they protest, each... should sue the pants off them, for slander, liable (if speech is recorded), emotional distress, and punative damages. When they have no money, or are ALL too busy defending their "rights", they will NOT be able to travel. They may have the right to say anything they want, and even to protest, but they do NOT have the right to disrupt traffic, incite riots, cause undue emotional and mental anguish, etc.

They give Christians a bad reputation.