Hackers warn Westboro Church: Stop now or else

Members of Westboro Baptist Church stand in front of the US Supreme Court holding banners October 6, 2010 in Washington,DC

/ Getty Images

A group of hacktivists acting under the banner, "Anonymous," has warned a church with a controversial history that unspoken retribution will follow it continues its practice of inflammatory protests.

In an open letter to the Westboro Baptist Church, Anonymous has put the anti-gay, fundamentalist church on notice that "the damage incurred will be irreversible," and that "neither your institution nor your congregation will ever be able to fully recover."

The Westboro Baptist Church is led by Rev. Fred Phelps. It has drawn particular attention for carrying out anti-gay protests at funerals of military servicemen with signs celebrating the deaths of the soldiers with signs like "God Hates the USA" or "Thank God for 9/11." The group operates a website with the URL godhatesfags.com.

In its letter, Anonymous wrote the following:

We, the collective super-consciousness known as ANONYMOUS - the Voice of Free Speech & the Advocate of the People - have long heard you issue your venomous statements of hatred, and we have witnessed your flagrant and absurd displays of inimitable bigotry and intolerant fanaticism. We have always regarded you and your ilk as an assembly of graceless sociopaths and maniacal chauvinists & religious zealots, however benign, who act out for the sake of attention & in the name of religion.

Being such aggressive proponents for the Freedom of Speech & Freedom of Information as we are, we have hitherto allowed you to continue preaching your benighted gospel of hatred and your theatrical exhibitions of, not only your fascist views, but your utter lack of Christ-like attributes. You have condemned the men and women who serve, fight, and perish in the armed forces of your nation; you have prayed for and celebrated the deaths of young children, who are without fault; you have stood outside the United States National Holocaust Museum, condemning the men, women, and children who, despite their innocence, were annihilated by a tyrannical embodiment of fascism and unsubstantiated repugnance. Rather than allowing the deceased some degree of peace and respect, you instead choose to torment, harass, and assault those who grieve.

Your demonstrations and your unrelenting cascade of disparaging slurs, unfounded judgments, and prejudicial innuendos, which apparently apply to every individual numbered amongst the race of Man - except for yourselves - has frequently crossed the line which separates Freedom of Speech from deliberately utilizing the same tactics and methods of intimidation and mental & emotional abuse that have been previously exploited and employed by tyrants and dictators, fascists and terrorist organizations throughout history.

ANONYMOUS cannot abide this behavior any longer. The time for us to be idle spectators in your inhumane treatment of fellow Man has reached its apex, and we shall now be moved to action. Thus, we give you a warning: Cease & desist your protest campaign in the year 2011, return to your homes in Kansas, & close your public Web sites. Should you ignore this warning, you will meet with the vicious retaliatory arm of ANONYMOUS: We will target your public Websites, and the propaganda & detestable doctrine that you promote will be eradicated; the damage incurred will be irreversible, and neither your institution nor your congregation will ever be able to fully recover. It is in your best interest to comply now, while the option to do so is still being offered, because we will not relent until you cease the conduction & promotion of all your bigoted operations & doctrines.

The warning has been given. What happens from here shall be determined by you.

Was "Anonymous" church threat a hoax?

Anonymous recently made headlines when it got into the computer system of a security firm and posted thousands of documents describing plans to attack WikiLeaks, the Bank of America and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Update: During a live radio interview on The David Pakman Show on Feb. 24, a source claiming to be from Anonymous called in to confront church spokesperson Shirley Phelps-Roper from the Westboro Baptist Church, saying that the letter was not in fact real. The caller then proceeded to hack a Westboro Baptist Church-owned website during the interview (which you can hear at 8:24 in the accompanying video). See Video: Anonymous hacks Westboro Baptist Church website during on-air confrontation

[nonono nono]

The only hatred, intolerance and contempt for free speech/assembly that I can see is coming from anti-WBC activists. These people need to grow up.

[Nyk0n]

Let me put this in terms the non-hackers can understand...Yes, hacking is illegal IF used in a way which is harmful to a persons personal data or effects. Anonymous is a group of people that have nothing better to do than make threats. Thats it. Its best for the Westboro Church to report the threats to the FBI. I was a member of the hacking group Electronik Tribulation Army, whos leader was arrested on false charges, someone put a...well lets just call it a virus on a computer that our leader happen to have access to while working as a security guard at the hospital and farthermore, he broke hospital rules by checking his e-mail on that same computer. Thats it. And finally, No, God doesn't hate *******, although there are verses in the bible that reference the relationship between God and gays, such as:

1 Corinthians 6:9-10:

"Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."

1 Corinthians 6:11:

And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."

Leviticus 18:22:

"Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable."

Leviticus 20:13:

"If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads."

And thats my little speech.

KG. ~ Klansman & Certified Ethical Hacker in training

[namemag100]

I am not here to argue.In fact I am simply showing my point of view.whether or not hacking is illegal WBC needs to not only be hacked but distroyed. I myself am christian but these people take things way to far. I would be happy to help ananymous do this as well.

[La_Figa]

The "OR ELSE" aleady happened http://lafiga.firedoglake.com/2011/02/24/westboro-bpatist-church-learns-ask-and-ye-shall-receive-anonymously/#

[RevCharlieD]

Regardless of authenticity, the sentence construction, punctuation, and grammar are atrocious. Did someone drop a thesaurus and just pick the words at random? What was the point anyway? I got lost several times trying to even understand the threat. I recommend a visit to the local community college for remedial English.

About this so called church: the Bible clearly states "Judge not, least ye be judged." God is the ultimate judge, not us. We are not here to call to attention the transgressions of others. We are here to forgive as He forgives us.

God will deal with the sins of man and will judge harshly those that act in His stead.

God bless this country and our leaders& We really need it!

[pdxer777]

If ANONYMOUS does in fact exist, more power to them. I support anything they do to bring down The Westboro Circus.

[heroflight]

it's actualy a very active and well diguised group. In fact, with a little searching you can find the website they're based on. although you won't be able to tell. 1st rule: Don't talk about anonymous

[kleankutken]

Wow...what is really cool is that the letter from Anonymous can be applied to most "protests" and marches. Would it be okay to copy and paste its' content and send it to the lamers up in Wisconsin?

[HHT1975]

This has been debunked. The Westboro Baptist Church posted the threat against themselves in order to lure hackers from Anonymous to a "honeypot" of fake data. The sole intention is to capture the IP addresses of Anonymous hackers and file a lawsuit. The WBC has made a fortune suing people.

[gmartin370]

All I have to say is let anyone from Westboro Baptist Church or members of their hate group show up at any funeral for one of my family members or friends that it would be there last. Secondly, I don't agree with the way ANONYMOUS is doing things but I do support their message to the members of Westboro Baptist Church and there hate group. This cult has to be stopped, there's a big difference between freedom of speech and disresepct.

[GeoR-2929]

Pray tell, what exactly is the "big difference between freedom of speech and disrespect", except perchance YOUR private opinion? I agree whole heartedly that the WBC bunch are idiots. In fact, in my opinion it would be great if there were some supreme being to smite them down, but alas...

[Eth-11]

Criminal Hackers threaten un-Christ-like haters on a moral issue...

It's getting weird out there.

[vittoria1]

I despise the Westboro Church and feel the fact that God hasn't destroyed all the members in some disaster is one indication that he doesn't exist. Unfortunately, they have all the First Amendment rights the rest of us do. Certainly I'd be infuriated if they showed up at the funeral of one of my loved ones, but there are ways to keep them away from the service proper. These hackers do not have a right to interfere with Westboro's sites or freedom of expression. I fully sympathize with their disgust, I share that disgust, but what they are threatening would be wrong. Period.