Westboro Baptist Church Demo

Today Whitworth and the Spokane community came together in unity in response to a demonstration put on by the Westboro Baptist church. The WBC is a church group located in Topeka, Kansas that has very radical beliefs. To voice their beliefs, they travel all around the country demonstrating and holding signs. According to WBC, they came to Whitworth because, "the college students spend more time pursuing their drunken sins than their academic success. Their professors happily teach them the lie that "it is OK to be gay" and its just fine to flip off God and mock his servants". We know this is very scewed and far from the truth. While it is disturbing and frustrating to hear this, Whitworth responded in such a way that demonstrated love and peace.

Whitworth students united by wearing the color red to represent love. A "Love Walk" took place around the football field as a fundraiser, prayer went on in the chapel all day and signs were made to show that God loves everyone.

While WBC held up disturbing signs, Whitworth faculty and students held a sign saying "LOVE" and stood silently behind the protesters.

This was a bitter-sweet even. In one aspect it was a great thing to be able to show our love for these people and hopefully let them know that God loves them and EVERYONE. However, it is sad to see such awful messages represented on the signs and that people actually believe them to be true. Hopefully this only brings the Whitworth community closer in embracing everyone for who they are; a son or daughter of Christ.