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NC Council of Churches

Strength in Unity, Peace through Justice

Our Response to Protesters at Elizabeth Edwards’ Service

· · 27 Comments

Recent news tells us that members of the small family church in Kansas which protests at military funerals to demonstrate its opposition to homosexuality are going to be in Raleigh on Saturday to demonstrate at the services for Elizabeth Edwards.

The Council has just submitted the following statement to newspapers statewide:

The protesters from Kansas have come many miles to spread their hatred at Elizabeth Edwards’ memorial service. Let us be clear: the Bible calls us to kindness and respect for one another, and Jesus Christ preached throughout his life that we should love one another. The protesters’ appalling and repeated violation of the sacred services by which we honor our dead, along with their representation of themselves as messengers of Christ, are offensive and misrepresent Christian faith.

 

Now I ask you as people of faith to stand with the North Carolina Council of Churches by signing on to this statement by filling out the form below. We will post the names of all who respond as soon as we receive them.
Please feel free to pass this request along to others.

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Comments

  1. I honor Elizabeth Edwards, whose love and generosity of spirit should stand as an example to these terribly misguided bullies to change their own lives to benefit society, not attack grieving families in their weakest hour with lies.

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  3. This protest is disgusting. I am appalled that there is no way stop their cruel act. For heaven’s sake, who is there to protect the family and give them respite from these people? If there is freedom of speech, then there should also be freedom to pray and bury our dead with dignity, peace, and love. The legal system should take care to keep these people far away from the church, cemetary, and funeral procession to these ceremonies. We have allowed far too much lattitude for hate groups like this, the KKK, and others. They disrespect our citizens, our soldiers, and our country’s founders in the name of freedom. How awful and how sad our legal system has become.

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  6. Thank you for eloquently expressing an appropriate rebuttal to the bullies from Kansas. I do not understand what motivates them but I appreciate this opportunity to express my revulsion of their inappropriate protesting at the funeral of a woman who was dedicated to living her Christian values in substantive ways. I wish that they would follow her example and not their misguided and hateful path.

    Rest in peace, Elizabeth.

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  7. Protesting at a mother’s funeral is a form of child abuse. Elizabeth Edwards’ young children should be allowed to mourn their mother’s death without being subjected to hatred.

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  8. As a member of the community of Christ, I find the actions of the protesters from Kansas to be the most unchristian and cruel of acts. They are truly a shining example of man’s inhumanity to man.

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  9. Christian leaders desparately need to speak out against this appalling behavior. There are a few sacred moments in one’s life – birth, marriage, birth (or adoption) of your children and death. How dare they dishonor the grieving families. Please explain how this is pleasing to God? I think they are more intersted in getting on CNN than walking in the light of God’s love and grace.

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  10. I honor Elizabeth Edwards, whose love and generosity of spirit should stand as an example to these terribly misguided bullies to change their own lives to benefit society, not attack grieving families in their weakest hour with lies.

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  11. Thank you for standing up against this message of hate. I am appalled that the people from the Westboro Baptist Church would do such a hate-filled act in the name of Christ who taught us to love one another.
    Lesley Richardson

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  12. We need to show that we respect the right of the family and friends of Elizabeth Edwards to express their grief in a respectful way.

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  13. Hate came into the world through sin; in our anger let us not match sin with sin, but counter sin with grace. Comfort and peace be upon the Edwards family and all who mourn the loss of this courageous woman of faith.
    Mitzi Barker
    Anchorage, Alaska

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  14. The intruders from Kansas give Christians a bad name. They make us seem holier-than-thou and vindictive. We are not the judge of others. We are the peaceful followers of Jesus.

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  16. This is not in good nature but instead pure hatred. It’s very upsetting and even if you are not religious of nature we should all be respectful and kind to one another. I would never think of protesting at someone’s funeral. It is a time for mourning and reflection of ones life

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  20. The laying to rest of this dear saint ought not to be marred by Pharisees on a political mission. Elizabeth Edwards has dealt with the difficult job of dealing with pain and heartbreak and her own physical illness under the lens of national politics with strength, grace, and love. Her children have lost their mother and should be allowed to grieve her loss in peace.

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  21. Everything about this is disgusting. Elizabeth Edwards was a great American, who deserves a proper funeral and the respect that her life calls for.

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  23. I agree wholeheartedly with the above statement by the NC Council of Churches. Jesus commanded us to first love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and second to love our neighbor as ourselves.

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  24. I find these protests – any protest at any funeral, in fact – to be appalling. No matter who the person is who is being honored that day, those who are there to grieve a loss and celebrate a life should be left to do so, away from any protests, or any media attention. Ms. Edwards was a leader in our state and in our nation for causes she cared deeply about. She should be honored for that work.

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  27. Christians need to be present downtown on Sat. not to confront Westboro, but to be a truthful presence of Christ, what He is, why He died, why we live. God so loved the world…. He didn’t hate it. He gave His only Son. We should be able to give 2 hours to be a voice of love and light on Sat.

    Reply

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