Westboro members blocked at the border

I read this morning that Canadian border guards have been told to bar members of Westboro Baptist Church who planning to protest the funeral of Tim McLean on Saturday. McLean, of course, is the 22-year-old who was killed and beheaded on the Greyhound bus in Manitoba last week. Yesterday afternoon they were stopped at the border and denied entry into Canada but have vowed to try other border crossings.

For the sake of the family, there is a part of me that supports this action by the government. I think most people do. I support our government’s right to decide who can enter our country and who cannot. If they are successful, however, and get in, our society, of course, guarantees the right to free speech and freedom of religion and acts like this are one of those unfortunate outcomes that are allowable under these very freedoms. I just hope they never get the opportunity to exercise these rights. The Winnipeg Police Service has said they were not planning to block the funeral protest if the group does successfully cross the border. This is a lawful response. They are prepared to be on hand if necessary, however, if things should get out of hand.

I hope that it doesn’t, as much as I could understand wanting to strike out at these hate mongers, especially if I knew or was related to Tim. But if these folks do manage to show up at the funeral, I hope that any Christians who attend will surround them, block them from being seen and pray for them. They need to know the true God of the Bible, not the hateful, shaking-with-rage deity they claim to serve.