God Hates Fags: The religious rhetoric of Westboro Baptist

• In Event: Scholar to Scholar V

Abstract

Westboro Baptist promotes its anti-homosexual agenda through Internet videos declaring its mission to proclaim damnation of America and homosexuals. The rhetoric used by the church in its videos manipulates religious language to justify hatred of the world. Previous studies have examined the discourses of hate groups, few have focused on the rhetoric of hate groups masquerading as churches. This paper focuses on the changing rhetoric of hate and religion in the modern communication environment.

Author

• Christy Mesaros-Winckles, Bowling Green State University