I’m always amazed by the capacity of human beings to rationalize whatever beliefs they may hold, no matter how outre they are. Sure, I do it myself, but I think the Westboro Baptist Church folks take to unbelieveable levels.

I read this in the Athens Daily News this morning:

“Kansas-based religious zealots convinced America’s tolerance of homosexuals has invoked the wrath of God say they will picket today outside the Athens funeral of an Army sergeant who was killed in Iraq.

“Members of Topeka-based Westboro Baptist Church, claiming that God hates America because of homosexuality, on Friday said they plan to demonstrate against what they’re calling a “pep rally” associated with the funeral of Staff Sgt. Marion Flint Jr.. who was killed May 15 by a roadside bomb during combat in Balad, Iraq, about 50 miles north of Baghdad.

“Services are scheduled for 1 p.m. at Hill Chapel Baptist Church, 1692 W. Hancock Ave., with burial to follow at Evergreen Memorial Park on Atlanta Highway.

“Members of the Patriot Guard Riders, a motorcycle group formed partly in response to Westboro funeral demonstrations, plan to escort the funeral procession to the cemetery.”

Needless to say, I felt like this was one circus I couldn’t resist, and drove down to get some photographs. Not of the funeral itself; that family has enough to deal with and I stayed well away from the church, and concentrated on the protesters instead.

Of course, the Westboro folks are all one big extended family, and almost all of them are lawyers. They live for the hopes that someone will take a swing at one of them during one of these protests so they can sue everyone within arm’s reach.

Truth is truly stranger than fiction at times.