Westboro Baptist Church record own version of Fall Out Boy's 'Thnks fr th Mmrs'; next picket stop Apple HQ
The contentious Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) recently protested a Fall Out Boy concert, and had leading tech companies in its sights for its next protests.
The group picketed outside of Facebook's headquarters this afternoon, and will protest outside of eight other companies by 6pm as part of its "God Hates the Media Tour".
The controversial church—known for their "God Hates Fags" protests at military funerals—is taking another unconventional stance by declaring that God condemns the media "in all its forms".
"God did not set these social media networks in place to facilitate perverts pursuing their divers filth; nor do they exist for paedophile grooming, spreading sodomite agenda, other wicked political propaganda or propagating mountains of false doctrine," WBC wrote in a press release.
"On the contrary, all these media platforms have one purpose; to spread the gospel far and wide. Though you labor in vain to demonise and stop the words we speak; you only succeed causing more people to see, hear, and be convicted."
In addition to Facebook, WBC has targeted the headquarters of Google, Apple, Skype, YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and Reddit in its campaign. The extremist church also hosted a Reddit "Ask Me Anything" session on Sunday in promotion of the "God Hates the Media Tour".
On August 8, WBC released a parody of the hit Fall Out Boy song "Thnks fr th Mmrs" (Thanks for the Memories), entitled "Thnk Gd fr vrythng" (Thank God for everything). The song condemns homosexuality and declares that there is only "One God, one truth, one way", NME reports.
On Twitter, WBC called the rock band "pervs", and targeted bassist Pete Wentz for being divorced.
"This ain't obscene, it's a God-given song of praise. Amirite, @PeteWentz?" the church asked, parodying a line from another Fall Out Boy hit, "This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race." WBC included a picture of Wentz with ex-wife Ashlee Simpson, and their son, Bronx.
This ain’t obscene, it’s a God-given song of praise. Amirite, @PeteWentz? http://t.co/R5ibvJ8SLR
cc: @MeaganCamper pic.twitter.com/UYxZY3favw
— Westboro Baptist (@WBCSays) August 8, 2014
The church also protested outside of a Fall Out Boy concert on August 9.
Rock band Panic! at the Disco was at the receiving end of a WBC protest last month – receiving both a parody song and an on-site protest.