Westboro Baptist Church Set to Clash With Atheists at 'Woodstock for Non-Belief

We already told you about Reason Rally, the upcoming event that atheists are heralding as a "Woodstock for non-belief." The daylong celebration, which is promising to be the world's largest gathering of atheists and secularists, is scheduled for March 24 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. While The Blaze has divulged the fact that evangelical groups plan to attend, it seems there's another group -- the Westboro Baptist Church -- that is reportedly going to picket the massive conference praising "reason."

Westboro has become infamous for its picketing at military and celebrity funerals and for its bizarre slogans (they recently released a parody video about Whitney Houston entitled, "God Will Always Hate You" and alleged that the singer is burning in hell). In what appeared to be an effort to incite Westboro's rage, Jim Klawon, Deputy Vice President of Administration of the National Atheist Party -- the political party of non-belief -- sent a letter poking at the radical "church" members and inciting them to attend Reason Rally.

In a note addressed to Westboro's founding member, 82-year-old Fred Phelps, Klawon urged the cult's members (mostly individuals who are a part of Phelps' family) to "come out and join the fun." Here's a screen shot of the letter:

It wasn't long before the atheists received a response from Megan Phelps-Roper, Fred's granddaughter. Via Twitter, she accepted the invitation and pledged to picket at the "parade of fools."

Additionally, Phelps-Roper quoted Isaiah 1:18-20 in response to the Reason Rally, posting an image of the verse on her Twitter account: "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it."

Justin Vacula, a writer for the Scranton Atheism Examiner, spoke with the young woman about the group's plans to picket:

Atheists, Megan Phelps-Roper explains, deny God and should read Romans 1:22-29 which talks of atheists who have professed themselves to be wise and became fools and are filled with unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness and maliciousness. She also quoted Psalm 14:1 which says, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no god...”

Some atheists, Megan Phelps-Roper notes, when thinking of the Bible and the Westboro Baptist Church who will be attending the Reason Rally, might “act like it's a big joke,” but they should see this as a “very serious matter.” “There is a god, there will be a day of judgment, and there is nothing unreasonable about worshiping your creator,” Megan Phelps-Roper says.

Megan Phelps-Roper has a special message for Richard Dawkins. She explains,“He is a blasphemer of huge proportions. He promotes rebellion against God using the platform God gave him and will have a hot spot in Hell.”

With the inclusion of Westboro, it looks like Reason Rally will be that much more interesting.