Westboro Baptist Church to Picket Roger Ebert's Funeral

Roger Ebert , the ardent, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who put his indelible thumbprint on the history of film criticism forged from spending a lifetime at the movies, has died, the Chicago Sun-Times has reported . He was 70.

The anti-gay group says it will protest outside the movie critic's memorial service Monday in Chicago.

Leaders of Kansas' Westboro Baptist Church, notorious for picketing at the funerals of soldiers and gay teenagers, have revealed that they plan to picket the funeral of late movie critic Roger Ebert on Monday.

In its news release, the group calls Ebert a "f-g enabler" and complains that he used his Twitter "to mock the faithful servants of God at Westboro Baptist Church."

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On March 25, Ebert did in fact tweet a link to a Salon post that features an excerpt from a book by Jeff Chu titled Does Jesus Really Love Me?: A Gay Christian's Pilgrimage in Search of God in America. Chu, a gay man, spent a day at Westboro as part of his research.

Ebert tweeted the link twice, once with the message, "Just another day at Westboro Baptist," and again with a similar message, "One more day at the Westboro Baptist church."

Westboro also calls Ebert a "fool [who] sold his soul for some fame & fortune."

Ebert died at age 70 Thursday after battling cancer. His funeral service is set for 10 a.m. Monday at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago. Westboro says it plans to picket "in lawful proximity" from 9:15 a.m.-10 a.m.

The Westboro Baptist Church also has protested at the funerals of Steve Jobs, Elizabeth Edwards and the victims of the Arizona shooting that injured Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.

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Read the full text of its news release below:

GOD HATES F-G ENABLER ROGER EBERT!

LORD WILLING, WBC TO PICKET IN LAWFUL PROXIMITY TO THE FUNERAL OF F-G ENABLER ROGER EBERT AT “PREISTS RAPE BOYS” HOLY NAME CATHEDRAL (730 N. STATE STREET, CHICAGO, IL), MONDAY, APRIL 8, FROM 9:15-10:00 AM

For 22 years Westboro has warned the people of Topeka, Kansas & America that the policies of sin of this land have brought the wrath of God upon you, your houses, your city, your state, & your nation. American entertainment industry publicity leech Roger Ebert took to Twitterverse to mock the faithful servants of God at Westboro Baptist Church, just days before he received the horrifying summons: “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: [now] whose shall [that silly vanity called a Pulitzer Prize] be, which thou has provided?" (Luke 12:20) This fool sold his soul for some fame & fortune, forgetting that God has made a simple declaration regarding His people: “Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.” (Psalms 105:15). Now the famed critic is in a new jurisdiction, where he can see the blessings poured out on God's humble servants in heaven, from his seat of eternal torment & sorrow in Hell! It's too late for the fool Roger Ebert! WBC will continue to bind those who still live in Doomed america to God's eternal laws & Word, so you, like Roger, are without excuse!