Westboro Baptist Church Says God Was Punishing Killed Miners

The church, the same one that pickets the funerals of killed soldiers, arguing that their deaths are a way of punishing America for tolerating homosexuality, have decided the miners who died in an explosion this week were sinners.

The group are almost comically odious. The Supreme Court will decide whether the father of a soldier who died in Iraq will be allowed to sue them for coming to his son's funeral shouting and holding signs that said "God Hates You" and "Thank God for Dead Soldiers."

According to the New York Times, Westboro, led by Pastor Fred Phelps, have turned their pointless spite and vitriol on the victims of Monday's mine explosion in West Virginia.

To the unbelievers, the explosion seems like merely a tragic accident. But no. The church, you see, was scheduled to make a visit to Virginia and West Virginia yesterday. And they received some emails arguing that their presence was not welcomed.

"So." read a statement on their website, "God reached down and smacked one of those mines, killing 25 (and likely four more are dead). Now you moan and wallow in self-pity, and pour over the details of the dead rebels' lives, pretending they're heroes."

That's 'pore', not 'pour', Fred. They're headed to the mine, and various locations around the state, to air their bizarre grievances over the weekend.