As The Daily has reported, members of the infamous Westboro Baptist Church will protest Friday morning outside the Hillel House. The group announced its arrival ahead of time, not out of courtesy, but to generate as much media attention as possible. They will bring large colorful signs and messages of hate for certain members of the Stanford community. Their anger and condemnation will be given in the name of Christianity. We will neither recognize nor repeat their messages here.

The Christian community at Stanford fully rejects and opposes the hate that will soon visit the front lawn of Hillel. Westboro Baptist Church is not affiliated with nor accepted by any Baptist denomination. They are an isolated organization serving a system of beliefs that perverts the message of Jesus. While we are determined to prevent undo attention to their visit, we stand with our fellow students who will be attacked verbally and emotionally. We ask and hope that the event does not stir up a similar response within the student body.

Representatives from our Christian fellowships will join the peaceful gathering at Hillel in opposition to the protest. However, the majority of our members will not. Because groups like these thrive on media exposure, we believe we should avoid reactionary crowds that are larger than necessary. Thus we are holding a time of prayer during the protest, but apart from it, on the third floor of the Old Union at 8 a.m. All are welcome.

Jesus offers hope and peace for everyone; it is not offered to only a select group, and it is not offered in hate. On Friday morning, we hope and pray that Westboro’s message will prove as transitory as is their visit to our campus.

Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship

Ekklesia

Intervarsity Graduate Christian Fellowship

Intervarsity (Undergraduate) Christian Fellowship

ReJOYce In Jesus Campus Fellowship