The Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church filed an amicus brief last week in one of the Supreme Court's upcoming gay marriage cases, urging the court to "protect" the nation from the "destructive effects of same-sex marriage."
The 30-page brief, filed by the controversial anti-gay group on January 25, quotes heavily from scripture, claiming that same-sex unions are "totally contrary to the standard of God."
"Same-sex marriage will destroy this nation," reads the brief. "If the leaders of this country treat what God has called abominable as something to be respected, revered, and blessed with the seal of approval of the government, that will cross a final line with God."
The Supreme Court is set to hear Hollingsworth v. Perry, the fight over California's Proposition 8, on March 26. The court will rule on whether or not the 14th Amendment prohibits the state from defining marriage as solely between a man and a woman.
Westboro has also filed an amicus brief in Windsor v. United States, which will decide the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act. The court will hear oral arguments in that case on March 27.
Known for its inflammatory, anti-gay picketing of funerals, the group has recently been targeted by the likes of Anonymous and counter-protesters. However, the group has largely remained undeterred. Westboro member and spokesperson Shirley Phelps-Roper tweeted Tuesday that she hopes that the group will be able to protest at the court during the gay marriage hearings.
In December, a petition filed on the White House's "We the People" platform to officially designate Westboro as a hate group became the site's most popular effort yet. The petition currently has over 330,000 signatures.
(h/t Towleroad)
This post has been updated to include information on Westboro's filing in the Supreme Court's DOMA case.
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