Smile, Jesus loves you

The FBI said Wednesday that members of an anti-gay fundamentalist group participated in the bureau's training of police officers and FBI agents, a move the bureau says it will take steps to remedy in the future.

The bureau extended the invitations to the infamous Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., for training this spring at two bureau facilities in Virginia: Quantico and Manassas.

Westboro has stirred widespread outrage with raucous demonstrations at the funerals of U.S. military service members. The group contends God is punishing the military for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.

Their website preaches that God hates the world. They believe He is a God of anger who hates Jews, homosexuals and the military. Their website scolds those who believe God loves the world.

"You know that God hates people and God sends people (not just their sins) to hell for eternity," says their site, "Jesus Christ is God, and God does not change. You pimp this wimpy, milque toast 'Jesus' who loves everyone and tolerates every manner of filth and idolatry your evil hearts can imagine. That is NOT the Christ of the Bible who was the greatest hell-fire and brimstone preacher who ever lived."

Their website has a picket schedule, showing what states and military funerals they will picket next.

Westboro credits every tragedy as a "God Smack," and their blog tracks negative happenings in the world and attributes them to God. "THANK GOD DIABETES RATE SHARPLY INCREASES WORLDWIDE!" reads the church blog, "An estimated 350 million people now have diabetes. 30% of the additional cases were caused by factors like increases in obesity. Poorly managed diabetes can lead to heart disease and kidney disease, and their associated high heath care costs. GodSmack! You are a nation of gluttons who have been taught to serve yourselves."

National Public Radio first reported the FBI's involvement with Westboro. At FBI headquarters in Washington, bureau spokesman Paul Bresson acknowledged that Westboro was invited to the training sessions.

An FBI official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said that in retrospect, the bureau underestimated how the involvement of the outside organization would be perceived.

As a result, said the official, there will be additional layers of review or approval on outside speakers.

The official added that bureau personnel organizing training courses were trying to bring in a variety of views they thought would be helpful to investigators.

Bresson, the bureau spokesman, said that the invitation to Westboro "was done in an effort to establish open dialogue in an academic setting to train law enforcement on how to more effectively engage with the activist community."

The training, Bresson said, was for FBI agents as well as police executives from around the country who may need to communicate with the group during rallies or protests that might turn violent.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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