Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- A public memorial service for heavy metal rocker Ronnie James Dio is planned for Sunday, with members of the Westboro Baptist Church saying they will picket the ceremony. The church in Topeka, Kansas, is known for its intolerance of gays and its picketing of soldiers' funerals. A picketing schedule on the church's website said protesters will be at the Dio memorial at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles, accusing the 67-year-old rocker of worshipping Satan.
Dio died on May 16 after a battle with stomach cancer. Charges of devil-worshipping have often been leveled against heavy metal music. Dio, in particular, was a favorite target. He popularized the "devil's horn" gesture, but many fundamentalist Christians have taken issue with the gesture, alleging that it is a tribute to the devil.
"Ronnie hates prejudice and violence. We need to turn the other cheek on these people that only know how to hate someone they didn't know," said Dio's wife, Wendy, about the planned protest.
No word on who invented "the bird", "the peace sign", or the we're #1 "finger point"... but they're next.
Those people need erasing. I am a very tolerant person and have very liberal views on free speech but those people manifest an actual evil - an overused word I don't apply lightly. Classy response by Wendy D.
GratefulFan wrote: I hear you. I'm also against all forms of fruit due to the Red Delicious. Ugh. It's just mushy and bad.
Lol ;-), ofc most religious people are harmless, but i think religion contributet to so much evil and pain, therefore i would much rather see a world without religion