quote:The Westboro group says the Amish school girls were "killed by a madman in punishment for Gov. Ed Rendell's blasphemous sins against Westboro Baptist Church.
"Gov. Ed Rendell -- speaking and acting in his official capacity to bind the State of Pennsylvania -- slandered and mocked and ridiculed and condemned Westboro Baptist Church on national Fox TV," the group says on its website.
"Rendell also revealed a conspiracy to employ the State's police powers to destroy WBC in order to silence WBC's Gospel message. Co-conspirators identified by Rendell included state officials, citizens, lawyers, legislators and media," the website says.
Westboro Baptist Church said it is "continuing to pray for even worse punishment upon Pennsylvania."
Wow. Just freaking wow.
Posts: 14554 | Registered: Dec 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
I started to post the fallacies in their logic (If the governor was so evil that he deserved divine retribution, why attack girls he never knew? Evil people don't care about others.) I started to write them all out.
But it hurt my head.
(Telling the media that the media is part of a conspiracy to silence them? What?)
It hurts. Make it stop. Make it stop.
Posts: 11895 | Registered: Apr 2002
| IP: Logged |
quote: I hope that every gay and lesbian organization in the country comes out to picket his funeral when he finally kicks the proverbial bucket.
I bet his crazy church buries him in the dead of night in the middle of nowhere, just to avoid such protesters. And to ensure no one puts a stake through his heart.
Posts: 6316 | Registered: Jun 2003
| IP: Logged |
Everyone is treating Phelps and the crazy brigade like...well like they are Phelps and the crazy brigade.
So long as that is the case, why give them any attention at all by protesting them? People protest these days for publicity. They should be given as little publicity as possible. Sating them for the sake of saving the Amish the grief of dealing with them is admirable, even honorable, besides, all it will do is basically allow P:CB (Phelps: Crazy Brigade) to show anyone who listens out radically out there they are, and rally even more support AGAINST them.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I can't even comprehend what protesters like this would have done to my wife's family had they shown up at her brothers' funeral.
This is NOT something to be ignored so it goes away. Each time they do this, they are robbing a family of something very precious: the chance to mourn, the chance to share grief and memories with friends, the chance to say goodbye. Sad, certainly, but also precious. The ritual of funeral is very important, and what these asses do causes actual harm.
I don't care how crazy this guy is, I don't think we need to allow this. We don't allow protesters to make noise outside hospitals. There's no reason not to add the same rules for cemeteries and funeral homes.
quote:"Gov. Ed Rendell -- speaking and acting in his official capacity to bind the State of Pennsylvania -- slandered and mocked and ridiculed and condemned Westboro Baptist Church on national Fox TV," the group says on its website.
I'd like to see the statutory provision that makes interviews binding on the state of Pennsylvania.
Beyond that, what is he trying to say about himself to say that blasphemy is possible against him? That's a pretty damn prideful thing to be saying.
Posts: 26071 | Registered: Oct 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I don't understand how Fred Phelps can claim to be a follower of Jesus Christ. I cannot imagine Christ making a scene at the funerals of 5 young murdered innocent girls. It doesn't jive with my understanding of things.
It frustrates me to no end when people promote hate and do evil things in the name of religion.
posted
I was under the impression that protests were either banned, or are soon to be banned from national cemetaries and military funerals, and that dozens of states were considering similar measures for regular cemetaries and funerals.
Everyone should write their STATE representatives immediately to get this issue passed quickly. Unless you want vigilantes roughing up protestors at cemetaries, the law needs to be changed.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I'm not sure who Fred Phelp's God is, but he's more vengeful than Inigo Montoya and has worse aim than a storm trooper.
Posts: 959 | Registered: Oct 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
I see no reason to ban protests at funerals. Seriously. It's enormously rude, but I don't think being rude is enough reason to criminalize something.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
I don't see why they can't protest out of earshot of the mourners. We have other rules that define guidelines on WHERE we can exercise our freedom of speech. No on is saying the protesting should be banned, just moved, so far as I know.
And I think this goes beyond simple rudeness.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
| IP: Logged |
quote:I don't see why they can't protest out of earshot of the mourners.
Are graveyards private land? Presumably the landowners could enforce this on their own, without additional legislation.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
This man is the type of person that makes me shudder when I read www.andoverbaptist.com, a supposed satirical site, and realize that there really are people like the ones they are making fun of.
Posts: 10890 | Registered: May 2003
| IP: Logged |
No, not "that" closet. I know you are not gay. You are not homosexual. I doubt if you are heterosexual any more. Mostly, anti-sexual I would say.
No. You need to come out of the Satanist closet.
Admit it, to yourself, your friends--do you have friends?--well, to the family you've sacrificed to Baal.
Oh sure you can call yourself Christian, and a cat can call himself a Rottweiler. Doesn't make it so.
You preach Hate. You preach fear. You preach blind obeidiance or massive suffering.
Those are not Christ's words.
Those are Satans.
You quote the scriptures not to heal but to hurt. That's the work of Satan.
You live in a world of fire and brimstone. That's the home of Satan.
You take pride in youself and your personal thoughts over those of God. That's the sin of Satan.
Hey. Its ok. Your a Satanist.
Admit it. We won't think any less of you. I don't think we can think less of you. But once you admit the truth that's one less hyprocracy you are committing. Most of us will think better of you for that. Not good of you. No, not good. But not such a pathetic hypocrite.
So Fred, buddy, anti-social pal, come on out of the closet and admit it. We'll even come to an agreement. I'll let you be with your little Satanic cult, and you keep on hating me.
I know you hate me. Its no bid deal. You hate everyone. I wonder if you hate your family? I wonder if you hate yourself? I wonder if you truly hate God?
Well, if you don't you will. When you discover he isn't the Satan you make him out to be, all you'll have left is hate.
And the only hope, the thing you hate me and all those like me for, is that while all you'll have left, all that you do have left is Hate. The GOd I believe in--he still loves you.
Posts: 11895 | Registered: Apr 2002
| IP: Logged |
Leaving aside my general principle -- that unnecessary legislation is inherently bad -- legislation intended to stop one specific "bad" behavior has often been used as precedent for some truly horrendous rulings years after the original situation has been "forgotten."
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
Aren't there already precedents for moving protestors away from certain events? Such as, for example, the federal law that prohibits protesters at military funerals.
I'm sure there are other exceptions as well.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
From what I've read of the Amish - they'd forgive him for his (in my eyes) ridiculous and totally unproductive actions and then carry on with their own peace-loving lives.
Maybe one good thing that came of this is that I (and i'm sure many others) have come to understand a bit, a little bit, more about what the Amish believe. If the words that have come out in the press are truly their feelings at this time, I'm moved. I'd find it hard to forgive so easily. I'm fairly certain I'd be bitter and mad and just plain angry for a while before I could find it in my heart to let it go and let God...
One other thing that touched me is that some feel that those girls (grts) are in a better place than those left behind.
What an idea. What a culture. What an awakening for me, that there are people who can truly believe and forgive like that. In no way do I mean that sarcastically... I just know that my own hurt would come and stay for a time longer before the forgiveness came.
Posts: 1355 | Registered: Jul 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
Phred Felps should just be ignored. Let not his name even be spoken. That would hit him where his ego would hurt the most. All he is seeking is publicity.
I do not approve of the so-called "lifestyle choice" of homosexuality either, on the grounds that it mocks the Creator Who originally made us in His own image, and Scripture clearly characterizes such behavior as sinful. But protesting about homosexuality at the funeral of Amish schoolgirls so tragically murdered is so utterly inappropriate it is beyond contempt.
Posts: 3742 | Registered: Dec 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
And now for a view from the opposite of Phelp's spectrum:
quote:Dozens of Amish neighbors came out Saturday to mourn the quiet milkman who killed five of their young girls and wounded five more in a brief, unfathomable rampage.
quote:About half of perhaps 75 mourners on hand were Amish.
"It's the love, the forgiveness, the heartfelt forgiveness they have toward the family. I broke down and cried seeing it displayed," said Porter, who had come to Pennsylvania to offer what help he could. He said Marie Roberts was also touched.
quote:No, not "that" closet. I know you are not gay. You are not homosexual. I doubt if you are heterosexual any more. Mostly, anti-sexual I would say.
Based on what I know of him, especially the number of children that he's fathered, it seems obvious that this is precisely the closet Phelps should have come out of. His whole life seems a textbook case: He's trying to prove to himself, God, and the rest of the world, (in that order) that he is not a homosexual. Methinks the lady doth protest WAY too much.
Posts: 3735 | Registered: Mar 2002
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
