Rev. Fred Phelps had taken his religious protests too far. Phelps and members of his Westboro Baptist Church have caused such a fuss that at least 14 states are considering laws aimed at the funeral protests. During the 1990s, church members were known mostly for picketing funerals of AIDS victims, and they have long been tracked as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Intelligence Project in Montgomery, Alabama. He and his congregation now frequent military funerals to reflect their belief that U.S. combat deaths are a sign God is punishing the United States for harboring homosexuals. Some protesters’ signs said, “Thank God for IEDs,” the improvised explosive devices, or homemade bombs, that kill many U.S. soldiers.
The motorcycle club members calling themselves Patriot Guard Riders are trying to shield mourners from cruel jeers. Wearing leather and military patches the Riders travel from one funeral to another waving American flags, cheering their fallen comrades, and revving their engines to try and drown out the protests.
“This is just the right thing to do. This is something America didn’t do in the ’70s,” said Kurt Mayer, the Patriot Guard’s national spokesman, referring to the era when protests against the Vietnam war were common. “Whether we agree with why we’re over there, these soldiers are dying to protect our freedoms.”
I never knew bikers could be so loving!!!
Thank you. All of you.
I’m posting this so lots of people will get to read it. I didn’t write it.
This was posted on a Fred Phelps thread on Fark a few weeks ago. It really explains why Fred Phelps does what he does. Apologies to the submitter, but I don't remember his/her name.
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Fred Phelps does not believe what he is doing. This is a scam.
It's a business. They travel the country, set up websites telling you exactly when they'll be there, and using the most inflammatory statements all over the place, just to get someone to violate their rights for profit. Then they sue the military, the police force that was to protect them, and everyone that is around them for money. This is a sham, and it is a trap to get people sued. Every member of his family is an attorney. Phelps does not break the law. What he does is try to make you break the law by trying to punch your sensibilities about everything you hold dear, and then sue you and everyone municipality around him to the max.
This is a scam.
Whether he believes his posters or not is irrelevant.
He's using this as a moneymaking scheme.
Lay one finger on him, do one thing that violates him, and he will sue you, and more importantly, the city, the police department, the US Military, and any private property owner he happens to be standing on to make money off of it.
Let's look at the ways he's trying to get you up in a tizzy to violate his civil rights for profit:
-He says G-d Hates F-gs, G-d hates the US Govt., that G-d hates the US Military, G-d Hates you, and G-d justifies the killing of others.
Phelps knows that saying 'G-d' and 'Hate' in the same sentence gets people worked up. He knows that. He knows that people have a knee jerk reaction to that.
-He says that the US Govt. and the United States are evil.
This is another hot button with people who love their country. It is intentional. It is designed to make you take a swing at him. He wants $50,000 from you. He wants a Powerball winner to swing at him so he gets 100 million dollars. It's that simple.
-He goes after homosexuals, he goes after people who are making sacrifices. Phelps intentionally targets people that are being victimized, or good people doing their jobs to create more outrage. He kicks people when they're down. He does that so someone will come up and defend them. Then he will sue you.
-His boards are laminated on hardwood, because he pulls them out of trucks at least five times a week. He also puts them in bright colors for attention, and makes absolutely sure that you can read them at all time. He's phishing you. Everyone must know that.
The most telling tale about all of Phelp's behavior is the schedule he keeps, and the company he keeps as well. The parties sometimes split up and go to two separate state funerals to maximize the profitability of them. There are, at maximum, twelve members to the party. They never stay more than thirty minutes (I assume they realize that someone will do something to them the MOMENT they come out of the vans, and really, after that, they get their camera shots to cause the outrage for the next stop, and then they move on) to maximize their profits, because time is money, and really, they're not interested in the message, because they're just interested in the lawsuit.
See? They don't believe this stuff. If they did, they wouldn't have come to Coretta Scott King's funeral. Because in their doctrine, they don't believe that G-d hates black people who tried to promote Christianity. So why were they there? They were there to make a buck when someone slipped up. They were there to petition the police department for a right to protest, and if they didn't get it, take them to court over it.
Basically, Phelps is playing the Ken Lay, Karl Rove, "Smartest Man in the Room" game where he is willing to do anything (if it be lying or stealing, or telling you God hates you) to make himself rich and powerful. This is his scheme, and admittedly, it's clever, but just downright evil to promote so much hatred in the world.
Tell all your friends about this.
This man is a con artist, and he's not a man of religion whatsoever.
After all, he makes everyone around him a lawyer.
That should tell you right now he is not anything.
------------------------------------------------------------
How do I know that Fred Phelps is suing people? I can tell you I just have too much experience around him. I am a journalist in Nashville, TN, and work at a television station that works the Ft. Campbell area. As a television photographer and journalist, I have been trained in all of the rules of private property, verbal conversation, what is legal and what is not legal, etc. (what you can and cannot say, what you can get away with). Honestly, in the last few months, I have seen waaay too much of Mr. Phelps and his crew. Since the war began, I believe they think this is the moneymaking source of a lifetime.
So how am I sure? After the third run in, and not one slip, not one piece of paperwork out of line, I knew something was fishy. My newsman skepticism left me with the idea later that something was more phishy than fishy.
I will tell you where I got this truth about Phelps. I looked him in the eye. I saw that he was way too calm and collected for what he looked like in the media. I noticed that he never made personal statements against a person, which is verbal assault, and an out against a lawsuit. Also, for a religious fanatic, a group of people who pride themselves on personal attacks, he was running a protest so terribly by the books that I was impressed by it. He will not bait a person, ever. He will not make personal attacks. He will make blanket statements. He will look at a person in the crowd that he thinks is gay, walk over to his stack of signs, pull out the appropriate, well designed, easily read, laminated bright board, and hold it up and loudly proclaim that "gays are going to hell" or some such nonsense, and make eye contact, but he will never cross the line of telling that person that they're going to hell. That would be the part that would screw up the lawsuit. He just wants to get them after him, but wants to appear utterly blameless for damages.
They run too tight of a ship to slip up, and at that point, I realized that the objective of the group was not anything religious at all. Someone told me along the way that they were all turned into lawyers after he got disbarred. After that, the stench was just too intense for me. He makes money off of this. He does this so much he has everyone around him do the legal legwork so he doesn't have to pay anyone else.
The last time confirmed everything I suspected about them.
A few weeks later, I saw them again (they LOVE to come to big name funerals) and after I saw the laminated signs change for the audience, I knew EXACTLY what they were doing.
His 'crew' isn't a 'church' as you and I would know. The 'church' are more of a motley crew of family members. Some of them are six year old children that are doing what they're told. I have spoken to them, and they have a lawyers sensibility on them on how they speak to the public. They never make personal attacks. They never verbally assault anyone. For a group of people that are accusing damn near every group of people around them for going to hell, wouldn't that seem odd to you? Do you know any religious fanatics that don't make personal attacks? I don't.
They also don't stick around after the cameras roll. They have an itinerary like a semi truck driver. For them to get cleared for all of these press event protests they're doing, then they have to have someone at home doing all of the setup. For you to get the press clearances by the prescribed times? That's a lot of professional legwork. I should know, I've coordinated a newsrooms credentials when the President comes to town, and that's a lot of phone calls and faxes.
They probably file a load of civil rights violation lawsuits. If a police department looks them up and says, "we're denying your protest right," BOOYah. They just got to sue a police department for the very thing that Americans can't stand, rights violation. I am assuming that this is where they get almost all of their money.
See my previous post. Their beliefs are so riddled with inconsistency. The 'real inconsistency' is that every position that contradicts every other of their beliefs is designed to maximize the number of people that they offend. You cannot be saved to them. You are evil in their beliefs, no matter who you are, and God will punish you like the evil gays/soldiers/innocent people/people who love America/people who are black/everyone else we can think of.
Here's the proof. Who in the world makes a poster that says, "Thank God for IEDs" (Improvised Explosive Devices, aka Roadside Bombs). They are saying God is with the terrorists. Then they say God hates you. And homosexuals. Then when they see you looking patriotic with your American flag shirt, they point the sign at you and say, "Americans are going to hell for supporting this country!" and look you in the eye. NOTICE THOUGH, they never say, "You're going to hell." (That would give a judge an out to deny them their claim.)
That is such a false perspective of their mission from YHWH. They put their life on the line for the glory of him in the name of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah. The proof of that is from them recieving many death threats. Regardless of them supposidly having 11 lawyers in their tribe or clan whatever you want to call them could very likely be a coinsidence. If you had your rights violated then you should want to seek restitution as well and I believe that is all they are doing. It is their secular trade per se to simply safeguard themselves. This proves the point that they put their lives on the line so obviously they have faith and for you to think when they sue someone for violating them without a shadow of a doubt is their whole purose is not a thought out comment. The facts are they have (like everyone except Yeshua the Messiah [Jesus Christ]) sinned yet all must be perfect and holy as YHWH (name of God) is holy and that comes with repentance, and then the holy spirit is upon us through the sanctifying sacrafice of Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ). We are not to condemn but to warn therefore judging can be defined with two outcomes that of warning and that of condemning their phrasing of 'You're going to Hell' is undefined weither they are warning or condemning they claim to warn so I'm inclined to believe them. Yes, only the almighty will condemn but nevertheless it is the responsibility of anyone who will be saved to warn sinners for their sake. We do this not for a selfish reason but rather for our love to God and others. I have for the last 8 - 10 months been finding out about the Ropers yet still don't have enough to chastise them in anyway. Weither they step over the line or not I cannot say because I have not been a physical witness nor am I the witness of their heart for that is YHWH (God) although everything they say is correct and they are not breaking the law. Also since they have not been able to be attakced or arrested for violating any laws of the land is evidense to their favor. I for one believe God is with them and believe he is protecting them and would advise against anyone who has thought or will think of bringing harm to these people for any unjust cause. If I am speaking to you know that if you proceed in attempting to do harm to these wonderful people wrath will fall upon you! I would turn my other cheek if I was violated however if any other of my brothers or sisters (that being servants of God) were being attacked you could garantee I would protect them with my life. I believe I've gotten the understanding across appointed to me so thank you for reading.
-D.A.P.
Thank You for a well written and expressive article!
I must say it proves a point! Don't allow your self to pre-jugde anyone because of percieved sterotypes!!
People are individuals. Just because we enjoy an activity like motorcylce riding or wearing our hair long doesn't imply anyting else. If i'm riding a bike an my hair is long, that's all you can deduce.. I like riding bikes and my hair is long...
The same is true for everything else. Never assume anything. I'm white but I love R&B (best, most full of feeling music ever made).. and I lay you odds there's more than one brother who love's Bach:)
There are no rules that define "who" we are.. we just are. All of us different and all of us of value! Someone please help Rev. Phelps get with the program!! He just doesn't get it.. and I pray that eventually he will finish the old testiment and read the words of Christ.
Thanks, and God bless!
Yeah not all bikers are assholes. We're patriotic too, you know.
"Only two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity--and I'm not so sure about the universe"
-Albert Einstein
I wasn't implying that all bikers were assholes -- but they seem to be less concerned with politics and protecting the average citizen than say a PeaceCorps member. And with all the eagles and American flags appearing on biker gear how could one think bikers unpatriotic? :)
Well a PeaceCorps member is most definitely NOT the average citizen. Bikers are just badass is all. Whereas a PeaceCorps member would try and talk to the people protesting about why its wrong, a biker would just walk right up to them and tell them its either they leave or they're going to have 1000cc of Harley up their ass!
Because if you think about it, you really think that just trying to talk the protesters into stopping is going to do anything? Nope.
Which reminds me, I need to get an American flag on my motorcycle.
"Only two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity--and I'm not so sure about the universe"
-Albert Einstein
I suppose I have just always had the image of "biker" in my head as a strong-willed individual who isn't one that should be messed with. But I never really saw them as heros for the wronged. This story has definately opened my eyes to the caring, soft side of those who project such a tough image. My heart was sincerely touched -- and I have never had it so touched by the macho persona that most bikers exude.
You most definately need an American flag on your bike!!
Haha...even though its a Japanese made sport bike. That'll be a sight! I have no idea where to start looking for one...
"Only two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity--and I'm not so sure about the universe"
-Albert Einstein
I think these places can get you started!
http://www.webbikeworld.com/Reviewed-motorcycle-products/flashback/
Also try froogle.com and search American flags for motorcycles... I would post the link but it was uber long and would screw up the format of the page.
If Phelps actually used his influence to help the community instead of attack the LGBTQA community (even if he kept his personal objections to homosexuality), he'd adhere more to the Christian ideal.
But tricks like this don't really surprise me -- Phelps has made it his life task to publicize hatred for LGBTQA people.
The real shame of mr. phelps, is that good men are dying ,so that even he can spew his venum.
I've heard about this before. I'm so glad that there are bikers out there promoting america and shielding familes of soilders who died to keep this a free country from that stupid reverand.....if he thinks america is evil then why doesnt he go live in Iran.
Fred Phelps is a pathetic little man. His actions of targeting military funerals as the site of his anti homosexual protests are disgusting, repulsive and vile. Military funerals are sombre occaisons and the families should be left alone to mourn their loss. The last thing that any of these families need is someone like Fred Phelps calling their loved one's fags or telling them that the deceased deserve to "burn in hell". America is a democratic nation that tolerates people of all races, religions, sexual orientations and provides equal opportunities for for all cultural groups and minorities.
Unfortunately Mr. Phelps doesn't realize that. If he doesn't understand the causes for which these brave men and women die for, he should be out on the front lines of Iraq and other active military war-zones with a gun, and trying not to get blown up by a bomb or other explosive device. He should be the one in Iraq or Afghanistan experiencing the sacrfice that American servicemen and women go through leaving behind their lives, and families while facing the strong possibility of coming home in a casket.
I am a former Colorado Springs' resident and I keep up with the regional news via the online Gazette. I read where Rev. Phelps and his followers committed another senseless act of picketing at the funeral of one of our fallen soldiers. I had the displeasure of fighting with Phelps (I cannot even stand to refer to him as "Reverend") when Matthew Shepard was so viciously murdered in Wyoming many years ago. I know we have freedoms in this country - maybe too much. My father fought for and nearly died for the rights and freedoms we have in this country during WWII. What he DID NOT fight for was the likes of Phelps and his followers who degrade the good of this country and infect our society with lunacy and evil. As my father would say, he and his followers are ignorant cowards. What kind of creatures would demonstrate their sick beliefs at funerals of our great fallen ones? Many of us, and the numbers are growing, are sick and tired of these so-called Christian religious groups forcing their sick and lunatic beliefs down our throats. We need to stand up in this country and become educated about homosexuality and know that their is NO God who would condon the actions of this sick man and his congregation.
Maybe we should give them passage to Iraq to earn their rights as the rest of us do. It would make real men and women out of them. Obviously they could care less about moving this country forward and they have to earn their freedoms like the rest of us, they would maybe become decent human beings. I completely support our great Rep. Merrifield (CO) for initiating a bill that would block these mindless disgusting people from being able to demonstrate at funerals. Mike Merrifield is one of the best people to ever fill a government position in this great state of Colorado. I hope every other state follows and initiates their own bills in this effort. We need to take a strong stand against the ill-will of such disgusting people like Phelps and his followers.
Fred Phelps and his church condemn homosexuals, Jews, and MANY other people. First of all, when the Bible condemns homosexuality, it is condemning homosexual acts, not homosexuality itself. Second of all, he condemn Jews, but takes many of his passages of proof for his extremist beliefs from the Old Testament, WHICH WAS WRITTEN BY THE JEWS!
I thought that Fred Phelps
was weird, now I'm sure.
I did a story for my school paper of phelps and his family. I interviewed his daughter, Shirley, who is equally as sketchy.
Here is a rundown from what I a.) researched on him, b.) spoke to the daughter about, and c.) what i think his motives are.
a.) He is old. Really old. He has 13 children, some of which (either 2 or 4, I can't remmeber. I think 2) are estranged from the family. I know at least one of the sons who disconnected was interviewed by some reporters who wrote a kind of biography on phelps, and he said his father was abusive to him and his mother and his siblings, siting a case where he and his brother were bent over a bathtub and hit somewhere around 200 times with a farm too that is denser than a baseball bat. He spoke of how crazy his dad is, etc etc. The rest of the family is equally as sketchy, Shirley has 11 kids ranging from ages 3-27. Clearly someone's been a busy bunny. The organization "The Westboro Baptist Church" is comprised of some 70 people, give or take, almost all of whom are Phelp's family by blood or marriage. They live on a sort of compound where the sermons are held in their basement. They hate EVERYONE. Mainly they speak out against homosexuals, but they hate everyone. Catholics, Jews, Protestants, other baptist churches, Canada, Sweden, Finland, Democrats, Republicans, basically everyone. Phelps gained a lot of noteriety after the murder of gay college student Matthew Sheppard(sp?), who was murdered in 1998 in Laramie, Wyoming. Phelps and his band of merry makers protested the funeral of the boy with signs that said "Matthew Sheppard is a fag", "God hates fags", and "fags burn in hell, ask matthews". In the early 90s he also protested funerals of AIDS victims. More recently he's gained attention for protesting funerals of fallen soldiers. Not because he is against the war mind you, but simply because he feels that God is punishing the US for supporting gay rights by getting us involved in this war and killing our soldiers using IEDs (improvised explosive devices). He LOVES LOVES LOVES IEDs. He uses the term so much it gets boring. He claims that the american govt used an IED on his compound a couple years back when some townie folks got pissed at him and made a small pipe bomb and set it off in their driveway. He is convinced this war the govt. He is psycho crazy. He has also protested at other sites outside of military funerals including Corretta Scott King's funeral, the funeral of Mr Rodgers (yes, THE Mr. Rodgers, it's a wonderful day in the neighborhood...apparently everytime Mr. Rodgers said "its ok to be you" this implied "it's ok to be gay" in phelps eyes and clearly, that's a big no no), and what bothers me more than anything is only months after 9/11, he showed up with his inbred possed to Ground Zero with signs saying "thank god for sept 11" "FDNY=FAGS" "FDNY burn in hell" "Thank God for Dead Firefighters", etc, etc, and stamped on flags as people passed by. Basically, he blames any horrific event on God...the 2004 tsunami, Katirina, 9/11, etc. He feels he and his country bumpkin family are the only ones who REALLY understand what God means in the bible, and the only way to keep on God's good side is to tell everybody if they don't hate gay people, they are going to burn in hell. His whole family goes on these trips, including the little ones, some of whom are as young as 3. They wear shirts that promote their website, GodHatesFags.com, and stomp on American flags, or hold them upside down with all these signs. He is a crazy little man.
B.) What scared me most about talking to her was that she seemed almost like..nice? But then as it gets deeper, she asked me 37 times if I followed the scriptures and I had to lie and say yes out of fear that she's start screaming at me over the phone. She told me she ALWAYS takes her children to pickets, because that's what deuteronomy (sp?) calls for, and she would never dream of not taking them. She bragged about how 4 of her kids have full academic scholarships to Washburn U, where their granddaddy went, and how they are all great mature happy kids with a great life, as good if not better than most other kid's. She then went on and got a little creepy when she spoke about how God protects her and her clan...she told me this story, I can't remember in detail where basically they were protesting outside a store owned by a Jewish guy, and the jewish guy came out with bouncers and she claims the bouncers "rough handled" her little girls, all between the ages of like, 10-14. The cops came and the Phelps' got in trouble, not the bouncers and such. So she went on to say how God punished each and every one of the people involved int he trial/case, how one of the bouncers was impaled in a car crash, how the attorney against her's son raped his little sister and her husband left her, how the judge died of cancer in 2 weeks...stuff like that...and just gave me this LAUNDRy list of bad things that happened to these people and how she completely believed that God basically sided with her and did these things to these people. This is the mentality we're talking about people.
C.) His motives are so clear it's disgusting. He is exceptionally homophobic. Some people claim this is because he might have been molested or had an awkward encounter in his younger years. Whatever the case, the man HATES gay people. His rationale is the idea that if he hates gay people, and says God does too (along with whomever else he hates...jews, etc), people will be afraid of God and start hating gay people too, and be on his side. He is a domineering man, who needs to be in control and have the last word on EVERYTHING, and this is the perfect way to do it. make people believe (not that anyone does) that you and God are tight buddies and YOU know what he wants. Control people with religion. This is his tactic. Sadly, he ha sinfluenced his wife and children and grand children and breeded this disgusting hate into their young hearts as well. They have been brainwashed to hate basically everyone their grandfather has a grudge with. Those little ones don't know what a fag is, they don't know what hate is, and they don't know what they are doing to the families of those dead soldiers as they march around with smiles on screaming "thank god for dead soldiers". This man has corrupted 2 generations of his family. Actually, it baffles me that no one has shot him yet.
Finally, let me just say i think what the patriot guard riders (the motorcyle guys who have been showing up) are doing is ridiculously amazing. They say so much by saying nothing, their actons speak so well. Funny, when I spoke to Shirley about this, she refered to them as "biker chicks" and "motor fags", commenting that they should shower. But then thanked them because what they do is bring media attention the the WBC.
Seriously, this guy is crazy. I've studied his website and read all their complaint mail. The two daughters answer it all, and generally pick emails of people who are writing quickly out of anger and leave room open for argumentation, where shirley or margie step in and take advantage. Long before my interview, I wrote a VERY lengthy email covering all bases of what my arguments are against this people leaving little room for argument. Subsequently, she never posted it or replied. They pray on those they can exploit for their own benefits. I was not someone who was going to help their cause.
One more funny note: Fred Phelps also has a strong hatred for Canada and Sweden. Apparently (my fiance is Canadian, this is what he told me), Phelps and his posse tried to get through customs with like, 5 billion signs. Customs wouldn't let them through and basically kicked him out of the country and told him never to come back. So that's why he (and God, according to him) hate Canada. Sweden is kind of the same story, they were going to protest at the Swedish parliament and deficate on a Swedish flag(or whatever head of government they have's building, im not sure), and Sweden issued a statement basically saying if they did, they would be arrested immediately. Long story short, they never went to Sweden, and now Phelps (and God, mind you) hate Sweden too.
What next Fred Phelps. What next.
It was after the 2004 tsunami hit that I first saw the godhatesfags website. I stared in utter disbelief that anyone could a) rejoice in the death toll and b) attribute the tsunami as God's response to the jailing of the Swedish pastor, Ake Green, for preaching against homosexuality. So, I decided to email the Westboro Cult. My question was simple. If God was so enraged about the pastor being jailed, why didn't he just nuke Sweden? He'd zapped Sodom and Gomorrah, so a small country like Sweden would have been comparitively easy to accomplish. Why did he drown thousands of Sri Lankans and Indonesians for the sins of the Swedes? Hoo-boy! You should have seen the incandescent response I received from 15 year old Isaiah Phelps-Roper, one of Shirley's sons!!! "Loser" was his most courteous form of address to me. He ranted about immorality and public indecency. I pointed out to him that his mother preaches "god's word" on the streets wearing tight shorts and sleeveless tops, which would be considered highly immodest in many cultures. I added that she probably would have been stoned to death for this, had she been alive in Biblical times. The more polite I was, the angrier he became. Finally, Shirley chopped into the flow and permanently cut me off. I guess she was afraid that dear little Isiaiah might start thinking for himself if he had too much contact with the outside world and other view points. Sad, but now we know that Isaiah's brother Joshua has left the cult, there's hope for Isaiah yet.
The fact that Fred Phelps neglects to mention is that homosexuality is condemned in the bible by a Psalmist, not by God or Jesus. So the bible is very poor evidence to support Phelps' views with.
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AH! This man makes me so angry! I don't even know what to say about him.
Go to youtube.com and watch the CNN (I think?) interview with his daugther. I think her name is Shirley Phelps Roper.
These people really grind my gears.
Seriously. I want to join the Patriot Guard thing. I'm not a biker but I want to go to funerals of soldiers and show them someone from the community cares.
Let's try not to judge too harshly. Fred Phelps is obviously mentally ill and has created what is known in medicine as a "folie a famille", wherein all members ( or nearly all) adopt the patient's delusions as Truth, and react accordingly.
Shirley Phelps Roper's screaming and ranting is all due to being physically and emotionally abused for many years. Anyone subjected to the hideous traumas which she had to endure is bound to crack up sooner or later. Google "Addicted to Hate", read it thoroughly, and then let's see how your attitude towards her has changed. She needs HUGE loads of compassion and love, which was denied to her by her vicious father and the mother who enabled him to behave like a total savage towards all 13 of his kids.
What amazes me is that the USA authorities seem unable to admit Fred to a hospital. I'm certain he has a psychiatric illness, as well as a few personality disorders lurking around somewhere. Just be thankful you were not born in to that twisted family. Why am I saying this? Because MY father was a vicious, violent, disgusting example of religious hypocrisy, too. I know what it is to grow up in constant terror of psychotic parental wrath. I feel for Shirley deeply. She's as human as any of us. Please don't condemn her for her words and actions. Try to see behind that maniacal grin and the bible-babble the wounded human being inside, the frightened little girl that she basically still is.
Thank you for that. Sometimes we tend to judge unknowingly. It is important to remain open to all opinions although we disagree, the bible does say "judge ye not that be ye judged" Thanks.
Yes, I know that the Bible says that, but most other religions do also. It doesn't take a religious book or "God" to teach us to be merciful- many atheist philosophers have said the same thing. The American Indians said "Let me not judge another until I have walked 10 moons in their moccasins." Confucius, Buddha and Marcus Aurelius likewise urged compasion for others. It's not hard to do.
What I find hard to understand is why everyone is so ANGRY with her! Americans are proud of their free speech rights, so why do they become so wild when another actually exercises their First Amendment right? Admittedly, what Shirley and her family do is most unusual in their choice of forum, ( funerals and hospitals) but anyone who has read that manifesto of inhumanity known as "The Holy Bible" will be forced to admit that, yes, they ARE spouting directly from the Bible! Yes, the Bible DOES mention "God's" hatred of many people! If you truly believe, as the Phelps clan appears to do, that "God" is a psychopathic, capricious monster, then your behaviour must reflect this terror and dread.
My guess is that the WBC believes that if it screams and yells loud enough, "God" will get the message that they are sincere worshippers, terribly afraid of going to "eternal damnation" and therefore doing their best to appease his savage wrath, deflect damnation, and win them a place in the Celestial Sphere. Well, so what? Isn't this what traditional Chrisitianity does to people? It tells them that an omnipotent supernatural being is watching their every move, ready to strike them with thunderbolts and pitch them into the devil's barbecue if they so much as put a toenail out of line. If I believed that rubbish, I expect that I would also behave strangely! If I had the additional burden of an extraordinarily vicious father to contend with, I would be GUARANTEED to behave oddly!!! My old man was bad, but nowhere as bad as Fred Phelps. In fact, my father looks like a lamb by comparison, yet I am still carrying the mental and emotional wounds of half a century ago. Do we ever truly leave childhood? Maybe not. In Shirley's case, she is permanently imprisoned in it. I know and empathise with what she had to endure.
I repeat, please do not condemn this most unfortunate human being. Read her story, ( Google "Addicted to Hate") and let your hearts be softened with pity for her terrible plight, and with gratitude for your own good fortune.
Seriously, I urge everyone who wishes to judge and damn Shirley to read her story in "Addicted to Hate". Read, and weep. Read, and thank your "God" that you had a better fate than she and her siblings did. Send out kind thoughts to her. If you meet her, bless her. Show her some human kindness, for pity's sake. The woman is in severe, mortal, horrifying psychic PAIN. Can't you Americans see that? A person who is subjected to years of relentless physical and emotional agony CANNOT be judged by those who have never had this happen to them. At the very least, she would be suffering some form of post traumatic stress disorder. She grew up in an enclosed war zone. Violence and terror stalked her days and nights, 24/7. How could she possibly grow up to be well-balanced, happy, tolerant, and tender-hearted to others when she was the victim of such relentless horror?
You Christian Americans who condemn her- hang your heads in shame and ask your God to forgive your lack of love. And you humanists out there- remember that she belongs to the same species as you do, and, like you, is vulnerable to hurt, pain, parental betrayal, threats and violence. She is more to be pitied than condemned.
I pray that she may be committed to the nearest psyhiatric facility as soon as possible before she hurts herself. She's already injured herself as it is....Don't make me get out the 'Tranquilizing GUN' !
Yes, I know that the Bible says that, but most other religions do also. It doesn't take a religious book or "God" to teach us to be merciful- many atheist philosophers have said the same thing. The American Indians said "Let me not judge another until I have walked 10 moons in their moccasins." Confucius, Buddha and Marcus Aurelius likewise urged compasion for others. It's not hard to do.
What I find hard to understand is why everyone is so ANGRY with her! Americans are proud of their free speech rights, so why do they become so wild when another actually exercises their First Amendment right? Admittedly, what Shirley and her family do is most unusual in their choice of forum, ( funerals and hospitals) but anyone who has read that manifesto of inhumanity known as "The Holy Bible" will be forced to admit that, yes, they ARE spouting directly from the Bible! Yes, the Bible DOES mention "God's" hatred of many people! If you truly believe, as the Phelps clan appears to do, that "God" is a psychopathic, capricious monster, then your behaviour must reflect this terror and dread.
My guess is that the WBC believes that if it screams and yells loud enough, "God" will get the message that they are sincere worshippers, terribly afraid of going to "eternal damnation" and therefore doing their best to appease his savage wrath, deflect damnation, and win them a place in the Celestial Sphere. Well, so what? Isn't this what traditional Chrisitianity does to people? It tells them that an omnipotent supernatural being is watching their every move, ready to strike them with thunderbolts and pitch them into the devil's barbecue if they so much as put a toenail out of line. If I believed that rubbish, I expect that I would also behave strangely! If I had the additional burden of an extraordinarily vicious father to contend with, I would be GUARANTEED to behave oddly!!! My old man was bad, but nowhere as bad as Fred Phelps. In fact, my father looks like a lamb by comparison, yet I am still carrying the mental and emotional wounds of half a century ago. Do we ever truly leave childhood? Maybe not. In Shirley's case, she is permanently imprisoned in it. I know and empathise with what she had to endure.
I repeat, please do not condemn this most unfortunate human being. Read her story, ( Google "Addicted to Hate") and let your hearts be softened with pity for her terrible plight, and with gratitude for your own good fortune.
Seriously, I urge everyone who wishes to judge and damn Shirley to read her story in "Addicted to Hate". Read, and weep. Read, and thank your "God" that you had a better fate than she and her siblings did. Send out kind thoughts to her. If you meet her, bless her. Show her some human kindness, for pity's sake. The woman is in severe, mortal, horrifying psychic PAIN. Can't you Americans see that? A person who is subjected to years of relentless physical and emotional agony CANNOT be judged by those who have never had this happen to them. At the very least, she would be suffering some form of post traumatic stress disorder. She grew up in an enclosed war zone. Violence and terror stalked her days and nights, 24/7. How could she possibly grow up to be well-balanced, happy, tolerant, and tender-hearted to others when she was the victim of such relentless horror?
You Christian Americans who condemn her- hang your heads in shame and ask your God to forgive your lack of love. And you humanists out there- remember that she belongs to the same species as you do, and, like you, is vulnerable to hurt, pain, parental betrayal, threats and violence. She is more to be pitied than condemned.
You would be advocating for a Mental Health screening to be done on her. It's not mentally healthy to deliberately put the whole future at risk just for political correctness. Is it??? They are violating the human code of decency. That is the very definition of 'crazy'. In fact, she should be considered a 'danger' to hereself. Just because she has met up with some 'good' people so far, doesn't mean that will ALWAYS be the case! You do no service when omission means harm...
he sually doe stake things way to far
If Mr. Phelps does not like freedom he should leave our country and live in another !
Signed,
A Proud American
As a member of the Patriot Guard Riders I have seen first handed what this sick person is doing to the family's of our fallen Hero's and to their memories. Two weeks ago I rode 300 miles to attend a funeral in Missouri, this Saturday I will ride 200 to another in Illinois. I will continue to do this as long as there is a family out there that need us to be there. This is something every PGR believes in. Scooter Sissy and proud of it
If you had 'compassion' for him, you'da slammed him in the psychiatric ward, wouldn't you? These people are allowed to pervert the very foundations of society when they are given 'permission' to harrass and envade other people's personal spaces. If they were REAL Christians they would NOT be so ill-mannered! This is the result of the cut in Mental Health system! What's wrong with 'Human decency???