Yes, I’m saying if you see Fred Phelps either beat the shit out of him or kill him. Right, right, violence is never the answer. But it’s clearly the most morally justifiable action as it has a far greater benefit to society to not let the asshat live. Free speech and personal liberties be damned. It’s for the good of the group.

Is the obsession with sexual behaviour replaced on the left with an obsession with economic behaviour?

Yes.  You would totally get busted for buying expensive shampoo or name brand cat food.

Honestly?  I wish more Fundamentalist churches would adopt an attitude like that.  Preferably mixed with an ideal that you still have to love your neighbor even though he’s going to Hell and so should participate in charitable activities.  But even a  “leave the unbelievers alone and worry about yourselves” approach would be healthier for all of us than a “get all up into everyone else’s business because you’re so concerned about their eternal soul” approach that most churches hew to.

These zucchini are organic.

These zucchini are locally grown.

You are both supporting destructive practices that will destroy the earth.  You must only buy zucchini that both organic and locally grown!

Supporter of capitalist hegemony!  The only true zucchini are from the dumpster!

It’s no secret, as this article demonstrates, that it is very difficult to reach opinions outside of your lineage.

IIRC, they only half believe the hate they spew. They do it so they can be censored and thus file lawsuits against cities etc. It’s how the thief makes his money.

Having lived nearish Topeka all my life – I’ve got to “enjoy” their bullshit at many an event.

And in the “truth is stranger than fiction” dept., a gay ex-DJ in KC has been palling around with them some. http://www.pitch.com/plog/archives/2010/09/15/scoops-goes-to-hell-an-ex-dj-gays-out-with-westboro-baptist-church

I would normally say “..but seriously” here. The sad thing is I am being serious. Thanks to Nate for proving there is hope and that ignorance does not always beget ignorance.

Democratic primary for United States Senate, Kansas 1992
Gloria O’Dell: 111,015 (69.20%)
Fred Phelps: 49,416 (30.80%)

Randall Terry runs as a democrat too… but for him it’s just gaming the system, since networks must air offensive ads they would otherwise reject.

Pat Robertson is like a lovechild of the two.

The internet must certainly be part of why the resurgence of this is occurring. They used to be limited to revivals, gun shows, street-corners, newsletters, etc.

Now in addition to them actually reaching the like-minded, professional trolls can false-flag internet forum acid attacks under the cover of their kind of mask.

Fred Phelps talks like he’s all about eliminationism, to borrow the language of David Neiwert and Mark Potok. He likely would have fucking LOVED to have the lightning bolts on his collar.

“Left or right, never trust anyone who talks in terms of final solutions.”

“They’ll all burn in hell,” added Amos in a satisfied voice, “and” I mun surelie tell them so. … Aye … ye can come … ye poor miserable creepin’ sinner. Maybe ye think ye’ll escape hellfire if ye come along o’ me, and bow down and quiver. But I’m tellin’ ye no. ‘Tes too late. Ye’ll burn wi’ the rest. There’ll be time to say what yer sins have been, but there’ll be no time for more.”

One of the things I came away with from the series–from the history described there it sounds less like Fred Phelps has a coherent religion and more like the story of an emotionally and physically abusive man, and the way he has used religion and ideology as a way of maintaining control (and perpetuating the abusive relationship) long after his children became adults.

Here is a link: http://cjonline.com/indepth/phelps/

(JK…. good on the kid for bravely leaving and rejecting this hateful man’s vitriol.)

I wonder how many people they think are in heaven because from their explanations is seems like the place is pretty empty…

iirc they self-identify as a Primitive Baptist church, and those churches (disclosure: my wife is a PB) tend to be very heavily either 1.) Calvinist or 2.) former Two Seeds In The Faith Baptist churches.  The latter tend to believe that there’s no reason to go out into the community, go on mission trips, etc. because the world is divided between people who have been called by God to serve Him, and those who have not, and there’s no point in ministering to the ones who have not.

Yeah, it’s a bit twisted.