Group (Westboro Baptist) To Protest Southern Baptist Convention

[Jane Eyre]

Greensboro News & Record: Group (Fred Phelps' Westboro Baptist Church) to protest Southern Baptist Convention

Anti-gay protesters, who became the focus of recently passed federal legislation for their controversial demonstrations at the funerals of soldiers, will be at the Greensboro Coliseum next week to picket the unveiling of a statue of the Rev. Billy Graham at the Southern Baptist Convention.

"I told him we were going to picket his funeral when he dies, and he's not a well man," said the Rev. Fred Phelps, of Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan. Like Graham, Phelps attended Bob Jones University and was ordained by the Southern Baptist Convention, which expects to draw upward of 10,000 people to its annual meeting here on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Here's the info from Phelps' website:

http://www.godhatesfags.com/fliers/jun2006/20060606_southern-baptist-convention.pdf

I really don't know what to say about this!!! :shrug:

[Erika]

1. More religious rants...extremists fueled by W

Throw in Dobson, Falwell, Bauer, and all the rest.

Theocracy by W.

[Charlie Brown]

2. Phelps has been targeting Graham for many years now

I'm no fan of Graham, but he does not deserve to be harrassed and defamed by the likes of Phelps. I hope they do not get attention out of this, which is all they really want.

Maybe seeing wackos like this in their backyard will enlighten Southern Baptists of the dangers of fundamentalism.

[Erika]

3. Phelps attended Bob Jones University?

Well it is a right wing extremist school. W spoke there.

[darkism]

18. He seems to have been thrown out after three semesters.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Jones_University

Fred Phelps, pastor of the Westboro Baptist Church and perhaps best known for his "God Hates Fags" website and public protests. His association with the school ended abruptly after three semesters. Phelps claims he left in opposition to the school's racial policies*. In 1994 University employees told the Topeka Capital Journal that Phelps was expelled due to mental instability. In 2006 Phelps -- who has picketed BJU as well as funerals of servicemen -- denied that he had ever attended the University. (emphasis mine)


* namely, when they started "allowing" interracial dating.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. more info on Phelps

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1382460

[Fovea]

5. weellll. that oughta be interesting.

I wonder how the So. Baptists will enjoy God's Hate?

He's a loon, even by Bob Jones' standards.

[cboy4]

6. Oh great. You mean I have to root for the Southern Baptists?

I can't wait to see what happens! :popcorn:

[BR_Parkway]

7. They really have no concept of irony, do they? The best quote in the

article:

"I think he and his church members would be better off to stay home," said the Rev. David Horton, immediate past president of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina and pastor of Gate City Baptist Church in Greensboro. "I don't understand them. I looked up some information about them last night on the Internet and I was absolutely shocked about what I found. They believe ... that they are the only ones who are going to heaven."

Well Rev Dale - how is anything that Phelps is saying different than you? It's your way or the highway to Hell. And you hate us homo's just as much, just as vocally. Isn't one of your current convention platforms to throw out any churches who accept gay members? Yeah, Jesus commanded you to love your fellow man - except for them despicable fags, right?

The only difference in you and Phelps? You wear nicer suits and spend more money on pretty pews for a fancy church. I actually (I cannot beleive I'm about to say this) have more respect for Phelps - he doesn't try to hide his hatred behind a mask of civility and respectability like you do.

[EST]

8. How apropos!

The comparisons rise, unbidden, of the chimperor and Zarkawi--Zarkawi, at least, did not try to hide his villainy behind a mask of civility and responsibility.

Neither, of course, deserves respect, but it's a sad, sad day when the president of the United States ranks beneath that icon of horror and terrorism, just as the mind rankles at the prospect of these two self-appointed religious icons vying for the title of spiritual terrorist demigod.

[BR_Parkway]

9. Had to follow up with a LTTE

I thought that Ms McLaughlin's article was very good, concise and without casting judgement one way or the other. But the final paragraph caused me to literally laugh out loud.

Is there something about becoming a Southern Baptist that requires you to give up your sense of irony?


"I think he and his church members would be better off to stay home," said the Rev. David Horton, immediate past president of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina and pastor of Gate City Baptist Church in Greensboro. "I don't understand them. I looked up some information about them last night on the Internet and I was absolutely shocked about what I found. They believe ... that they are the only ones who are going to heaven."

Somehow, the Rev Dale Horton must have never looked at the Southern Baptist convention website (http://www.sbc.net) or even his own church's website to see that Phelps does not have a lock on thinking he has the exclusive keys to Heaven. It's their way or the Highway to Hell.

The SBC even kicks out whole churches that believe that gays are people too and fall under the Bible's instruction to love one another. http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?id=22464 and http://www.beliefnet.com/story/133/story_13381_1.html are just a few examples.

And while the Rev Dale may think he and the Rev Phelps are so far apart, I don't see much difference. They both use fear of homosexuals to gather members, political recognition and probably fundraising for their respective causes. Neither of them ever mentioned an Amendment to ban Divorce while the most recent "protect marriage" political pot stirring was up for debate. Jesus himself said that a man who divorced and took another was committing adultery, but if the churches actually enforced that of their membership the pews (and collection plates) would surely be much emptier.

Sadly, the biggest differenct I see in the Rev Dale Horton and the Rev Fred Phelps is one of consistency. Rev Dale may wear better suits and preach in a fancier church - but at least Rev Phelps holds his hatred out there for everyone to see and doesn't try to hide it behind a mask of civility and respectibility.

Thank you for the article, I'd love to see a follow up contrasting the two men's positions.

[theHandpuppet]

10. Great letter!

Let us know if it gets printed and of any responses you may get to it.

[jonnyblitz]

11. ha...exactly..

:applause:

[kestrel91316]

15. Good point. Phelps may be a lot of things (most not very nice), but

he does not appear to be a hypocrite when it comes to gays. He speaks his mind.

I think it's important to know one's enemy. And that's easy to do with Phelps.

[Spangle]

12. Strange! The SBC has been kicking out curches that support the Gay Issue

I do, however, think it's funny that one 'christian group' is going to protest another 'christian group' over not being 'christian enoough' by one groups 'christian standards.'

Cause, that is what it's all about. Everyone has different 'standards'. What they personly think is wrong, they think it should be wrong for everyone else. What they personaly have 'excused', they are willing to excuse in others.

Pick and choose. That is the name of the game.

I don't have a problem with it. Except when they want to pass laws based upon THEIR 'pickings'. Don't matter who the 'their' is. ANY faith, not just Christian.

Some groups don't get that. When we work for preventing such laws from being passed, we are also protecting Christians from radical Christian extreamist.

[quaoar]

13. This is why

the Baptists need excommunication.

[CatholicEdHead]

14. Fundies protesting Fundies

let the hilarity ensue!

[IndianaGreen]

16. May they all kill each other

and rid the world of this varmint.

[genieroze]

17. Pot meets Kettle = both black but one dumber