Westboro Baptist Church vs. the coal miners

[Jobar]

N.Y. Times article (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/09/us/09westboro.html)

MONTCOAL W.V. — Protesters from Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan., headed to the Upper Big Branch mine Thursday morning to convey the message that the explosion there that left 25 miners dead was a result of e-mail messages allegedly sent from West Virginia threatening the Church and its publisher, according to a statement from the Church.
...
“This whole nation is awash in rebellious sin and defiance of God, His standard, and His servant’s faithful words,” a news release on the church’s Web site said Thursday morning.

The statement said the church had received threats about a trip to West Virginia and Virginia scheduled to begin Thursday.

“So God reached down and smacked one of those mines, killing 25 (and likely four more are dead),” it said. “Now you moan and wallow in self-pity, and pour over the details of the dead rebels’ lives, pretending they’re heroes.”

Y'know, we ought to give old Fred an honorary membership in the EAC. (Evil Atheist Conspiracy, for the few who don't know.) He's done more to promote the cause of atheism, I think, that even Dawkins or Dennett.

[Goodchild]

They're just so damned twisted I could almost see it being a POE.

Really, these people must have absolutely no sense of shame whatsoever.

[Politesse]

I'm not convinced he isn't; I don't see how any other motivation makes sense.

[Garnet]

*grabs a hat to puke in*

[Daynna]

Such a slimy little man.

[Jobar]

Slimy, unquestionably; but from my understanding he isn't little at all. His physical size and strength let him so bully and beat down his family and congregation (mostly the same people) that he has them brainwashed to follow in his hateful steps, even now when he's dying (or so I hear.)

[Free in Freeport]

Takes off Garnet's shoe and starts puking in it.

[Garnet]

I'm not wearing shoes...so there.

[Garnet]

On a more serious note, I wonder what will happen when the old shithead dies. Is Shirley the heir apparent? Are the congregants really that brain washed?

[frazier]

On a more serious note, I wonder what will happen when the old shithead dies. Is Shirley the heir apparent? Are the congregants really that brain washed?
It would be fun to picket his funeral.

[Politesse]

I don't think his "church" will survive his death. But there will undoubtedly be someone else to take his place, sad though that ugly little truth about humanity might be.

[munnki]

Hold on. I looked very carefully into the Mine Explosion Incident and linked it unquestionably to a handjob given by one Laurence Summers to a Tom Hagen at 3.41 pm in a bar in the East Village, New York City. That handjob, in particular, really pissed God off. This is because at least two police officers as well as enough people to make up a sizeable mob were within a block of this handjob and yet, even though they knew nothing about it (it being done in a public restroom), still did nothing to stop it. This caused God to, in his own words, 'fuck over a few miners and their families. That'll show those faggots in New York.'

I prayed on this. It wasn't the emails - it was the handjob. For reals...

[DMB]

On a more serious note, I wonder what will happen when the old shithead dies. Is Shirley the heir apparent? Are the congregants really that brain washed?
It would be fun to picket his funeral.

Fantastic idea! We need to start a website specially to organise it ahead of time. I wonder if picketthephelpsfuneral.org would be available?

[DMB]

Hold on. I looked very carefully into the Mine Explosion Incident and linked it unquestionably to a handjob given by one Laurence Summers to a Tom Hagen at 3.41 pm in a bar in the East Village, New York City. That handjob, in particular, really pissed God off. This is because at least two police officers as well as enough people to make up a sizeable mob were within a block of this handjob and yet, even though they knew nothing about it (it being done in a public restroom), still did nothing to stop it. This caused God to, in his own words, 'fuck over a few miners and their families. That'll show those faggots in New York.'

I prayed on this. It wasn't the emails - it was the handjob. For reals...

You may be right but I think God is probably near to exploding with rage about all those non-hijab-wearing uppity Muslim women too.

[Bleaker]

Lots of dangerous machinery around there, I imagine. It would be a shame* if there were an accident involving Phelps & Co.

(*Well, it wouldn't really)

[rog]

I do hope he tries turning up in person, outside the mine with that attitude :evil:

[Haswell]

Mourning relations is one thing but Miners aren't going to take that kind of shit and I think Armageddon will break out. Only thing is you could punch Shirley Phelps or any of the other Phelps whelps, firmly in the face and it would not make any difference. That's some ugly shit there. Ugly faces, ugly minds and ugly hearts.

[Garnet]

What makes it even worse is that the Phelps want people to get violent with them. That way they can cry persecution. And don't forget, they are lawyers so lawsuits would immediately follow.

I cannot express how much that clan disgusts me.

[Seeker630]

I do hope he tries turning up in person, outside the mine with that attitude :evil:


I think one of the only reasons there hasn't been more violence at their protests is because they usually hide behind a couple of their kids. They generate universal contempt. This is from one of their protests in 2006------------


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrFVjg79_iM

[Jobar]

I don't think his "church" will survive his death. But there will undoubtedly be someone else to take his place, sad though that ugly little truth about humanity might be.

Fred himself was plainly the original engine of hate there; but it may be that he's so thoroughly warped some of his kids that they'll carry on that tradition of hatred even after he dies.

We can hope not; after all, some of that family escaped the monstrosity. But I just don't know. We can only wait and see.

We can also hope that we don't soon see any other groups with a similar combination of legal savvy and virulent sociopathy.

[Politesse]

Social expression expands to fill existing gaps, if you ask me. Highly clever, charismatic and idiosyncratic individuals live and die unnoticed every day. They only become known public figures if a space exists for them in their larger social context. Our cultural situation is such that a spokesperson for the most repulsive aspects of conservatistic misanthropy is still "needed". So, though I would wish otherwise, I doubt that Mr. Phelp's wider cultural role will remain empty for long, even though his church and family themselves will likely disappear from the scene. Someone will appear to fill it. This will only end when the public debate that would have a group such as Westboro at one end of the spectrum also ends.

[crazyfingers]

Only thing is you could punch Shirley Phelps or any of the other Phelps whelps, firmly in the face and it would not make any difference.

A punch in the face, or similar, is exactly what they want. They make most to all of their money suing people who violate their freedom of speech.

[rog]

Only thing is you could punch Shirley Phelps or any of the other Phelps whelps, firmly in the face and it would not make any difference.

A punch in the face, or similar, is exactly what they want. They make most to all of their money suing people who violate their freedom of speech.

to do that they would have to know which pissed off miner had smacked them - if they were stupid enough to turn up outside the place at the end of a shift, after what they said, I'm sure there would be a group of people wanting to have words with them.

Things must be different in the US, because if they tried it here i) the police would stop them ii) if they turned up anyway there would be a riot iii) upsetting the army is just asking for trouble. iv) we've got laws against hate speech and v) we have a reactionary press that would crush the buggers under the weight of public opinion.

[Politesse]

we have a reactionary press that would crush the buggers under the weight of public opinion.

We have this as well. Actually, without the press... it's really a major part of their strategy. No one is on their side, really, they're just very good at leveraging the uniform hatred which the country has for them into further notoriety and more opprobrious activities.

[crazyfingers]

Only thing is you could punch Shirley Phelps or any of the other Phelps whelps, firmly in the face and it would not make any difference.

A punch in the face, or similar, is exactly what they want. They make most to all of their money suing people who violate their freedom of speech.

to do that they would have to know which pissed off miner had smacked them - if they were stupid enough to turn up outside the place at the end of a shift, after what they said, I'm sure there would be a group of people wanting to have words with them.

Things must be different in the US, because if they tried it here i) the police would stop them ii) if they turned up anyway there would be a riot iii) upsetting the army is just asking for trouble. iv) we've got laws against hate speech and v) we have a reactionary press that would crush the buggers under the weight of public opinion.

Just pointing out that lawsuits is how they fund their operations.

[rog]

Just pointing out that lawsuits is how they fund their operations.

I'm not disagreeing ;)

[Notta]

Even the KKK has said that Westboro Church is too 'extreme' for them. (http://www.alan.com/2010/04/08/westboro-baptist-church-is-too-awful-even-for-the-kkk/)

When the KKK repudiates you, you've GOTTA be seriously twisted.

[Monad]

Just different forms of rabidly extreme really - they are equally twisted but the KKK presumably would want to distance themselves from anything seen as "unpatriotic" while I've not seen anything linking the Westborough church to racism as such (in fact their leader was a civil rights lawyer at one time - although I'm not sure of his motivation)

[Haswell]

Shirley is a criminal attorney isn't she? No one fucks with Shirley. Thank God.

[DMB]

Rog, Abu Hamza and a few other similar morons have had quite good innings in the UK.

[rog]

Rog, Abu Hamza and a few other similar morons have had quite good innings in the UK.

They did slow them up in the end, I think the powers that be originally decided it would inflame tensions if they acted, then a line was crossed - plus there really would have been a riot if islam4uk had turned up at Wootton Bassett.

[Mediancat]

I wonder if the Phelps compound has a cemetery -- because if it does, they're going to bury him on their private property and keep any potential protesters as far away as possible.

We will not be given the chance to picket the bastard's funeral. Mark my words.

Rob

[rog]

I wonder if the Phelps compound has a cemetery -- because if it does, they're going to bury him on their private property and keep any potential protesters as far away as possible.

We will not be given the chance to picket the bastard's funeral. Mark my words.

Rob

If they bury him in a public graveyard it would have to be kept under 24 hour guard.

[David B]

Just different forms of rabidly extreme really - they are equally twisted but the KKK presumably would want to distance themselves from anything seen as "unpatriotic" while I've not seen anything linking the Westborough church to racism as such (in fact their leader was a civil rights lawyer at one time - although I'm not sure of his motivation)

That is pretty much what I was thinking.

I don't suppose Westboro particularly wants to be associated with the KKK either, since they seem to think that patriotism - whether insanely extreme or not - gets in the way of religion, as far as I can tell, in their metaphysics.

David

[munnki]

It's worth observing (and I'm sure somebody has already observed it) that the Phelps and the Westboro Church are actually being way more consistent with the Old Testament God, as portrayed, than any Catholic Priest, New Age Minister, Anglican or etc...

That God, certainly as he is in Leviticus, is, in fact, just exactly the kind of arsehole who would cause planes to crash into buildings because he didn't like gayness (which he created and foreordained).... The Phelps are, again in fact, being really rather consistent as Christians who dig the Old Testament....

Perhaps Christians could learn something from them...

[David B]

It's worth observing (and I'm sure somebody has already observed it) that the Phelps and the Westboro Church are actually being way more consistent with the Old Testament God, as portrayed, than any Catholic Priest, New Age Minister, Anglican or etc...

That God, certainly as he is in Leviticus, is, in fact, just exactly the kind of arsehole who would cause planes to crash into buildings because he didn't like gayness (which he created and foreordained).... The Phelps are, again in fact, being really rather consistent as Christians who dig the Old Testament....

Perhaps Christians could learn something from them...

Phelps, as far as I can tell, runs the second most biblical church.

Landover Baptists are the only ones who have him beat.

David

[Jobar]

I just scoped them out on Google Earth, as closely as possible;

latitude
39.045706793847216
longitude
-95.72190284729004

3701 SW 12th St., Topeka, Kansas.

They seem to have a 'compound' of about a quarter of a city block. Can't see anything that's obviously a cemetery, but it appears that they might indeed have room to bury Fred on premises. However, I doubt that they'll be able to avoid having his body embalmed by a professional funeral home; and given how much he's hated, I expect word of his death will be spread far and wide as soon as the medical examiner writes the death certificate. I expect some sort of demonstration will be made- pity I'm the better part of a thousand miles away from there, or I'd start planning my trip, and making my sign.

Hmmm- this thread would seem an appropriate place to brainstorm good signs for ol' Fred's funeral.

"Pity there's no Hell, and Fred Phelps is only rotting in the ground!"

"America rejoices- Fred Phelps is dead!"

"Fred Phelps had no soul!"

Fred Phelps- WINNER of the 2010 EVIL ATHEIST CONSPIRACY Award
for "Most Damage Done To Religious Belief By An Individual"!

[Pendaric]

The Phelps doctrine is for the Elect method of salvation - they don't believe people can be converted, but they do believe that they have a duty to witness. That explains a fair bit about their actions and their religious motivations.

From a financial perspective, they really want people to assault them. That's where they get their money from, although I'm sure I recall something about them being close to bankruptcy in the near past.

[Politesse]

I just scoped them out on Google Earth, as closely as possible;

latitude
39.045706793847216
longitude
-95.72190284729004

3701 SW 12th St., Topeka, Kansas.

They seem to have a 'compound' of about a quarter of a city block. Can't see anything that's obviously a cemetery, but it appears that they might indeed have room to bury Fred on premises. However, I doubt that they'll be able to avoid having his body embalmed by a professional funeral home; and given how much he's hated, I expect word of his death will be spread far and wide as soon as the medical examiner writes the death certificate. I expect some sort of demonstration will be made- pity I'm the better part of a thousand miles away from there, or I'd start planning my trip, and making my sign.

Hmmm- this thread would seem an appropriate place to brainstorm good signs for ol' Fred's funeral.

"Pity there's no Hell, and Fred Phelps is only rotting in the ground!"

"America rejoices- Fred Phelps is dead!"

"Fred Phelps had no soul!"

Fred Phelps- WINNER of the 2010 EVIL ATHEIST CONSPIRACY Award
for "Most Damage Done To Religious Belief By An Individual"!
"God hates Fred."

[David B]

I just scoped them out on Google Earth, as closely as possible;

latitude
39.045706793847216
longitude
-95.72190284729004

3701 SW 12th St., Topeka, Kansas.

They seem to have a 'compound' of about a quarter of a city block. Can't see anything that's obviously a cemetery, but it appears that they might indeed have room to bury Fred on premises. However, I doubt that they'll be able to avoid having his body embalmed by a professional funeral home; and given how much he's hated, I expect word of his death will be spread far and wide as soon as the medical examiner writes the death certificate. I expect some sort of demonstration will be made- pity I'm the better part of a thousand miles away from there, or I'd start planning my trip, and making my sign.

Hmmm- this thread would seem an appropriate place to brainstorm good signs for ol' Fred's funeral.

"Pity there's no Hell, and Fred Phelps is only rotting in the ground!"

"America rejoices- Fred Phelps is dead!"

"Fred Phelps had no soul!"

Fred Phelps- WINNER of the 2010 EVIL ATHEIST CONSPIRACY Award
for "Most Damage Done To Religious Belief By An Individual"!

Check out comment 105

http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2010/04/they_get_no_respect.php

David

[Notta]

I had heard of people pranking the Westboro Baptist Church, but didn't know the particulars until I read this article: (http://laughingsquid.com/san-franciscos-answer-to-westboro-baptist-church/)

WBC’s hate-promoting signs were answered by multiple signs of randomness, nonsensical yelling, and even a unicorn. A portable stereo blared Lady GaGa, while press and people passing by ignored the WBC signs and took pictures and videos of the more entertaining signs.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2740/4313654518_4ba670009c.jpg

Here's a silly sign generator next time you'd like to prank the Tea Partiers or WBC: http://www.godhatessigns.com/

Here's an article (http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/inside-man-how-a-prankster-plans-to-destroy-the-tea-party-movement.php?ref=tn) about someone trying to out-crazy the Tea Partiers using some of the same methods.

[Politesse]

There used to be a group that followed Phelps around and surrounded his protesters with their own protesters, who were all wearing ridiculously large angel wings so that mourners and the media would be unable to see the assholes.

[Seeker630]

There used to be a group that followed Phelps around and surrounded his protesters with their own protesters, who were all wearing ridiculously large angel wings so that mourners and the media would be unable to see the assholes.


What a wonderful idea. Even better would be if the "angels" were all gay.:D

[Politesse]

There used to be a group that followed Phelps around and surrounded his protesters with their own protesters, who were all wearing ridiculously large angel wings so that mourners and the media would be unable to see the assholes.


What a wonderful idea. Even better would be if the "angels" were all gay.:D

Oh, I think several of them were actually; it was after the murder of Matthew Shephard that they started doing this.