Welcome to another addition of ramblings of a normal guy. This is my
special column where I go off on wild rants complaining about the things
that happen and effect my (and ours) every day life. Because of the
excessive amounts of stupidity that will be featured, a large amount of
inappropriate language will most likely be used. Also expect a large
helping of calling out and "I don't give a crap". Rated M for mature,
and read at your own risk. For the purpose of this blog little c christian refers to "fake look at me cry" religious people. Christian with a big C refers to people who actually follow Christ.
With constant reminders of how we are in the modern age, how we are so advanced and enlightened, how I live in richest, most powerful and most free nation in the world, I'm getting really fucking sick and tired of stories like this. How can we call ourselves the land of the free when we actively seek to deny human rights to humans? You can't say its "religious rights" when you deny rights to another, even more so when they are the same rights you would raise a bitch fest over. To make a long story short, recently the Kansas House overwhelmingly passed a bill that would
allow people and businesses to refuse service based on sexual
orientation or marital status if doing so would be contrary to the
“sincerely held religious beliefs of the individual. "Religious beliefs" wasn't clarified by the article or by the state Rep, but considering the track record, one can safely assume it means his version of what he calls christian beliefs. Also while I find the whole law insulting on a purely human level, what really stuck out with me was this;
State Rep. Charles Macheers
drafted the proposed legislation and argued it would prevent “hurtful”
discrimination, claiming the bill would give business owners their right
to religious freedom.
“There
have been times throughout history where people have been persecuted for
their religious beliefs because they were unpopular,” Macheers said.
“This bill provides a shield of protection for that.”
Welcome to another addition of ramblings of a normal guy. This is my
special column where I go off on wild rants complaining about the things
that happen and effect my (and ours) every day life. Because of the
excessive amounts of stupidity that will be featured, a large amount of
inappropriate language will most likely be used. Also expect a large
helping of calling out and "I don't give a crap". Rated M for mature,
and read at your own risk.
WARNING: There might be some disturbing images in this rambling of people that where beaten and abused. This is the world we live in, and a world which such utter bullshit happens. I ask you not to look away, but if you must just be warned. Also as a note, this was suppose to be just a part two, but because of the length and amount of ranting, I had to move this to a three part project.
And so... here we are again.
When I was first considering writing the previous rambling for equal rights and equal marriage, it took a considerable amount of time to get from start to finish. Formulating the how and why took far more time than I first anticipated, my bad thinking it would be a quick fix. Eventually it took a mental push in the form of being forced asked to write this, to finally get the ball rolling and the paper finished. As I began to write, and the paragraphs started forming, I knew this wasn't going to be pretty. When one challenges a long held religious beliefs, especially when they are considered so central to ones faith, one must go about it slowly, logically and with care. If one does not, the entire thing will turn into nothing more than a bitch fest. After all, saying "You're stupid" doesn't even work for kids anymore... So then, when the job was finally completed, five big points where addressed that opponents like to use to justify their mistrust/hate/oppression with equal rights. When I hit the publish button I knew it wouldn't take long to get interesting emails. Oh boy where they fun too. But all in all, I was pretty much done with the subject. I was also content to have just one issue of it because, if you allow me a moment of pride, I thought one was enough. Anything more would just be an annoying circle jerk and saying the same bloody thing over and over and over again.
Then I had the unfortunate pleasure of being refereed to NOM's recent video.
The Westboro Baptist Church (or
WBC) is an Independent Baptist “church” known for its extreme stance
against homosexuality, other religions, and anything else that tickles
their fancy. They are also known for their greatly offensive protest
activities against fallen service men/woman and high profile aka popular
people. In this special section created for the WBC Cult Exposed we
will explore their hateful and distorted “divine” teachings and expose
them for what they truly are, a hate group who uses religion for
personal power.
Not to long ago, this little blogger issued a contest of shorts to the
folks of the Westboro Baptist Church. If you are blissfully unaware of
what these things… er people are, then you are one lucky person
While spending my off hours trolling the WBC (can it be
considered trolling?), the email for the cult was posted on their
twitter account. AWESOME! I thought, I could pose my Q&A again
without the need to shorten it. Well I got an email back, and not
surprisingly it's something I would expect from a second grader.
Nathan "Nate" Phelps (born November 1958) is an author, speaker on religion and child abuse, and an LGBT advocate. The seventh child of Pastor Fred Phelps, Phelps has been estranged from the majority of his family since his 18th birthday.Phelps
has since declared himself an atheist. He is known for his open
criticism of the Westboro Baptist Church through literature, interviews,
public speaking at atheist conventions and his website. He states that
his father abused him and the other Phelps children and believes that
the church is an organization for his father to "vent his rage and
anger." Today I am now happy to present part one of the email Q&A I
had with Nate Phelps, otherwise known as the No H8 Phelps.
Our words are also not free floating, easily said then quickly
forgotten. Our words can linger on in people and thought, or even echo
forever in the ages. Like what is said about the internet, once you say
something it is more than likely recorded somewhere. Today’s edition
deals with language in a much different way than the previous “God H8’s”
series. In such previous titles we explored how their main message of
each video was hateful and… well crap. In today’s edition I want to
return to their previous video and twitter postings to explore the items
we might have missed. You know, the little things they let slip that
gives hint to just how deep the rabbit hole goes.
Shirley, along with other female members of her "church", preached
about a Jewish video that taught America's how to murder the WBC. While
many, myself included, would call their religious and political views
extreme, making a movie for the purposes of "Idiot's Guide to killing
WBC"... is a bit much. I was also curious that it was Jewish in nature.
You would think a people who have suffered A LOT would turn their nose to such actions. The video in question is the trailer for a new fictional movie is called God Bless America (2012). A how to guide for killing the WBC? Wut?!?
Welcome to another addition of ramblings of a normal guy. This is my
special column, where I go off on wild rants complaining about the things
that happen and effect my (and ours) every day life. Because of the
excessive amounts of stupidity that will be featured, a large amount of
inappropriate language will most likely be used. Also expect a large
helping of calling out and "I don't give a crap". Rated M for mature,
and read at your own risk.
So before we do this, I need to get a few things straight;
As many of you know by now, I have this growing desire to be pat of and participate in the human rights moment. Why? Because... well it's just not right how humans treat each other. It's deplorable really. The color of one's skin should not dictate social standing, just like who one's love shouldn't get them chained to a car and dragged to death. Seriously, how could anyone thing this is ok to do? How the fuck could anyone think it's ok to kill another because they are gay? All people are equal, all people have the right to life and all people have the right to love. No "god", no bullshit religion, and no book could nor should ever take that away. And no, being gay doesn't lead to bestiality. So it was probably because of this belief, that I was asked to write a essay for gay marriage. Sure, no big there!Yet confident in my choose, a bit of iffyness hits me. It can be best described as doing something you know is right, but also knowing it isn't going to be pretty. As I'm sitting here formulating how I'm going to write this, my brain box races with different ways this will all play out. The purpose of this rambling is to open eyes, not a bitch fest.*1 I happen to know a few people who are very religious, one happens to be a great friend. I want to go about this to show that gay marriage really isn't this horrid thing, not do anything to offend his beliefs. Can I actually do this?
Another point I want to make before I begin in this; when one uses the bible to make arguments about anything of a (non)religious nature, a certain mind set is present. The bible is a two thousand old year old book that many believe is without question or suspect. Within the pages, such people say that nothing is subject to interpretation, nothing is in need of being "updated" to current times and nothing is in need of editing in, out or changed. The bible is a book said to have divine inspiration, and as such should not be held to any mortal law or thought. Each person should and MUST have the right to believe in what they hold true, even if we and others think them batshit insane. While I may find much of Christianity suspect, and the ideas of Creationism just silly, each person that holds true belief in it, must forever be allowed to do so in peace. Religion and faith is their personal relationship in the Divine, not a bloody boxing match! My only problem comes when people use such religion for ego, profit or (in this case) to deny others civil rights.
Religion is yours to keep, not force on others.
Now that I'm here, and as I further organize my thoughts about this, and I'm just about ready to get started, I come to the realization I will probably offend some people. No matter how one puts it, how nicely it is said or what evidence is presented, there will always be at least one person who takes offense. When one mixes speaking about human rights, taboos and the bible, well let's just say it rarely ends well. As I said before, people have very specific and fixed ideas when it comes to their religious worlds, and when questioned, it is rarely handled civilly. But I seem to be repeat loop here. The purpose of today's Ramblings of a Normal Guy is not to insult or shake ones faith. If you are offended by this, and you are not a egotistical a-hole, I do apologize but ask you to read on. If it shakes your faith in what ever you hold, these are issues you should probably address with yourself.
The Westboro Baptist Church (or WBC) is an Independent Baptist “church” known for its extreme stance against homosexuality, other religions, and anything else that tickles their fancy. They are also known for their greatly offensive protest activities against fallen service men/woman and high profile aka popular people. In this special section created for the WBC Cult Exposed we will explore their hateful and distorted “divine” teachings and expose them for what they truly are, a hate group who uses religion for personal power.
Part: 15/19
Name: Love Thy Neighbor As Thyself- Pt 15 of WBC's GOD H8S vid
Link: http://www.twitvid.com/NPEXH Update: Videos have been removed. Blog now shows video of all of them combined.
Bible Verse use:
Lev 19:17-18:Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt. Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.
Video had to be switched, other one taken down.
I embed the above video (don’t worry, I’ll still have some cat pics somewhere in here) today because I think it speaks a lot to my discontent and sheer disgust of this WBC video, and well the cult in general. We have so many problems in the world; more than one person can ever fix, is it not time we come together as a whole and address these problems? Shouldn’t we abandon silly notions of skin color, sexual preference and even religious prodigious to work together to better the world we live in? I mean we only get one, it’s not like we can all move to Mars after trashing this place. Love can and will find a way, but only if we give it a chance! Look at these kids, all of them from different backgrounds; you think they care what the color of a person’s skin is? What their faith is? If they are gay or straight? These kids are suffering from serious illness, and they still create something so ... glorious! How frigging amazing is that?!?! They create a beautiful world by light and shadow, and I am not ashamed to admit it brings a tear to my eye. The shear beauty, the... damn I could go on and on about them. But regrettably this little musing isn't about them, its about... not so happy things. Back at the WBC, spewing hate, purposely causing pain for some fucked up ego? Disgusting! This will not help our future, this won’t help anyone! It’s horrid, its- sorry, I seem to be going off on a rant here…
The Westboro Baptist Church (or WBC) is an Independent Baptist “church” known for its extreme stance against homosexuality, other religions, and anything else that tickles their fancy. They are also known for their greatly offensive protest activities against fallen service men/woman and high profile aka popular people. In this special section, we will explore their hateful and distorted “divine” teachings and expose them for what they truly are, a hate group who uses religion for personal power.
Part: 12/19
Name: For God so loved the world- Pt 12 of WBCs GOD H8S vid
Link: http://www.twitvid.com/MPVEK Update: Videos have been removed. Blog now shows video of all of them combined.
Bible Verse use:
John 3:16: Honestly if you don’t know what this is by now, watch a frigging baseball game.
John 3:18: He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Imagine if you will, the last time you where at a baseball game*1. One (or both) of your parent’s took you for your birthday, maybe even for some family times. You’re tailgating with your best long time friends, kicking back a few beers and having some laughs. This, my readers, is the bloody life*2. While waiting for your favorite team to totally school the other idiot loser and super lameteam, or maybe even during break, you may have glanced over the ballpark, just to pass the time. Or maybe instead, you are at home with your buddies, having some beer and BBQ? Gods I really want ribs now… You have the big game on, and at some point the camera guy does a sweep of the crowd. DO THE WAVE! Either way, you will eventually see some guy with a poster board, and on it, the subject of today’s rebuking and WBC drama.
The poor thing saw the face of the WBC
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
What he said: "If you just read the words..."
When I fist began writing this little rebuking (really I was just planning on like two pages), I had my laptop beside me with about twenty different tabs open on various explanations of the above verse. The first few tabs pertained to hundred plus page essays on various meanings and assumptions of the above verse. Others where analysis’s of every word and phrase to find the hidden secret message of the verse. It was like some bible code crap was going on here. The remaining where frigging analysis’s of analysis’s. After hitting the three day mark of reading this and that, I threw up my hands and said “to hell with it”. Seriously why would such effort, time, and research be needed for such a simple verse? Hell even this pagan understands it just fine!
The Westboro Baptist Church (or WBC) is an Independent Baptist “church” known for its extreme stance against homosexuality, other religions, and anything else that tickles their fancy. They are also known for their greatly offensive protest activities against fallen service men/woman and high profile aka popular people. In this special section, we will explore their hateful and distorted “divine” teachings and expose them for what they truly are, a hate group who uses religion for personal power.
Part: 10/19
Name: The Bible is subject to interpretation- Pt 10 of WBC's GOD H8S vid
Link: http://www.twitvid.com/QFR9L Update: Videos have been removed. Blog now shows video of all of them combined.
Bible Verse use:
2 Pet. 1:20: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
So here we are big number ten.
Hitting this half way mark, I found my self reflecting on the time spent on this so far. I also found myself returning to previous entries to clean them up a bit. Which I do hope many of my readers will forgive me, in my haste to disprove such cults, I sometimes (often) find my spelling and grammar lacking. While I am still not not Catholic nor do I have any wish to be, I still appreciate the learning experience it has been for me. Learning the true message of the man Jesus, learning just how meanings of various words and phrases can change over the decades, and even learning a bit of Hebrew along the way! Perhaps you can remember with me quickly how, in past editions, I have wrote at length (and burning eyes ugh!) on how this or that translation could not only destroy the flow of a verse, but also cause a great amount of confusion. A very good and often sighted example of this is how the WBC used Jer 17:9 to show the hearts of humans are evil 24/7 365. If we used the same translation or interpretation for the rest of the bible, well Jesus turns into an evil most foul. Yea…Today’s video is somehow fitting for our half way mark. In today's review/rebuking; we have WBC cult member Fred Jr inform us that the bible is NOT subject to interpretation.That everything writing in the bible is the firm word of law of their god that can not be ignored, negotiated, or revised. As a not so hidden side message, the WBC also try to prove with this video is that everything they have said to date (and will continue to say) is also the world of law.
The Westboro Baptist Church (or WBC) is an Independent Baptist “church” known for its extreme stance against homosexuality, other religions, and anything else that tickles their fancy. They are also known for their greatly offensive protest activities against fallen service men/woman and high profile aka popular people. In this special section, we will explore their hateful and distorted “divine” teachings and expose them for what they truly are, a hate group who uses religion for personal power.
Part: 7/19
Name: God loves everybody - Pt 7 of WBC's GOD H8S vid -
Link: http://www.twitvid.com/9CEJB Update: Videos have been removed. Blog now shows video of all of them combined.
Bible verses mentioned:
Mk. 9:44: 'where their worm doesn't die, and the fire is not quenched.'
Rom 9:13:As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
Matt 13: 49-50: This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
So I’ve been sitting here for the past two hours getting no where fast. I would normally blame this on the awesome programming afforded to me by the History Channel, but well… ok it’s the evils of History channel. DAMN YOU CABLE TELEVISION! I’m watching a really interesting show about Stonehenge, it details the long history of the stone construction as well as it's many secrets and supposed uses. During the various ads for this weight loss program or some new “As seen on tv” thing, I try to think up insightful and witty opening for this rebuking paper. Cause you know I'm sooooooo witty. Every time I think I get something, I stop and think about the poor smuck in this video. In every previous and future installments of the ever bias and baseless God H8’s series, there is always a tiny description box on the bottom right hand side giving the title and whom from the cult was featured. In today’s display we have “A WBC member answers the common misconception God loves everybody. Pt 7 of WBC's GOD H8S vid”. It’s the whole bleeding surrounding cities of Sodom and Gomorrah again! Fear not random WBC cult member, while you are not important enough to have a name, you can still be called out for telling fibs :-)
Plus now that I think about it, didn't we already address this God love everyone thing? Eh fine what ever....
The Westboro Baptist Church (or WBC) is an Independent Baptist
“church” known for its extreme stance against homosexuality, other
religions, and anything else that tickles their fancy. They are also
known for their greatly offensive protest activities against fallen
service men/woman and high profile aka popular people. In this special
section, we will explore their
hateful and distorted “divine” teachings and expose them for what they
truly are, a hate group who uses religion for personal power.
I wrote this for my blog not to long ago in my ongoing parley with the members of the WBC. It's around 2am right now, and I've been sitting here for a good hour trying to think of something to start THIS blog off with. Maybe some dry witty comment about the WBC, or maybe an insult or two about how their cult is run by drug and child abusers. But you know what, what's the point? There are no words for the amount of stupid that comes from the WBC. It's all really been said. Every word has been spoken, every video seen. So how about I just get right to it then eh? While spending my off hours trolling the WBC (can it be considered trolling?), the email for the cult was posted on their twitter account. AWESOME! I thought, I could pose my Q&A again without the need to shorten it. Well I got an email back, and not surprisingly it's something I would expect from a second grader.
