Religious Nuts Exposed: Predictions about Obama

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. 

By the Earth Mother, how long has it been since I last sat down and wrote one of these? Must have been at least a couple of months, at the very least. Maybe it's been work that has been keeping me away? Work has been killer with the amount of hours I needed to put into it, many of them off the clock. This or that has been breaking down will this person or that has been causing more problems then good. Maybe it's been my personal life; no never mind I don't have one. Maybe it's just that the WBC really hasn't done anything worth writing about? Sure they still protest funeral and blow more hot air than a balloon, but what's new? They have been doing the same tired crap now for years and it's getting easier and easier to tune out. The WBC just isn't that important anymore. However this coming week changed everything, what is it you wonder? Was it some photoshopped protest? Saying the 1st amendment had holes in it... in Canada? Claiming to be in the UK when they are banned from the country? No, it's something even better!

ITS THE END OF THE WORLD!

I for one, welcome our furry overlords...

They warned us you know, they really did...
 

How WBC Fails: The complete collection Vol 1

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.



Blogging: 

• How WBC fails at twitter

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

• WBC fails at Email

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.

• Why do I even bother with the WBC?

I was once asked why I even bother with the crazies, and here is why. 

• Fail At Blogging

Who knew? The most hated family in America also fails at blogging. SHOCKING! 

 Interviews and Tv Spots:

• How WBC Fails: With special guest (No H8) Nate Phelps

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.  

• Didja really just say that? 

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.  

• God Bless America (2012)

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?!?



Videos - God H8's series

1. People should be accepted for who they are.
2. He who is without sin, cast the first stone.
3. Eating Shellfish is the same sin as being a fag.
4. Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you.
5. God gave man free will.
6. God does not hate.
7. God loves everybody.
8. Hell's not a real place, it’s a state of mind
9. I’ll Pray for you
10. The Bible is subject to interpretation
11. Jews didn't kill Jesus - He was a Jew
12. For God so loved the world
13. Judge Not That Ye Be Not Judged
14. God don't make no junk
15. Love Thy Neighbor As Thyself
16. God loves the sinner, hates the sin
17. God doesn’t cause bad things to happen to people.
18. That's Only Old Testament Stuff
19. Accept Jesus as your personal savior

 

Ramblings of a Pagan Guy: Growing Pains

Over the years, I have found that many a person has this strange idea when it comes to the Pagan faiths. It as if as soon as one converts, they [the pagan] are thrown back to the middles ages. People also have this rather quirky notion that pots and pans turn into wands and broomsticks, that tables and chair turning to sacrificial altars and stone circles. To many people think that once one devotes themselves to the God and Goddess, reality bleeds away is magically replaced with Hogwarts schools and Weasly like houses. They also believe that our God and Goddess are just whores, or even worse the Christian devil. With this mini-set it is my hope to address these and many more misunderstood concepts so that we will be see as people too. We are not the demons some people try to make us out to be.

Before we begin, let’s be 100% honest with ourselves; growing up can be a real - well I let you choose your descriptive word there...

Forcefully being removed from a blissful world of near perfect entertainment with friends, caring for nothing and using your parents money like candy is not a super awesome thing. Being forcefully injected into a world of cold hard and unforgiving reality is not something anyone embraces either. But that's life, as they say. Traversing the sands of time towards the march of adulthood, our childhood joys are replaced with worries about puberty, voice cracking, social awkwardness, jobs, pay checks, taxes, bills, dating, Facebook and so much more. When you throw in our “glorious” technological age where every embarrassing moment can be recorded and put on YouTube in under ten seconds, one wonders how teens don’t suffer more mental break downs.

So yea, life just sucks sometimes....

When last we gathered, I wrote about how Christianity just wasn’t working for me, even at a young age. Even then I had to many question, to many thoughts that didn't add up, and to many “you will understand when you are older” comments in response. 

Having survived the test of time, and being far older now than I was then, I really find such comments insulting. Hey how about instead of dodging the question, you actually come up with some answers? This is your faith after all, isn't? How can a baby be born evil? There is no sin there, that child is the closest thing to purity humanity we will ever see. If God is sovereign and controls everything, what right does he have to punish people doing his will (be it good or bad)? If Christ was all about peace, love, helping EVERYONE, why do so many of his followers scoff at doing such?

Like I said, to many questions, zero acceptable answers.

So after much soul searching, research, and help from actual supportive people, I am now part of the Pagan fold. But what does any of this blabbering (I know I do tend to ramble on) have to do with today’s Rambling of a pagan guy? As we already know from personal experience, growing up today is not a easy thing to do. When anyone grows up willingly embracing a religion many considering "Satanic", well that just makes a bad trip worse. Today's rambling is part of the on going thing to record my experiences as a teen and young adult, and part message to the younger generation of Pagans out there. We "old heads" know what you are going threw, and we know the constant pain and mental abuse you experience at the hands of ignorance.

You are not alone.

Ramblings of a Normal Guy: How cults work

Your cult will never be as cool as Cthulhu. Or cats.

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. 

Today's posting actually came about from a Q&A session on twitter. The person in question had a lot of questions about cults. So good in fact, that I thought it would be a good idea to make a blog post about them.

Ramblings of a Pagan Guy: Answering the call

Over the years, I have found that many a person has this strange idea when it comes to the Pagan faiths. It as if as soon as one converts, they [the pagan] are thrown back to the middles ages. People also have this rather quirky notion that pots and pans turn into wands and broomsticks, that tables and chair turning to sacrificial altars and stone circles. To many people think that once one devotes themselves to the God and Goddess, reality bleeds away is magically replaced with Hogwarts schools and Weasly like houses. They also believe that our God and Goddess are just whores, or even worse the Christian devil. With this mini-set it is my hope to address these and many more misunderstood concepts so that we will be see as people too. We are not the demons some people try to make us out to be.


For Christmas this year, both my brother and I found "family tree" style decorations for mom. The past year she has really been getting into this whole genealogy thing, we both figured it was a quick and painless way to make her happy.*1 Not to mention be seen as actual caring sons!

On my brother's side, he found a very nice metal tree where the ends doubled as picture holders. It's currently hanging in the "dinnering room" if you want to call it that. For me, I found this wall design thing that can be worked and designed in any way you please. The leaves (at least that's what I think they are) also double as picture frames and can be placed where you please. It is pretty neat, and a lot bigger than the link imply. Typical of the mom attitude, she was ever so pleased with what her boys did for her. And yes, moms are the only ones allowed to over embellish things! After the normal family parties and merry wishing, Mom spent the next three months finding just the right places for her trees  and just the right photos for it. As you might have also guessed, the first photos to come out where the baby photos. A never ending supply of pictures from my birth, baptism, first steps, first time I escaped the baby play crib, confirmation and so on flowed more easily than any water or beer I've seen.  

Hell I didn't even know it was possible to have this many photos >_>

As the endless process of "yes and no" to this or that photo seemly took years to accomplish, I took notice to some slight tone changes in the way she talked. Where once she wouldn't stop talking about how fracking cute I was as a alter boy, how wonderful and blessed my first communion was, or how adorable I was at my confirmation, that all abundantly ended with the high school years. While she didn't (nor wouldn't) show any type of negativity in her voice, you could still tell there was a slight awkward uneasiness in the air. Confused at first, I suddenly hit me one night while staring at a owl statue (may it burn in hell forever). The reason, which is now clear as day, later became the inspiration for today's rambling of a pagan guy.

Ramblings of a Normal Guy: A Rambling for Gay Marriage

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.

So yea... here goes.

Religious Nuts Exposed: God Bless America (2012)

 

Awarded to the Westboro Baptist Church

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.


So, I was planning to take a break from How the WBC Fails series to take time to write about other things in my life, most importantly my faith. I really want to take the time and write about the many wonderful things my faith has gifted to me. I want to write about how it opened my eyes and calmed my mind. I want to write about how the God and Goddess has helped me so. While many others may see Paganism as of the devil, we who are actually informed, see our faith, our religion, our heart, as joining with the natural world and coming to terms with ourselves. Yes I know it's a run on sentence, but I really don't care :) For the most part, this is still the case. Ramblings of a Pagan Guy: Light and dark is sitting in my draft section ready to be finished. However, I just had to point Firefox over to twitter (and Facebook). As anyone with a desk job can tell you, this is disastrous.  

A how to guide to kill the WBC! Wut?