Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Skycomet the Fallen Angel on March 4, 2011 at 12:54pm

Michael... They WANT you to react with outrage! The way they initially emerged on the world stage was by organizing an extremely offensive and outlandish protest against gays in the 80s or 90s. When the world reacted with enormous amounts of outrage it only made fred MORE powerful! Conversely, if we allow him his stage and no one shows up to listen, we are respecting the first amendment and removing his power at the same time. Since his source of power is negative attention, ignoring him is the best option, imo.

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Permalink Reply by Les M on March 7, 2011 at 12:32am

The people to protest are the judges that made the ruling I would say. we don't have justice with the system is corrupt no matter what we do unless the system is changed to one that represents working people and the poor as well as it does the well connected and wealthy.

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Permalink Reply by Apple on March 2, 2011 at 2:36pm

I have no intention of silencing them. The are the Christian Al Qaeda and they actually do a great service to our cause. You are free to dislike them, but not to silence them.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Andrews on March 2, 2011 at 2:46pm

......I suppose you're right, Apple!  How can I "dislike" them with vehemence?!

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Permalink Reply by Daria Black on March 2, 2011 at 4:27pm

As much as I dislike the Westboro Baptist Church, I have to agree with this. Fundamentalist Christians are their own worst enemy and they do more to turn people away from religion than they do to recruit for their god. I say let people see what their religion really looks like. It's ugly but that's what you are supporting with all of your god speak.

 

I do think that there should be counter protests whenever and wherever they show up. There was one group whose name escapes me that prevented the WBC from disrupting a funeral. They made angel wings and formed a line holding the wings up so that people couldn't see the picket signs. They didn't say anything to the members of the group. Just turned their backs on them, held up the wings and let the people attending the funeral have some peace.

 

If people start peacefully blocking their efforts on a consistent basis eventually they will give up because they won't be able to get the attention they desperately need to stay relevant to their fringe believers.

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Permalink Reply by greengeekgirl on March 3, 2011 at 3:57am

I love some of the counter-protests that people stage. They don't even have to be BIG protests--a few people with clever signs show up, get photos snapped, and make them look like fools. Most people are not as extreme as WBC, so as long as they continue to be undermined at every turn, I don't worry *too much* about them gaining a foothold.

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Permalink Reply by Skycomet the Fallen Angel on March 4, 2011 at 1:00pm

CAREFUL!! If you prevent them from being able to be heard or seen at all, you could end up on the wrong end of one of Fred Phelp's famous lawsuit cases! The man has a history of education in law, and it's not a good idea to mess with him there.

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Permalink Reply by scLovely on March 3, 2011 at 12:53am

I think the same thing. I know christians that hate the actions of WBC. I think it helps them realize how ridiculous religion can make some people.

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Permalink Reply by Skycomet the Fallen Angel on March 4, 2011 at 12:58pm

Agreed! Christianity is slowly self-destructing because of fundies and radicals that cannot be divorced from christian docrine without tearing the church's foundation to shreds.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Andrews on March 2, 2011 at 3:06pm

I'm all for that!

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Permalink Reply by Violet Chartreuse on March 2, 2011 at 3:10pm

 

They make me sick, too....which is why I counter-protest with them when I can.

While it is true that they will not go away no matter what opposition they recieve, I think they are a valuable tool to the Atheist community.  They an opportunity to spotlight what religion is and who it is that stands on the side of God.  They are a lightning bolt for publicity.  I think we can go one step further than making them look ridiculous, and that would be to make ALL religion look ridiculous.

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Permalink Reply by BadHandshakers on March 2, 2011 at 3:42pm

I don't think we need to slience them at all, but instead deprive them of all sorts of attention(including this) that they thrive on and can't do without. Then their family, which the church consists mostly of, would collapse on itself from inner conflicts and cease to exist.

 

I was watching videos of WBC on youtube and people in the comments were asking for them to be killed because they defamed christianity and completely overlooked the element of irony there. Their spokeswoman Shirly Phelps' been interviewed by Fox news only to be yelled at for showing Christianity for its true colors, and Fox anchors basically shouting that their interpretation of the bible is the right one not hers.

 

And I just hope they won't wind up like David Koresh the proclaimed massiah of the Branch Davidian sect who was allegedly accused of molesting children of his own in the compound he resided in Texas, which he and the children among other members were found dead in after the FBI put them on fire.

 

 www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZJwSjor4hM

 

This is the best yet interview I've seen of Shirley Phelps who claims that a hacktivist group called Anonymous is involved in blocking and putting down their websites, they disclaim that but then put a message up on the churchs' website during the interview after she tells him that he's probably going to hell. 

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