After reviewing both “Did You Know” videos, I was intrigued by the information that I was not aware of. Certainly understanding that there are more gifted children in India than there are children in total in the United States is incomprehensible to the human mind in terms of number. When considering the fact that all college graduates speak English, it confirms my deepest fear for this country and the lack of “effort” or need to push our school students to a higher level. Indeed the fact that most schools have now eliminated Valedictorian due to so many children now qualifying for the honor because of the lowering of standards.
I posted the link to my facebook page and had several interesting conversations sans computer, the lack of common knowledge, the lack of need to go look for this knowledge, the ignoring of significant issues at hand in our society that affect each and every one of us is frightening. I am one that needs to know as much as I can consume, my legal rights, my social responsibilities, my integrity are all important and I teach these things to my children. As they sat, watched and realized that what took almost thirty years for TV to become mainstream and only four for the computer, the exponential times we do indeed live in are scary, exciting and unknown as we try to comprehend the volume of reproduction that will have a causality of becoming uncontrollable, possibly in the near future. Who watches the Watchmen?
I embrace technology with open arms, however I also keep my ability and knowledge on how to survive without it held in even importance, the dependance we have now established on it is certainly a predictable downfall of our society if anything catastrophic was to ever happen.
Thanks for keeping this enjoyable and challenging.
The Westboro Baptist Church held its first service on November 27, 1955. Its leader, Fred Phelps, claims that he is the head of the “Reformed Church” and fallows the ideology of Calvinism. It’s important to understand the five principles of Calvinism and how these people think to explain their actions and protests of Military and celebrity funerals.
Including such funerals as Ronald Reagan, Princess Diana, Sonny Bono, The Reverend Jerry Fallwell and any military funeral they can find, the members of this church (mostly family members of Fred Phelps) picket and protest these final goodbyes with the theology of Calvinism by adhering to these five points; (gotquestions.org)
1. Total depravity: The belief that as a consequence of mans fall into sin, every person born into this world is enslaved to sin. People are not by nature inclined to love God, but rather inclined to serve their own interests and reject the rule of God.
2. Unconditional Election: W.B.C. members believe that God has chosen from eternity those whom he will bring to Himself. God has chosen to extend mercy to the few He has picked and chooses to withhold mercy from those not chosen. Those not chosen will only receive wrath that is warranted for their sins against God.
3. Limited Atonement: Jesus’ subsequent atonement was definite and certain in its design and accomplishment. Basically stating that Jesus died only for the chosen.
4. Irresistible Grace: This belief asserts that the saving grace of God is only applied to those chosen.
5. Perseverence of the Saints: This refers to all of those set apart from God. Those who “frustrate” God will fall away because they never had true faith to begin with and those “chosen” can recognize the “false believers” and condemns those who believe otherwise.
In their own words (Fred Phelps mouth) (www.adl.org) we hear the bastardization of God’s word in statements concerning particular groups. “All gays & lesbians are liars and murderers at heart, like their father, Satan.” , “On Feb. 1 this sorry smear of Hamitic Sludge who sold his black soul to the Courthouse Whore ordered a fellow black murderer…released without bond & without an AIDS test!” , “Any church that allows fags to be members in good standing is a fag church… Any church that ordains fags is a fag church…Any church that marries fags is a fag church…Churches…like the Southern Baptists and Assembly of God churches are as much to blame as the out of the closet fag churches…Why? Because they have created an atmosphere in this world where people believe the lie that God loves everybody. This soul-damning lie is the reason that fags are so out-spoken today.”, “Thank God for Tsunami. Thank God for 3,000 dead Americans! Yes! Thank God for Sept. 11 and 3,000 dead sodomite Americans in 2001. God sent the Muslim planes to destroy fag New York’s twin towers and hurl 3,000 vile Americans into Hell. Even so, God sent Tsunami last week to execute vengeance upon another 3,000, carcasses swallowed up in Asian jungles, and concerning each of whom it shall be said: ‘He shall be buried with the burial of an ass.’ Jer. 22:19”
For this reason, the insanity, the condemnation of all others except Fred Phelps own family, and the complete lack of common sense has established this group as” those to keep a close eye on” by the Anti Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center. Described by them as “Virulently Homophobic”, the W.B.C. ranks in the top ten lists of hate groups in America. (Huffingtonpost.com)
In October of 1998, Matthew Shepard was heinously beaten, robbed of not only his money, but his dignity too when tied to a fence and beaten so severely his brain stem was lacerated, because he was gay. Westboro Baptist Church first gained notoriety at his funeral with the signs you see in these pictures.
In 2011, Apple founder Steve Jobs dies of pancreatic cancer. Westboro Baptist Church not only protests, but releases the statement, “God sent the cancer so this black loving, fag endorsing, Jew supporting heretic could go straight to Hell.”
On December 7, 2010, Elizabeth Edwards, Wife of Presidential Candidate John Edwards, dies of Breast cancer, and again , Westboro pickets her funeral claiming her support of Gay marriage caused God to send her cancer, all while embroiled in a scandal concerning her husband and an affair while she has cancer.
One of the biggest protests was that of Lance Corporal Matthew Snyder, who died from an I.E.D. (Improvised explosive device) while protecting and serving his country. The protest of this funeral went all the way to the Supreme Court. In an 8 – 1 decision protected the first amendment rights of Westboro due to their non violent activities.
In 2011, 69 people were shot and killed in Norway, while not clear if the church ever made it to the memorial, Fred Phelps released the statement, and “God sent the Shooter”
In 2011 we also have Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of the Jewish Holy Year, and in its infinite wisdom, W.B.C. protests The Illinois Holocaust Museum as a slap in the face of the Jewish community during its most Holy part of the year.
On January 8, 2011, the Tucson Massacre occurred, where 19 people are shot, six fatally, including a 9 year old child. Picketing five of these funerals, W.B.C. agrees not to disturb the funeral of 9 year old Christina Taylor Green in exchange for air time on a local radio show.
Westboro also picketed the funeral of Michael Jackson in 2011. Members of the church also recorded a song titled “God Hates the World” – an adaptation of Jackson’s charity single “We are the World”
In May of 2011, Joplin Missouri experienced an f5 tornado, killing 162 people. Westboro Baptist Church not only went to Joplin, but timed it as President Obama visited the devastation occurred by this massive twister, the power of which had not been seen since 1896. In their hate ridden rhetoric, W.B.C. Releases the statement, “Barrack Obama is the antichrist and forms an unholy trinity with Satan and Pope Benedict XVI, whom we believe is THE false prophet predicted in the Bible.”
I realize that Westboro Baptist Church has a first Amendment Right to say whatever they choose. But the inherent social responsibility we all have dictates that just because we CAN do something doesn’t mean we should. We all are entitled the rights as an American citizen to stand up and say something is wrong when we witness or experience injustice. To use this as a stepping stone for a personal agenda is not only reprehensible, but really shows the actual intelligence of W.B.C. arguments, as they make no sense and often conflict with each other depending on what they can accomplish on any given day.
In defense of the First Amendment, the fallowing argument was levied;
“Westboro Baptist Church provides the ultimate test of our commitment to Freedom of Speech. That organization is headed by an unpopular preacher who chastens his audience, warning listeners not only of the temporal consequences for disobeying God but of eternal punishment in the world to come.
Fred Phelps and his congregation have spread this message through faxes; broadcasts; and, most famously, pickets for over 19 years.
Phelps’ preaching is characterized by utter contempt for most of humanity. For all his sneering, however, he is correct in at least one matter: he has a right to preach his message unmolested, and the members of his church have a right to carry their signs and sing their jingles pretty much anywhere they want without fear for their safety.
It isn’t far-fetched to argue that how we treat the most “intolerable” people in our midst is a good measure of how much we value everyone else. If we persecute such folks, inflicting unnecessary hardship on them and curtailing their fundamental rights, we are merely opening ourselves to judgment by the same measure. “– Anonymous (www.the righttobewrong.net)
Personally, I find this statement, in theory, correct, however, due to the hate filled speech, and the condemnation of everyone but themselves, it loses all power and strength due to the people servicing this insane leader and his need to be, first and foremost, in the national spotlight.
One of my concerns in its teachings and actions is the children involved in these protests. Is this child abuse? What does this do to a child psychologically and when do we stop the evolution of hate spread from generation to generation that accomplishes nothing but pain and sorrow, this is no positivity and value to any of their actions, and I certainly believe these actions are grounds for investigation by the authorities of child abuse.
Beyond anyone’s belief in a God, we know that the Christian Religion has as a whole a peaceful message of love and acceptance of all of God’s creatures. I certainly think that there will be a time for atonement for Fred Phelps, as he has obviously bastardized the word of God for his own profit and notoriety in the public eye, what I refer to as a “media whore”.
I chose to bring forth this presentation due to the fact that a lot of the reasons why Westboro does what it does is not understood and often dismissed by the whole of our society as “crazy people doing crazy things”, but I for one believe that we should all be very aware of this group and ones like it because they are very dangerous and should be kept under close scrutiny due to its hate speech and superiority complex.
In my opinion the members of Westboro Baptist Church are the ultimate traitors to this nation. To condemn and judge those who have died in the service of our country, thus giving them the right to do the things they do, they should be charged with traitorous acts ,sent down the road, stood against a wall, and shot for betraying everything this country holds dear, our American soldiers fighting for the freedom they take for granted.
There are a few positives to mention, Michigan banned any disruption of funerals in 2006, with a penalty of up to 2 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Indiana enacted a unanimous vote of a law making it a felony to come within 500 feet of a funeral. Illinois enacted the “Let them Rest in Peace act” making it a felony punishable by up to a year in jail if disrupting a military funeral.
On May 29, 2006, President George W. Bush signed into law the “Respect for Americas Fallen Heroes Act”, (www.highbeam.com) prohibiting within 300 feet the entrance of any cemetery under control of the National Cemetery Administration from 60 minutes before and 60 minutes after a funeral.
In closing, the best action we can take against these heretics is to not allow them the opportunity to receive any more attention than they already have. As it is this attention that keeps their momentum pushing forward, taking it away from them is our greatest challenge, and doing it in a way that does not give them any more power than what their “God” gives them.
I for one smiled when I read the fallowing story; (pastoralmusings.com)
A couple of days before, one of them (Westboro protestors) ran his mouth at a Brandon gas station and got his arse waxed. Police were called and the beaten man could not give much of a description of who beat him. When they canvassed the station and spoke to the large crowd that had gathered around, no one seemed to remember anything about what had happened.
Rankin County handled this thing perfectly. There were many things that were put into place that most will never know about and at great expense to the county.
Most of the morons never made it out of their hotel parking lot. It seems that certain Rankin county pickup trucks were parked directly behind any car that had Kansas plates in the hotel parking lot and the drivers mysteriously disappeared until after the funeral was over. Police were called but their wrecker service was running behind and it was going to be a few hours before they could tow the trucks so the Kansas plated cars could get out.
A few made it to the funeral but were ushered away to be questioned about a crime they might have possibly been involved in. Turns out, after a few hours of questioning, that they were not involved and they were allowed to go on about their business.
Fred Phelps, the disbarred lawyer and Democrat activist who leads the Westboro congregation, will undoubtedly pursue some form of legal action for the way his people were thwarted in Brandon. Let him try. There isn’t a jury in Mississippi which will see things his way.
This is a template for how to handle the Westboro people. If lawsuits don’t work, other means will. Whatever it takes to keep them from harassing bereaved military families on the day their fallen loved ones are laid to rest.
We, the members of the Mojo family,
feel that your actions and rhetoric as a self professed leader
of the black community are in fact detrimental to the very
people you claim to represent.
We also feel that as a result you do much to undermind the well-being
and harmony of the United States as a whole. You kind of work for
the advancement of the black community and you speak from a position
that the black population cannot advance itself socially, politically
or economically because an immovable object, the white establishment,
forever blocks its path
Yet you preach further support such as welfare and affirmative action
that put members of the population in a position of dependency and
reliance on the establishment
You bask in the glow of the media spot light, you passionately decree
that racism and prejudice are alive today as they were four hundred
years ago, but does this do anything to reverse it’s effect?
No one with the intelligence will deny that a great atrocity was committed
against the black race at the hands of white settlers of this country,
but a wound cannot heal if it is continuously re-opened
That is to say, that it will heal but it will take much longer and the
scar it leaves will be grotesque and raise high on the skin
A true leader leads by example and the example you have shown is not one
of strength of character, self-reliance, commitment to excellence or
personal accountability
It’s these traits that are necessary to advance oneself as an individual
It is only as strong courageous and moral individuals that any race can
live the quality of life that it chooses
We give our deepest respect to the true leaders:
Alan Keys, J.C. Watts, Tony Brown, and Dr. Walter Williams
Men who never deny their heritage but are proud to be first and
foremost a part of the human race
fafafooie 