Westboro members get tires slashed, get no sympathy

[TL10]

Westboro protesters face jeers and slashed tires

All I can say is this.

Justice.

Sweet, sweet justice.

[HoosierGuy]

They showed up at a local city near me about a month or so ago protesting at some Catholic church. What a bunch of wackos. I think their plan is to entice people to violence. You get mad, you punch one in the face, then they sue you for lots of money. I've heard that's their game. What sick people they are. Sad.

[NeuroTypical]

Yeah. Not usually my deal, but I had to applaud Michael Moore for the various funny and sarcastic ways he counterprotested these horrible people.

[pam]

We are taught to be tolerant of other religions. This is one group that I have an extremely hard time following this counsel. A group that calls themselves Christians having no respect at all for the families that have lost loved ones. What is Christ like about that?

[FunkyTown]

We are taught to be tolerant of other religions. This is one group that I have an extremely hard time following this counsel. A group that calls themselves Christians having no respect at all for the families that have lost loved ones. What is Christ like about that?

I tolerate and respect those with the religious conviction of the Westboro Baptist church. I also tolerate and respect those with the religious conviction to slash the tires and have an entire town not replace said tires.

Respect!

[pam]

I tolerate and respect those with the religious conviction of the Westboro Baptist church. I also tolerate and respect those with the religious conviction to slash the tires and have an entire town not replace said tires.

Respect!

Then you are a much better person than I am FT and I bow down to you. I have no respect for the members of the Westboro Baptist Church.

[hordak]

While i don't agree with what he has to say i would expect the members of this board, most of us belonging to a religion whose early members and leader faced vigilant "justice" due to a difference of religious belief with the mainstream Christianity at the time, to be more understanding and sympathetic to the situation.

Reminds me of the protesters at the gate when i was still in the service. My supervise used to get so mad and criticism them at work because he didn't agree with what they had to say. I loved them. Not because i shared their views but because they were an indication that the rights we fought for were being protected and used.

So while i think this church is way off base i recognize that the fact they can spew such hate that conflicts with popular opinion means means other churches who belief conflict with popular opinion have the right to voice their beliefs.

[pam]

You do make a good point Hordak. I must ponder on this. I probably need to repent too. :)

[Wingnut]

Westboro protesters face jeers and slashed tires

All I can say is this.

Justice.

Sweet, sweet justice.

If that's the only thing you can think to say, well then I'd have to say that your immaturity is glaring. Whether or not you think these people deserve this (and perhaps they do), to be taunting, snide, and prideful about it is not any more Christlike than their insensitive agenda. They are still our brothers and sisters, and children of God.

Shame on you.

[Blackmarch]

While on one side there is a funny poetic justice to this, doing stuff like tire slashing won't help... and i doubt that doing counter protesting is much help either.

Besides to me when a group decides to band to gether like that somewhere, no matter the side or issue, as a protest it always reminds me of the mobocraty in which the saints had to endure early on... and so the message i always get is that the target of such protest is threat with militistic/terrorist violence.

[HoosierGuy]

Christianity is not their game. It's something else. Something bad. Their freedom of speech should be protected, but something needs to be done about these thugs.

[TL10]

Christianity is not their game. It's something else. Something bad. Their freedom of speech should be protected, but something needs to be done about these thugs.

As a whole, I myself agree that Freedom of Speech needs to be protected but at the same time I think it as a right and a privilege. You don't go around abusing that power by making these vulgar protests. Besides, these soldiers fought for their rights and freedoms. Westboro should at least open their eyes and ears and acknowledge that. I don't car if they protest against the war, just as long as they present their (if there are any) valid arguments in a calm and respectable manner.

Hopefully, these guys don't go further and come up here into Canada to do the same routine as we take our fallen soldiers down the 'Highway of Heroes'. That would just sicken me if they did.

[Elphaba]

I don't car if they protest against the war, just as long as they present their (if there are any) valid arguments in a calm and respectable manner.

They're not protesting the/any war. They're using dead soldiers' funerals as a venue to protest any and all gay rights.

From Wiki:

The group bases its work around the belief expressed by its best known slogan and the address of its primary Web site, God Hates Fags, asserting that every tragedy in the world is linked to homosexuality—specifically society's increasing tolerance and acceptance of the so-called homosexual agenda.The group maintains that God hates gays above all other kinds of "sinners"and that homosexuality should be a capital crime.

Later: I forgot to add that they also protested at President Hinckley's funeral. Again, from the Wik article:

On February 2, 2008, the group picketed during the funeral of former LDS Church president Gordon B. Hinckley in Salt Lake City, Utah, displaying picket signs criticizing him for being a "lying false prophet" and "leading millions of people astray." The organization also criticized Hinckley for being too accepting of gay people, accusing him of having an ambiguous voice about homosexuality rather than taking a firm stand against it.

They're despicable people.

Elphaba

Edited November 18, 2010 by Elphaba

[bytor2112]

They should count their blessings....worse things might have been done than tire slashing.

[FunkyTown]

As a whole, I myself agree that Freedom of Speech needs to be protected but at the same time I think it as a right and a privilege. You don't go around abusing that power by making these vulgar protests. Besides, these soldiers fought for their rights and freedoms. Westboro should at least open their eyes and ears and acknowledge that. I don't car if they protest against the war, just as long as they present their (if there are any) valid arguments in a calm and respectable manner.

Hopefully, these guys don't go further and come up here into Canada to do the same routine as we take our fallen soldiers down the 'Highway of Heroes'. That would just sicken me if they did.

Reasonable people adapt to the world around them, TL.

Unreasonable people try to force the world to adapt to them.

Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.

The Westboro folks are unreasonable people. They're trying to change the world. They could have picked any sin and railed against it in the same manner - Lying, for instance. If they protested at funerals that lies are hated above all other sins - that any country that accepted lies or gave rights to liars or that liars should face capital punishment - then those people would most likely be laughed off the face of the earth and ignored. They chose a specific sin designed to cause anger.

Whether they chose this particular sin because they truly do have a warped view on 'degrees of sin' or if they chose this because it's controversial, I don't know.

Regardless, they chose this particular sin and it antagonizes a lot of people.

They show up when people are at their most vulnerable, during the deaths of loved ones, and they berate them. What they hope to accomplish by that, I'm uncertain. There are theories.

I also won't condemn someone who, when their emotions are running a roller-coaster, strike back and slash tires. I wouldn't choose to do it, but I certainly empathize with someone's need to do so and feel they shouldn't be punished for such a mild reprisal.

Ultimately, freedom implies responsibility. If there is no responsibility, you have no freedom - Only anarchy. The Westboro people's irresponsible use of free speech is being met with the irresponsible use of destructive reprisal. There's culpability in both parts.

[Traveler]

As much as this may pain a lot of forum members I disagree greatly in demonizing Westboro members in a setting and a forum where there are non to defend that position. From what I understand I do not support their position but I have never talked to or heard their reasons.

As we talk about what it is to be Christian? What does the scriptures (Christian scripture) say about condemning someone before you have heard them. I have only heard other talk about the Westboro Christians - until I have heard them I will personally with hold judgement.

I would also point out that it is a fundimental element of our justice to allow a person to speak in their defence before we condemn what they have done.

The Traveler

Edited November 18, 2010 by Traveler

[Soulsearcher]

As much as this may pain a lot of forum members I disagree greatly in demonizing Westboro members in a setting and a forum where there are non to defend that position. From what I understand I do not support their position but I have never talked to or heard their reasons.

As we talk about what it is to be Christian? What does the scriptures (Christian scripture) say about condemning someone before you have heard them. I have only heard other talk about the Westboro Christians - until I have heard them I will personally with hold judgement.

I would also point out that it is a fundimental element of our justice to allow a person to speak in their defence before we condemn what they have done.

The Traveler

I'd think the Fact that they have made their position very clear via websites, public appearances and court battles has allowed them to speak for themselves very well. In fact they have made it very easy to know exactly what they say and believe, that's the entire purpose behind their very public activities. It's not like we are talking about some hidden sect that's never made a public statement. This group has made it very hard not to know who they are and what they stand for, just like they did when they protested at president Hinckley's funeral.

[TL10]

As much as this may pain a lot of forum members I disagree greatly in demonizing Westboro members in a setting and a forum where there are non to defend that position. From what I understand I do not support their position but I have never talked to or heard their reasons.

As we talk about what it is to be Christian? What does the scriptures (Christian scripture) say about condemning someone before you have heard them. I have only heard other talk about the Westboro Christians - until I have heard them I will personally with hold judgement.

I would also point out that it is a fundimental element of our justice to allow a person to speak in their defence before we condemn what they have done.

The Traveler

I'd think the Fact that they have made their position very clear via websites, public appearances and court battles has allowed them to speak for themselves very well. In fact they have made it very easy to know exactly what they say and believe, that's the entire purpose behind their very public activities. It's not like we are talking about some hidden sect that's never made a public statement. This group has made it very hard not to know who they are and what they stand for, just like they did when they protested at president Hinckley's funeral.

I have to admit, I feel slightly guilty for having an angst against Westboro, but it's hard not to have one when they act like this in Public as Soul said.

It's like (although on an entirely different scale) the 9/11 Terrorists. You want to be tolerant and forgiving, but it's just impossible to do so with their actions they're making in the world.

[FunkyTown]

No problem, Traveler! We'll let the Westboro Baptists themselves state what their positions are quite cleanly.

Please visit their website, of which I am uncertain I can post the link. It states in no uncertain terms what their position is.

Once you get their reasons, you can come back and be able to tell whether what they're doing is correct or not.

I'm all for free speech, and I don't hate these people, but these people do have very skewed opinions.

As much as this may pain a lot of forum members I disagree greatly in demonizing Westboro members in a setting and a forum where there are non to defend that position. From what I understand I do not support their position but I have never talked to or heard their reasons.

As we talk about what it is to be Christian? What does the scriptures (Christian scripture) say about condemning someone before you have heard them. I have only heard other talk about the Westboro Christians - until I have heard them I will personally with hold judgement.

I would also point out that it is a fundimental element of our justice to allow a person to speak in their defence before we condemn what they have done.

The Traveler