My friend and fellow proponent of separation of church and state, Deborah, has an incredibly informative web site that I have mentioned here before. It is God Discussion.com. A forum for everyone to discuss God without exclusion – whether you are Atheist, Christian, non-Christian of any number of beliefs or non-beliefs…God Discussion welcomes constructive conversation about God/god.
On that note…tonight Deborah is hosting Shirley Phelps-Roper of the Westboro Baptist Church. She has asked me to join her as a co-host in the latter part of the discussion.
WBC is known for their extreme intolerance and overt hate speech. Their unyielding call for the eradication of homosexuals. Their heartless and insensitive picketing at the funerals of fallen soldiers while the grave side ceremonies are actually taking place. It is an extremism that most cannot fathom. But without dialogue, without listening, we never learn. So we are looking forward to hearing what Mrs. Roper has to share with us tonight, even though we are prepared to be repulsed by their hate in the name of Christianity. Deborah announces tonight’s show…
If you cannot join us live, Deborah always posts the archived podcast, and this one will most definitely be posted as a YouTube as well. I know that for most it is hard to listen to this type of rhetoric. But remember, as extreme and obsessive as these folks are in demonstrating their ideology, there is a frightening parallel to the Christian Dominionists who present themselves as more palatable (dare I say) than the Westboro congregation, but who share more of their viewpoints than makes me rest comfortably.
Anti-homosexual is at the top of their shared heap. Anti-government. Anti-public education. Pursuit of a theocratic dominance.
You see where I am going. The similarities are shocking. WBC is simply more animated…
I am so glad you will be a part of this, Leah! Thanks so much.
My respect for all that you do demands no less. We are both so much on the same page. Regardless of what is slung at us, or contrived and presented as our motivation for what we do…we KNOW that what we seek is the right to believe. Truly believe…no matter what that means to the individual – without fear of harassment, attacks, manipulation or theocratic rule. That quest takes us down winding paths, some of which are more difficult to understand than others…and this one tonight is just that for both of us and so many. Thank you for your tireless dedication!
You have a lot of courage and the ability to control nausea to have a conversation with the likes of Shirley Phelps. I'd rather find a bat in my bed any day,lol.
I am thinking that there may be an underlying reason why I found a bat in my bed…:)
We are intact…and I think we had a truly enlightening conversation…thank you. I really do appreciate what you are saying.
Anti-homosexual is at the top of their shared heap. Anti-government. Anti-public education. Pursuit of a theocratic dominance.
Don't forget anti-Jewish/anti-Judaism/anti-Semitic hate. godhatestheworld.com
Mrs. Roper was a lot more..how shall I say….calmer than I thought she would be. My mother found Roper's train of thought confusing, and at the end of the broadcast I felt that while Mrs. Roper is highly intelligent, she was just plain confusing to follow, at least to me, and her theology is hotly contested in the academic theological circles I am conversant with. I thought it was funny how she called everybody "Hon," and maybe the reason for her calmness was that she felt herself in "teaching mode," because we were all genuinely interested in what she had to say. She felt the sincerity, I think.