Westboro Baptist Church

[Mizuti]

They forget that the old testament that they are pulling most of this stuff from also says things like don't cut your hair or eat animal fat.

First off, here's a link to the 613 Commandments of the Old Testament: http://www.jewfaq.org/613.htm

Second, these people don't seem to realize that every one of those 613 was set aside in the New Testament, specifically Matthew 22:36-40. It's one of the most memorable excerpts in the entire Book:
"Teacher, which command in God's Law is the most important?" Jesus said, "'Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.' This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: 'Love others as well as you love yourself.' These two commands are pegs; everything in God's Law and the Prophets hangs from them."

I feel as though that pretty much sums up one of the key aspects of Christianity that these people seem to have forgotten. A few more things on topic:

http://members.aol.com/DrSwiney/gensem.html -- This is a very good article by Deirdre Good, who teaches New Testament at an Episcopal Seminary... specifically on the topic of homosexuality and many peoples' condemnation of it based on the Bible.

http://www.uwgb.edu/DutchS/pscindx.htm -- This is a HUGE site, fair warning. But it's a series of articles written over a wide range of topics by Steven Dutch, a professor of Natural and Applied Sciences at the University of Wisconsin- Green Bay. There's a huge number of articles here, but the big ones to look at are the ones concerning with what's wrong with both hardcore intellectuals and hardcore religious fanatics.

Another thing that people often forget is that the Jewish are not only a religion, but an ethnic group as well. Because of this, it would make sense that they guard against homosexuality not because it is inherently wrong or sinful, but because they must preserve their race. Looking at the history, I feel as though it's safe to say that the Jews have gotten the short end of the stick for a ridiculously long time.

I personally am not Christian. However, I feel that it's important to substantiate one's opinions with evidence. Also, despite being a nonChristian, I personally feel that the Bible is a text containing many good insights and many good guidelines for ways to live one's life. The Westboro Baptist Church's interpretation is something I strongly disagree with.

 

[Stine]

Mizuti, thank you for all that information. I will read through more of it later.

 

[Linhjah]

You can't deal with the Westboro Baptist Church. Period. The only thing I want from these fucks it them on the ground bleeding/dying and begging for mercy. These people are like a cancer, and the only way to get rid of a cancer is to cut it out or burn it.

Just firebomb their compound with them inside. Problem solved.

Jeebus, SJ... I think that is a horrible idea. Not becuase I'm trying to take the moral highroad, but because it would just martyr them.

 

[RaidrX]

http://www.jewfaq.org/613.htm

Am I the only one that laughed at this url?

 

[Realia]

[In response to Alys response to me]
You can be a good person and not be religious, obviously, but even then you have to have a set of morals and some sort of conscious. Whether you believe humans are innately good or bad I believe everyone has a little voice in the back of their heads, whether they listen to it or not is another question. But even on that note, the definition of 'good' can be twisted any number of ways even to the point where your definition of bad is someone else's definition of good. Society is the one that sets the definitions and laws tell you to follow them and if you don't you're punished for it.

As for religion itself there is no way that you can just make people stop believing, at least in the world we're living in. To those that believe in religion knowing there is something or someone out there that watches over us and (sometimes) wants to help us is very comforting. It can make life easier than believing in nothing.

Aw shit, I forgot what else I was going to say. >_<

The problem, the true problem, I have with religion is the logic. I cannot just take things on faith and faith alone. There isn't enough proof and, while I appreciate the fundamental morals and ideas presented in the bible, I see it as just a book. It has, however, become a staple of every aspect of life. I'm not sure where God, Jesus, or Christianity fits into the Government--yet it does somehow. I'm not sure how God, Jesus, or Christianity fits into public schools--yet it does somehow. I'm not sure how God, Jesus, or Christianity fits into voting for a democratic or republican nomination--yet it does somehow.

Christianity is, as much as big business is, a guilty party in running this nation into the problems it's in right now. Not the sole perpetrator, but a back burner party that is doing more harm than good.

Just because it's religion doesn't mean there shouldn't be logic. Take a religious philosophy course sometime, it's all about religious logic. And yes, unfortunately religion is a big thing in politics as well even though it shouldn't be. Does being a Catholic or Muslim mean you can't be a good politician or even president? I don't think so, but with the number of Protestant Christians living in the US and the ignorance of people and unwillingness to be open minded or open to new ideas (especially when people hear Muslim they think 'terrorist') it's really hard to keep politics out of the debate. Morals are based in religion or at least that's where a number of people learn them from, whether they know it or not. It's unfortunate that Bush won't fund stem cell research because his views based in religion that could potentially help people that need transplants.

(Damn distractions, lost my train of thought again. ;_; )

 

[Realia]

However, something that enraged me was when he recently had Richard Dawkins on the program. He described one of the team leaders of the Human Genome Project (I forget the name, sadly) as "not a bright man at all" simply because he is a believer in God. I find that view just as repugnant as those "God-fearing Christians" who condemn, rather than assist and love (as they should be doing) who they feel are doing some wrong in the world. <-- Might not have come out as I intended it to sound, sorry.

I saw a debate of his in my philosophy class. And I believe it's the leader of the HGP that is a firm believer in God because of his work in the HGP. He is a big prick to Christians and believers in God. If you want to, you might want to look up Christopher Hitchens and his brother Peter; Christopher is an avid left wing atheist and his brother is a hard core right wing Christian. I was fortunate enough to see their recent debate in Grand Rapids on April 3rd. It was a fantastic debate. If anyone wants to check it out here's a better version of basically what I got on tape as well. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmnVQLOd9Lg

 

[Halifirien]

I've gotta wonder wonder what those Westboro idiots think of Ben Stein's latest project, Expelled. I wonder how they feel about trying to ram Intelligent Design into science classrooms where it doesn't belong.

 

[Tristam Green]

I've gotta wonder wonder what those Westboro idiots think of Ben Stein's latest project, Expelled. I wonder how they feel about trying to ram Intelligent Design into science classrooms where it doesn't belong.

Something tells me they dislike him because he's a Jew [/shocker].

 

[Trippyhippy]

Honestly though, to the aetheists, are you REALLY going to sit on your deathbed and not once try the old "Ok I see the light now!" ? For a cheap hope that there may be something better when you die?

Belief in god is not a choice. You can either believe or not, but it is based on many things, none of which I have control over. I was devestated when I realized I didn't believe in god. I felt like I had been lied to by everyone that was important to me. If it was my choice, I would believe in god because that is the much easier answer.

I sincerely hope all aetheists will stick to their guns when their time is coming. I am not a hardcore anything, I'm just not a very big fans of young kids who have yet to really see the world being 300% liberal and "free minded 1969 hippy wannabes" and aetheist blah blah blah and then completely changing when they grow up and becoming hypocrites.

Conforming.

300% Liberal huh? I wish.

I can see you saying that word with the sneer on your face... liberal.

I don't understand that. By definition, the word liberal is nothing but a good thing.

 

[Uzor]

ya, I've known about these idiots for a while. I'm convinced they must be an anti-relugion group making a satire of religion it something, cause they certainly don't make people want to become religious. And I won't mention my religious views, as that will start a debate.

Btw, while it true that two men can't procreate, two women actually can, albeit not naturally. With todays science, you can actually create sperms out of cells taken from your spine, as these cells can be changed to fit any role in the body, such as becoming heart or liver cells. With these cells, you can take them from one lesbian woman, scientifically turn it in to sperm, and then inseminate her partner, thus making both of them parents to a true bilogical child. Naturally, they can only create female offspring this way. You can use the same method to make a sterile male the father of his own offspring.

 

[Uzor]

oh, apparently this has slready become a religious debate. Guess I'll join in when I come home. Writing essays on iPod isn't really an option <.<

 

[Tristam Green]

Honestly though, to the aetheists, are you REALLY going to sit on your deathbed and not once try the old "Ok I see the light now!" ? For a cheap hope that there may be something better when you die?

Even if they did....

by that time it wouldn't make much of a difference, unless they actually meant it.


Congratulations, you just made yourself out to look as bad, or worse, than these fruitcakes.

 

[K. Ishitar]

ya, I've known about these idiots for a while. I'm convinced they must be an anti-relugion group making a satire of religion it something, cause they certainly don't make people want to become religious. And I won't mention my religious views, as that will start a debate.

Btw, while it true that two men can't procreate, two women actually can, albeit not naturally. With todays science, you can actually create sperms out of cells taken from your spine, as these cells can be changed to fit any role in the body, such as becoming heart or liver cells. With these cells, you can take them from one lesbian woman, scientifically turn it in to sperm, and then inseminate her partner, thus making both of them parents to a true bilogical child. Naturally, they can only create female offspring this way. You can use the same method to make a sterile male the father of his own offspring.

sounds dangerous, usually anything involving the spine is...

like spinal tap? You need that fluid for other stuff

and what do you mean true biological child? one could see it as fission in a greater extent

 

[Uzor]

as in, not adopted or from the other person in your relationhip. Meaning you are the biological parent, eventhough it would be otherwise impossible.

 

[Tymon]

I wouldn't do that, mostly because of the extreme lack of knowledge surrounding that subject. If I was going to have a child I would want to get as close as I can to a guarantee of being born a healthy, non-deformed baby.

 

[Uzor]

Its still in the early stages and nowhere near being released to the general public. Nor is it being researched as an alternative for people to get babies. The main point, and why its being researched, is to resurrect extinct creatures as its a much cheaper simpler way of cloning by simply taking live DNA from the spine of an extinct creature that isn't all TOO old (read: not dinosaurs) and inseminate it in to a similar creature today, or to help creatures that are almost extinct to reproduce easier. So while its not being researched for homosexual women to be able to get children with each other, I just mentioned it being possible to do. Right now it is FAR too expensive to put it to practical use between humans, but it is very important science when it comes to resurrecting extinct species, or to help almost-extinct species.

 

[Rorschach]

Yeah, think of the possibilities!

Dodo egg omelets, Dodo egg salad and I dont care who you are i KNOW you want some
Kentucky Fried Dodo.

 

[Tok]

This people are a sad excuse for human beings.

i'm pretty sure that's what you meant

 

[Alyada]

When I die I'm going to be so happy I don't have to deal with this shit-hole world anymore. No more taxes. No more drama. No more bullshit.

Isn't that enough to look forward to? It's enough for me.

 

[Arctyrael]

When I die I'm going to be so happy I don't have to deal with this shit-hole world anymore. No more taxes. No more drama. No more bullshit.

Isn't that enough to look forward to? It's enough for me.

It is a touch morbid for my outlook; atleast while I am here, I can have a good time if I try.