Westboro Baptist Church heads down to Pueblo (Colorado Springs: attorneys, tenants)

[iknowftbll]

This is a group of whack jobs searching for relevancy. They stage these intentionally provocative "rallies" by protesting the funerals of U.S. service members, gays, etc, and other popular events. They provoke confrontation with their hate speech and bait people into violating their civil rights, then they sue. It turns out some of the members are lawyers. If you ever confront them it's best to just ignore them. For one, getting a rise out of people is their first goal. They meet that goal it can turn into their second goal, and that is punitive awards. Best not to show them any mind whatsoever. (Proverbs 26:4)

[DOUBLE H]

iknowftbll is right. Even though Fred Phelps died, they still carry on.

In regards to the bumper sticker mentioning baptist churches on post 10, heh heh. well here is an observation. For the wont of killing time online, I finally decided to take a look at their website. And what stands out when you bring it up online? How about "Tour Schedule?" Yes, they have a list of past and future places that they picket. And baptist churches is on that list. Why? Because Westboro is of the belief that "if you aren't with us, then you're against us." I've only got on that site once. Once was enough. For the most part, they stage their protests in the heartland states and in addition to what iknowftbll listed, they also picket rock concerts, pro sporting events, business and trade conventions, political rallies, etc. But every once in a while they venture out of the heartland area and go long distance.

A good friend of mine saw them in action in San Diego a few years ago. He's been an active comic book collector ever since he was in grade school. "Comicon" is a BIG deal regarding this hobby and it's held in San Diego. The gas prices for running a bus out to San Diego from Topeka, Kansas are how much? Um, several hundred dollars down there and several hundred dollars back, I'm sure. There are a variety of you tubes out there to see this group in action. Do you suppose the Westboro people wanted to see just what the hobby was all about? Um, no. How did they finance such an endeavor? I think it's a safe bet that it didn't come from the Sunday collection plate.

[UKWildcat1981]

Originally Posted by denverian

These morons have been around for decades. When I attended KU back in the early 90s, they were just getting their start. They liked to come to KU and protest the ballet, gay student organization, etc. They called KU "F*g Hill" lol! They lost leader Fred (burning in hell now), but apparently the inbred idiots are keepin' on doing their thing. Fred was from Mississippi and took up "preachin'" in Topeka because the zip codes start with 666 there. He was most likely gay (he set off my gaydar for sure), and mentally ill. He managed to drag most of his family down his road of insanity, but some have escaped and told their stories. Google "Addicted to Hate" for a very interesting read about the life of Fred Phelps and his cult clan.

Last I heard most of his family disowned him before he died.. glad that piece of s.hit died. How dare him disrespect our troops. Our nation's military is dying so this d. bag can have his freedom of speech. I don't believe in hell but if there is a hell I hope he is burning in it with Hitler.

[VileTat]

Folks, these people are simply trolls out to make money. A ton of their family members are lawyers. They try to get money from people to not attend their funerals or whatever. And also try to sue the crap out of anyone they can. Do not take their signs seriously.

p.s. We all know the ones who say they hate the gays the most tend to sing another story in private anyway, I guess they are now expanding out into being stoners too from the sound of those signs.

[Colorado Rambler]

Originally Posted by GeneralTurgidson

When I move to Colo Spgs (which is a possibility), I am going to put this on the back of my truck:

I wouldn't. Although I've been told here by current Springs residents that Focus on the Family and the rest of the Fundie nut job outfits in Colorado Springs are taking a lower profile, there's still plenty of them just dying for a chance at a jihad with complete strangers. When I lived there I used to have a bumper sticker which read "God is coming and when she gets here, she's going to be really pissed!" Man did I ever manage to rile up the fundies with that one! I was asking for it, I know, so I eventually replaced my first bumper sticker with one that read "My other car is a broom." The fundies didn't like that one either. Those people have absolutely no sense of humor, and life is too short for unwanted encounters with crazy people.

[iknowftbll]

Originally Posted by Colorado Rambler

I wouldn't. Although I've been told here by current Springs residents that Focus on the Family and the rest of the Fundie nut job outfits in Colorado Springs are taking a lower profile, there's still plenty of them just dying for a chance at a jihad with complete strangers. When I lived there I used to have a bumper sticker which read "God is coming and when she gets here, she's going to be really pissed!" Man did I ever manage to rile up the fundies with that one! I was asking for it, I know, so I eventually replaced my first bumper sticker with one that read "My other car is a broom." The fundies didn't like that one either. Those people have absolutely no sense of humor, and life is too short for unwanted encounters with crazy people.

What you don't know is how many "fundies" saw your bumper stickers and said nothing. I'd be willing to bet it's a lot higher a number than the few who took the time to say something to you.

[iknowftbll]

Originally Posted by VileTat

Folks, these people are simply trolls out to make money. A ton of their family members are lawyers. They try to get money from people to not attend their funerals or whatever. And also try to sue the crap out of anyone they can. Do not take their signs seriously.

p.s. We all know the ones who say they hate the gays the most tend to sing another story in private anyway, I guess they are now expanding out into being stoners too from the sound of those signs.

This. I know I basically already said the same thing but I am repeating Vile's post because I think seeing these fools for what they are is vital. They are looking for a rise and a potential avenue to your money through court awards. Don't take the bait: just ignore them.

[McGowdog]

I'm trying to figure out what a fundie is.

My brother with whom my parents and I worked for many years, when things got rough in 2008 and 2009, he turned the company into a C12 company, made us pray before work via conference calls for one hour every morning... which didn't work as we all got laid off July of 09, he became a self-proclaimed Jesus-freak, told his children that there were no dinosaurs and that the earth is only 5000 years old, and that my mom (who is suffering macular degeneration) isn't really blind and is a martyr who punishes my dad, and... blah blah blah.

Is that a fundie? He lives on the north end of the Tamiami Trail in Florida.

Anyways, what do fundies have to do with Westboro Church?

[McGowdog]

Originally Posted by GeneralTurgidson

When I move to Colo Spgs (which is a possibility), I am going to put this on the back of my truck:

There was a time that being a Christian would get you killed for sure... until about Emperor Constantine. Until sometime recently, it's been pretty safe. What this post is about is the misuse of religion in the name of a few whack jobs, not the bashing of religion in general.

I'm of the school of "Be quick to see where religious people are right. Make use of what they offer." -Alcoholics Anonymous, page 87.

I am free to set aside any and all doctorine, which I'm finding to be horsebleep. Always was, always will be. But to bash a whole religion or deem it a cult, I will not stand for.

Radical Atheism is a very trendy bandwagon I refuse to join.

[Colorado Rambler]

Originally Posted by McGowdog

I'm trying to figure out what a fundie is.

My brother with whom my parents and I worked for many years, when things got rough in 2008 and 2009, he turned the company into a C12 company, made us pray before work via conference calls for one hour every morning... which didn't work as we all got laid off July of 09, he became a self-proclaimed Jesus-freak, told his children that there were no dinosaurs and that the earth is only 5000 years old, and that my mom (who is suffering macular degeneration) isn't really blind and is a martyr who punishes my dad, and... blah blah blah.

Is that a fundie? He lives on the north end of the Tamiami Trail in Florida.

Anyways, what do fundies have to do with Westboro Church?

My definition of a fundamentalist ("fundy") is someone who takes every word in the Bible as the literal truth and wishes to impose his dogma upon everyone else. A fundamentalist wears blinders due to his narrow doctrinal outlook. Westboro would fall under the fundamentalist umbrella due to its members' desire to impose their belief upon everyone else and their blind faith in the tenets of their cult.

As Joseph Campbell said, "A religious experience is what prevents one from having a spiritual experience." I was raised as a Christian and my father took me with him to services at the First Christian Church in downtown Colorado Springs every Sunday. The First Christian Church is a beautiful place of worship, btw; and the acoustics are so good that organ concerts are often held there. While I no longer consider myself a Christian in the strictest sence of the word, I still have the greatest respect for true Christians who practice what Jesus taught - which is to love one another. The Westboro Church is not a very loving outfit.