We have our very own Westboro Baptist Church right here in the Valley! (Phoenix: credit, live)

[lewdog_5]

Originally Posted by Pallas_Athena

When I was at ASU, I'd see a handful of evangelicals (like this guy) holding signs saying "God hates you." "You deserve hell." "F*gs, masturbators, drunkards, whores, [list goes on] you all deserve hell." It's terrible and ASU's argument for allowing them on campus was that they are entitled to freedom of speech. I thought that freedom of speech did not include intruding upon the well-being of others. Wishing death or hell or hurting others falls under that category, no? I don't know what kind of tactic they employ but I am not likely to join a church that preaches hate. They definitely cross the line when they start preaching about "so and so deserves to die" or whatever garbage they spew.

I went to school at two out of state colleges and similar people were on campus every semester. It's freedom of speech and I have no problem with them being on campus. Now if no one gave them attention and got worked up enough to stand and argue with them, we'd never see them again. But others just can't help but engage with them. The less attention, the quicker they go away.

[Champ le monstre du lac]

Originally Posted by lewdog_5

I went to school at two out of state colleges and similar people were on campus every semester. It's freedom of speech and I have no problem with them being on campus. Now if no one gave them attention and got worked up enough to stand and argue with them, we'd never see them again. But others just can't help but engage with them. The less attention, the quicker they go away.

Though I find his presence in the Valley unsettling, there really is no sense in giving a sad mentally ill individual like this a bigger platform than he already has. It may sound counter intuitive to some but the more angry you get with these loonies, the more empowered they become. They all seek a bigger audience.

[UKWildcat1981]

God loves us all.. sadly these people are not true Christians.. I am Jewish and even I know most Christians are good people and love God and are mostly non judgmental.

[goolsbyjazz]

I guess he never asked the question, "What would Jesus do?" It certainly isn't what he suggests!

[azriverfan.]

Originally Posted by DetroitN8V

I was pretty shocked to see that this was out of Tempe. What an embarrassment.

Arizona's Pastor Steven Anderson Argues That AIDS Would Be Eradicated If Gays Were 'Executed'

While I agree this message is insane, don't you think it's a bit extreme to compare them to Westboro. We have nothing remotely like Westboro here.

[azriverfan.]

Originally Posted by DetroitN8V

I accepted that this type of thing went on as far away as Kansas (Westboro), but I'm disappointed to learn that this guy has an audience here in the Valley.

There are KKK, Neo Nazis and even extreme Evangelicals in California, Washington and Oregon too. They are everywhere.

Arizona will be nothing like Kansas because the majority of our Christians are Catholic which tend to be more moderate when compared to Evangelicals which tend to be Baptist. The majority of the South (Texas included) and rural America(Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kansas) is Evangelical Christian. I spent some time in Dallas and the culture here is nothing remotely like the culture in Dallas.

[DetroitN8V]

Originally Posted by azriverfan.

While I agree this message is insane, don't you think it's a bit extreme to compare them to Westboro. We have nothing remotely like Westboro here.

How are they any different? Their philosophy seems to be the exact same.

[43north87west]

Well, some of our locals are worried about dropping the (barely) ban on "gay blood" donations...

Anyway, regardless of how good we (or maybe just I) would like to think that this place can be, there are still plenty of loons who are looking to blow Arizona back to the 1800s.

[Ponderosa]

I asked on the other forum and will ask here: is this man misquoting the Bible? It seems to me that he is just stating what the Bible says. This pastor heads a group of Christians who believe in the literal interpretation of the book. He and his flock are hardly alone in that or in their rancor toward gays. Discrimination against gays remains legal in most of AZ and there is every likelihood that the legislature will once again pass the bill that caused so much trouble for the state this last session. On the other hand, Phoenix and Tempe both received a 100 out of 100 on the gay acceptance index that was published recently. We remain a state of great contrasts in geology, climate, and social progress.

[Champ le monstre du lac]

"Belief in a cruel God makes for a cruel man"

-Thomas Paine