| Wednesday, May 14, 2008 |
| The Church of Hate |
The tragedy of China's earthquake is generally resulting in some much needed good press regarding the government's response to major disasters, in spite of their inability to save lives (not their fault).
This is in stark contrast to the same government's squelching of recent uprisings in Tibet (and Xianjiang province). It's much better publicity in fact, than the closed door approach of the Myanmar government from the cyclone two weeks ago. Let's face it, the Chinese have plenty of military resources at their TOTAL discretion to deploy to disasters and quake zones, and as devastating as this recent disaster turns out to be, China won't turn down international aide if needed, offered, or requested for disasters (ummm...not so much for the Tibetan uprising) in light of the Olympic spotlight closing in on them.
Despite this, there has been some not unexpected grief stricken speculation in the media blaming the Chinese government for skimping on school construction, or claiming that other warning signs were ignored.
Look, I'm not going to deal with conspiracy theory here, and I won't disagree with the fact that the villages I visited in China were built on mud and bricks which couldn't withstand a heavy rainstorm much less a 7.9 earthquake, OR the fact that some of the recent high rise construction in boom towns is shoddy at best.
What I wanted to point out is that by FAR, by FAR, the most irrational, hateful, finger pointing accusation I have seen thus far has come from an organization within the US. A fringe organization known as the Westboro Baptist Church.
This is a so called "religious" organization, which seems to have built its entire mission based solely on hate for others (which, by definition, is about as unholy as it gets).
Hate against gays with their well publicized protests at US veteran funerals, hate against Swedes, Irish, Mexican or any other country that supports gay rights, and now they are turning their hate against a natural disaster and blaming the people of China!
But wait - it gets worse. This is a list from their website of their current press releases I will not even honor these issues with a link - they are obscene:
Thank God for the Great Killer Earthquake that He sent to kill thousands of stiffhearted Chinese rebels against God
Thank God for killer whirlwinds in Picher & Oklahoma
Thank God for the Great Cyclone
Thank God for throwing the new Wisconsin Medical Helicopter out of the air, dashing it to pieces, and killing a surgeon, nurse, and pilot
Thank God for killer whirlwinds in Missouri, sent by God in wrath & vengeance & retaliation
The Westboro Baptist Church makes the Klu Klux Klan seem enlightened. Why does the Baptist Church of America allow them to exist and make an entire faith look bad? Why does America let it exist?
Oh, right, First Amendment rights - silly me.
Just as there is outrage and protest regarding the KKK or any other racist or hate based organization, so should we all protest any pickets by the WBC and banish them, as they wish to banish anyone who does not believe as they do.
They may have the legal right to promote this hatred and bigotry, but we don't have to give them the moral right. Especially since they deny that to everyone else.
I think it's sad that a religion based on love and the acceptance of others (Christianity) could be so twisted into intolerance and hate. I don't believe in Jesus as a deity, but I do believe in him as an historical figure who preached love, acceptance and forgiveness. You can never go wrong with those ethics.
In this case, and in many others, the WBC seems to have lost their way.
I also believe in the laws of physics and nature, and that in the case of the cyclone in Myanmar and the earthquake in China, that bad things happen to good and innocent people simply because, in these cases, geology and weather respect the laws of physics, not the will of God. |
posted by Broadsheet @ 8:26 PM   |
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| 4 Editorial Opinions: |
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The Westboro Baptist Church and travelling freak show of hate specializes in just this sort of publicity seeking outrage. From their picketing of funerals of service personnel killed in Iraq or Afghanistan to their on-going effort to make sure everyone knows they think "God" hates fags they know the more vile and outrageuos their comments and behavior will get somebody's attention. What's really sad is that no matter how despicaple they get there are always some ghouls out there that agre with them and keep those contributions coming in. But just so you know, The WBC is Baptist in name only, they aren't affiliated with any denomination, nobody in their right minds would have them...
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"RELIGION IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL"!!
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I have a blog talking about the Westboro Baptist Church protesting in Hawaii, my home state.
Thanks!
http://whatthehell808.blogspot.com/
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"Oh, right, First Amendment rights - silly me."
Even the most outrageous forms of speech are protected under the First Amendment with the only limitation being participation in a criminal act.
Sure they sound stupid but they have as much as a right to say stupid shit as you have a right to denounce it.
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The Westboro Baptist Church and travelling freak show of hate specializes in just this sort of publicity seeking outrage. From their picketing of funerals of service personnel killed in Iraq or Afghanistan to their on-going effort to make sure everyone knows they think "God" hates fags they know the more vile and outrageuos their comments and behavior will get somebody's attention. What's really sad is that no matter how despicaple they get there are always some ghouls out there that agre with them and keep those contributions coming in. But just so you know, The WBC is Baptist in name only, they aren't affiliated with any denomination, nobody in their right minds would have them...