My take on the Phelps and Westboro Baptist Church

Was having a conversation about the Phelps' family the other day and came across a serious disconnect during it.

For those who don't know, my mom's family is Pikey. Originally from Colorado City, Texas (Pikey-land), they were roofers, always chasing the last big storm across the country and never settling anywhere.

Yet they were always able to find these teeny, tiny little baptist churches, sometimes hosted out of mobile homes, some times not even Baptist at all, but more the snake-charmin', tongues-speakin' Assemblies of God variety.

Being that my grandparent's favorite past time was teaching their grandkids to play various instruments and learn some damn religious songs, a frequent weekend activity was going to these churches and singing and playing some hymns with the family. We were the white trash Osmonds. Yep, I'll own it. Personally, I played the fucking fiddle. Yep, the fiddle.

Because of those experiences, I've had the opportunity to get hit with a switch by an old ass man I've never met before because I said the word "Hate".

And I've seen exactly how far some of these people in those small Texas towns will go when someone uses the name of the Lord, their God in vain.

Now, I've also seen the undying respect these people have for the men and women who serve the country that their God has told them to respect.

I've seen how they treat their American flags. Hell, these are the people who instilled in me the proper way to fold an American flag.

The Westboro Baptist Church and the Phelps family are frequently known for what now?
-Picketing with signs that openly use the word 'Hate'.
-Using God's name in front of that vile word, one that ranks up there with 'Fool' as far as what God's people are supposed to not say.
-They picket the funerals of soldiers on the basis that the soldiers died because we are a sinning nation who supports homosexuality. (If anything, isn't the DOD the last hold out for doing anything even remotely resembling being "supportive" of homosexuality?)
-They openly desecrate American flags.

I understand that this church has somehow continued to gain followers and notoriety, this country will always maintain a certain percentage of people who are disenfranchised and will latch on.

And I am sure there are people who feel so strongly in their views on homosexuality that it's only natural that they would latch onto WBC's views.

And I am sure that there are some in the "Baptist off-shoot" category who fall in line with the beliefs of the WBC....

But on the whole, doesn't their mode of delivery make them condemnable by even the most out there of Baptists?

They use the word hate with an ease and efficiency that would make even the most outspoken of preachers blush. They disrespect this country and those who lose their lives in it's name.

My question is, when are Baptists, as a whole, the southern baptists, the more liberal "northern" Baptists, the crazies in the trailers every Sunday with the beans & cornbread after the sermon, when are they going to stand up and take offense to the bastardization of their good name? Their God?

When are they going to stand up and say, yes, we believe homosexuality is a sin, but our God gave us free will so that we may find our way to the light.

One receives the gift of salvation because they were willing to toss worldly things aside and follow the righteous path.

The Phelps family claims righteousness but practices hypocrisy in their every move. It's just my opinion, but if I were a Baptist, I would go to any length to at least stop them from unleashing their brand of vile speech in the name of my God.

I'm all for free speech, but don't they at least have that 'Baptist' shit trademarked?

(Here's where I keep myself out of trouble. Born Catholic-Never Confirmed. Schooled Protestant-Never saved. Spent many Sundays in Baptist Churches-Never Saved. Was Wiccan for a week-Never joined a fucking coven or anything like that though. LMFAO! Hindu for a week. Islam for a week-daddy didn't see that one coming. Atheist until science proves the existent of something more than our selves. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting.

Oh, and I've read the Bible. A lot. In several different...shall we call them styles, then?)