Pastor Fred and his crew of self-styled Baptists who like to show up at funerals of gays, military and disaster victims, carrying signs saying God Hates You, and bellowing over bullhorns about how happy God is to murder human beings. He’s back. Again.
They say decent Christians never speak out against others who hold themselves out to be ‘the one and only true Christians” whilst causing mayhem and murder of the soul left and right. They say Christians are silent, and do not speak out against the criminalities of their own kind. That they’re all log-rolling. That they’re all scratching each others’ backs.
Alright!, I’m Speaking. I just hope it’s alright if I am one of the most imperfect Xtians who ever walked the face of the earth: there’s a reason St. Peter and all his comedic stumbles and all the other fool-saints are my favorites. Some Christians cheer when the Golden Calf is destroyed. I cheer when Moses strikes the rock more than once. I know just how he felt… If one is good, maybe twice is better…
Ok, deep breath, Here’s what I have to say, and every person who follows the faith knows the point of Christianity is not to argue about who is or isn’t G!d. (G!d, just as an aside, I’m asking you… don’t You get tired of all that prattle about which human version of G!d is the right one? If I’m hearing right, G!d just said, “It’s given Me eternal ennui.”)
In complete seriousness, the radical root of Christianity is to strive to serve the G!d of Love, not of Hatred, to try as hard as one can to follow the G!d of Life, not the god of blood sacrifice. Those are the elemental roots of Christianity. Yet, some Christians try to poison the rootstock with their incessant self-serving, sanctimonious, insufferable shtick of shilling for a God… named after themselves.
So, I call on the journalist Matthew, the oddest gospel writer, a former tax collector, who probably knew hypocrites and lying sacks of swine-swill better than anyone… Matthew, who said it better than I ever could… Here: from Book of Matthew:
“Many will say, ‘Lord, Lord did we not prophesy in your name?
Did we not cast out demons in your name?
Did we not perform miracles in your name?’
And the Lord will say unto them,
‘Depart from me you! you workers of iniquity.
I never knew you.’â€
I know. A date for Confession with Father Loba this Friday before Mass. I know. I’m going. Confession is often enough just the sacramental pinch of wasabi needed to clear the mind and start sharp again…
In the meantime, viz: Pastor Fred and Co, whom I sense already has a ceiling-high pile of chits in heaven each one saying the same thing, something like, “We never knew you in G!d’s name.” Nonetheless, Fred and Co. have roamed pretty much at will for many years across America doing their crooked best to harm others’ spirits and minds and souls.
Except this time, the State of Minnesota and many others, are ready for Phelps and family.. the Phelpsian “Thank God for 9-11” people.
See previous TMV posts on Phelps and Virginia Tech Funerals, here…
Jason Steck http://themoderatevoice.com/religion/christianity/other/14436/answering-phelps/
Dr. E at TMV
http://themoderatevoice.com/religion/12995/fred-phelps-and-his-god-hates-you-church/
and
http://themoderatevoice.com/religion/12273/virginia-tech-protection-needed-as-with-columbine-funerals-and-memorial-services-pastor-fred-is-coming-to-spread-his-screed-at-vt/
In the last 8 years especially, there have been many inroads into holding Fred and other kinds of indecent ‘religious’ intruders at decent bay. At Columbine memorial after the massacre, we were benumbed and the media satellite trucks, looking like space stations, huge… were parked trochimochi all over the lawns and sideways on hills
… and they couldn’t get enough of Fred and The Fredettes. (I know, I know. I’m writing that down on the sin list for Confession, too.) (Note to TV media: if you must, run archival film re Fred from the networks, don’t make new film, what are you thinking?)
So, we in The Rockies weren’t prepared for Fred with his signs held by family, “GOD HATES COLUMBINE.” But… since then, April 1999, people are much more savvy and are ready for Fred in advance. . Here’s how…
1. The legal eagles, such as The Southern Poverty Law Center, and other groups, keep a legal eye on hate-groups, and file suits, amicus briefs, enjoin cases, give support to knocking the stuffing out of ill-doers whenever they can. This includes Pastor Fred and gaggle. (venial sin, right there)
2. Interestingly, the Southern Poverty Law Center also has remarked that the following folks have been more effective than legal means in cases having to do with desecration of military funerals: Bikers, viz Patriot Guard riders have been drowning out Phelps’ protests cum bullhorns for well over a year now, by standing as patriot guard at funerals of military vets.
Phelps bleats that (venial sin, that word ‘bleats’) God killed the vets as punishment for homosexuality. The Phelps’ clan of juris degree educated, from Bob Jones University it is said, still stand around military funerals with their placards, and with their very young children of the clan given hate signage to hold up too… and the Patriot Guard riders if need be, rev their five ka-jillion CCs of road thunder, as needed to drown out Fred bellowing somewhere over the hill.
3. Trading evils. Choosing the lesser of two evils is still choosing evil. But life forces the hand sometimes. You decide. At Virginia Tech and at New Orleans, and a few other places, Mike Gallagher and other radio hosts, have offered, i.e., traded the Phelps’s out of their treachery by offering them a couple hours on radio if they’d pull back their protests. Which Phelps did.
Phelps’ real point seems not to be high-principled protest. Rather, as my dad used to say, (he didn’t mean it this way, but he was an immigrant who had a tenuous hold on the English language) the Phelps’s point seems to be to lurch over to ‘the slime-light’ whenever possible. Mike Gallagher; another story for another time.
But he and other radio hosts acted as an effective hindrance to the Phelps’s. I’ve listened to the broadcasts. I’m sorry to say, I think it might be best to wear a Hazmat suit for your soul, while listening. (teeny tiny venial sin there, maybe. I’ll have to consult with Father about that)
4. Minnesota is one of the states that is ready, before the fact. They passed a little law that went into effect in May of 2006, that makes it against the law to trespass, disrupt or not obey the rules set out, with regard not only to military funerals, but to any funeral. Relatives can sue for damages as well.
You can read the brief but humane Minnesota statute on the next page, that protects the souls and spirits of the relatives of the deceased and engenders respect for lives lost. All the ‘funeral sanctity’ laws enacted across the United States, mainly in response to Phelps are amazing documents; they protect the psychology of, the spirits and souls of the family of the deceased.
Also here you can read Fred’s intents for Minneapolis… yes, he sends out press releases, telling his philosophy of… um, well, again, you decide… http://www.ericblackink.com/
I have to excuse myself from you now. I have to go do what we call ‘interragatio sanctus’ an examination of one’s life. Here in this article, I don’t know what Fred’s motives are underneath his screed. My motive, I do know… to put out hopeful markers for what is being done that works against people bent on tormenting others, and to offer, I hope, a small reason for smiling for a moment for those who are rowing through this difficult time. A tiny bit of humor often beckons the life force to flash for just a moment, letting us know we’re still alive. Just right.
609.501, Minnesota Statutes 2006
Copyright © 2006 by the Office of Revisor of Statutes, State of Minnesota.
609.501 FUNERAL OR BURIAL SERVICE; PROHIBITED ACTS.
Subdivision 1. Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the
meanings given.
(b) “Family or household” has the meaning given to family or household member in section
518B.01, subdivision 2.
(c) “Funeral ceremony” has the meaning given in section 149A.02, subdivision 18.
(d) “Funeral procession” means two or more motor vehicles that identify themselves by using
regular lights and by keeping themselves in close formation, one of which contains the body of a
deceased person, enroute to or from a funeral ceremony or a graveside service.
(e) “Graveside service” has the meaning given in section 149A.02, subdivision 24.
(f) “Memorial service” has the meaning given in section 149A.02, subdivision 28.
(g) “Targeted residential picketing” has the meaning given in section 609.748, subdivision 1,
paragraph (c), but does not require more than one act or that acts be committed on more than one
occasion.
Subd. 2. Crime to disrupt. (a) Whoever does any of the following is guilty of a
misdemeanor:
(1) with intent to disrupt a funeral ceremony, graveside service, or memorial service, protests
or pickets within 500 feet of the burial site or the entrance to a facility or location being used for
the service or ceremony, within one hour prior to, during, or one hour following the service or
ceremony;
(2) with intent to disrupt a funeral procession, impedes or attempts to impede a vehicle
that is part of the procession;
(3) intentionally blocks or attempts to block access to a funeral ceremony, graveside service,
or memorial service; or
(4) knowingly engages in targeted residential picketing at the home or domicile of any
surviving member of the deceased person’s family or household on the date of the funeral
ceremony, graveside service, or memorial service.
(b) Whoever is convicted of a violation of paragraph (a) following a previous conviction
for a violation of paragraph (a) or a similar statute from another state or the United States
is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.
Subd. 3. Civil remedy. A person who violates subdivision 2 is liable to a surviving member
of the deceased person’s family or household for damages caused by the violation. A surviving
member of the deceased person’s family or household may also bring an action for injunctive
relief and other appropriate relief or remedial compensation. In an action brought under this
subdivision, a prevailing plaintiff may recover attorney fees.
History: 2006 c 195 s 1
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t/h Holly