Who inspires more hatred or discrimination toward gay people?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

and why?

[not systems]

1. Pope Benidict has a bigger microphone that is world wide...

his decrees affect the life's of billions.

[BR_Parkway]

2. The Pope wears the mantle of respectability and appears to many

to hold the keys to the kingdom of heaven. With that sort of influence, his statements carry some weight with people.

Phelps is a wingnut's wingnut - there might be a dozen people in the world who take him seriously.

[Catfight]

3. Goerge W. Bush has done more damage than anyone. nt

[comsymp]

4. As to why,

most folks who already agree with Phelps probably can't be further "inspired", and everyone else thinks Phelps is a nutjob.

Whereas Benny, for good or ill, rightly or wrongly, in sickness and in health, is accepted as representing The Holy Catholic Church® and, consequently, Western Civilization.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

5. Close to my own feelings

The impression that one is benign, spiritual and the reach that he has inspires far more hatred than the guy that is so whacked out that everyone mocks him..in fact, Phelps actually HELPS gay people.

The pope framing homosexuality as "evil" does far more harm.

[Telly Savalas]

18. It's hard to say whether Phelps helps the GLBT community.

There are probably thousands of folks who are uneasy about homosexuality, but drive by a Phelps rally and think "gee whiz, I don't want to be like that", which in effect lessens the amount of homophobia in society.

On the flip side, Phelps is so wacky he makes people like Falwell and all those "hate the sin, love the sinner" assholes look like nuanced thinkers and gives them unwarranted credibilty.

[MuseRider]

29. Good answer.

Here in his home town we found that we had a lot of support in reaction to Phelps. We also found that there are now splinter groups who feel and "preach" the very same thing that Phelps does but they do it calmly and with so called "compassion". Phelps is easy to beat, the other groups are not. They look nuanced and fair minded in comparison.

[ArkDem]

9. ..

The Holy Roman Church®

[comsymp]

11. 'K, that works

(whaddoiknow, i'm a lapsed presbyterian)

[arwalden]

6. There Are Many World Leaders Who Acquiesce To The Bigotry Of The Pope...

... but I know of NONE who think it's important to recognize or dignify Phelps.

Phelps is a sideshow act... a clown... a freak. The Pope's bigotry carries much more weight.

Just look at how many people HERE are "personally offended" whenever he's scorned, criticized or ridiculed.

In fact, I will not be surprised if THIS thread ends up being locked or nuked because people view it as being "anti-Catholic". :eyes:

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

7. I would hope that wouldn't happen

All I am trying to underscore is why the feelings are so strong on his pronouncements

[slackmaster]

8. But I thought the RCC was a gay rights organization!

:dunce:

Seriously, His Holiness wins this one by several orders of magnitude.

[Mizmoon]

10. I think that maybe Phelps does

but that's because there are so many protestants who wouldn't give the pope's opinons the time of day ...

[melnjones]

12. I would have to agree...

and the pope doesn't have the same level of hatred and violence towards homosexuals as Phelps does.

[arwalden]

13. But How Many World Leaders Would Attend Phelp's Funeral?

How many national and world politicians have met with Phelps to discuss issues that were important to Phelps? How many politicians adjust and tweak their policies so as not to offend the Phelps-vote?

[AntiCoup2K4]

15. Yeah, but how many people know Phelps' name?

People might have heard about "that crazy son of a bitch from Kansas who pickets funerals and thinks God hates everybody", but would most know his name, or recognize him on sight?

Most people, whether Catholic, Protestant, Jew, Atheist, or whatever will recognize the Pope instantly. Whether they can remember his name or not is debateable. I still call him Ratzi, myself. Who remembers "Benedict"??

Catholicism is an important force in this country, and unquestionably a dominant force in many nations who have never heard of www.godhatesfags.com

[enigmatic]

14. Phelps is a nutcase

He's about a revelant as the guy that flipped off buses everytime they passed his house when I was a kid.

The Pope is the leader of the Catholic Church; his words do far more damage than Phelps' words ever could, even in his own wet dreams.

[arwalden]

16. Indeed!

[cestpaspossible]

17. Did the pope make news with some bigotry?

or is just out of the blue?

[arcos]

20. Yes...

Pope condemns gay marriages as fake and anarchic

ROME, June 6 (Reuters) - Pope Benedict, in his first clear pronouncement on gay marriages since his election, on Monday condemned same-sex unions as fake and expressions of "anarchic freedom" that threatened the future of the family.

The Pope, who was elected in April, also condemned divorce, artificial birth control, trial marriages and free-style unions, saying all of these practices were dangerous for the family.

"Today's various forms of dissolution of marriage, free unions, trial marriages as well as the pseudo-matrimonies between people of the same sex are instead expressions of anarchic freedom which falsely tries to pass itself off as the true liberation of man," he said.

The Pope spoke to families at Rome's St. John's Cathedral on an issue that has become highly controversial around the world, particularly in Europe and the United States.

...

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L06690161.htm

[tallahasseedem]

19. Pope Benedict

He is only okay with gays if they are hiding in the confines of the Catholic church.

[meow2u3]

21. Fred Phelps actually judges gay PEOPLE

Pope Benedict condemns only the gay behavior.

In other words, Pope Benedict hates the sin but love the sinner; Fred Phelps hates the sinner as well.

So keep your anti-Catholic bigotry to yourselves and quit acting like the right-wing bigots you despise.

[Book Lover]

24. I'm sorry, but when

those in the Vatican say that the Church needs to rid herself of celebate yet gay priests, that seems to indicate an animus to gays.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

25. Yes the Pope candy coats it

and as far as religious bigotry is concerned, you've got it wrong. The church you defend prosyletizes ITS bigotry...I'm the focus of it as is every gay person...and this is the text from your profile:

Username: StopThePendulum

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Hobby cats, politics, computers, and.....skewering Repukes
Comment The Religious Right: Born again...or born yesterday?



So apparently not all "bigotry" is created equal in your eyes.

[arwalden]

28. Oh Whaaah!

<< So keep your anti-Catholic bigotry to yourselves >>


You mean old homos! When you criticize the Pope you are anti-Catholic!

[Lilith Velkor]

22. Guys who are insecure i/r/t their manhood.

Their numbers are legion.

[progressivebydesign]

23. Because the pope has a bigger audience..

.. he should use that power responsibly. I had a "no shit" moment when he had the brilliant idea that "divorce" is a threat to marriage. No shit, Rottwieler.

[NMMNG]

26. Pope Benedict

He institutionalizes it and makes it seem holy to hate gays.

Phelps mainly attracts the nutbags, but repels people who have half a brain.

[Cozmosis]

27. The pope. Many don't even know the name Fred Phelps.