An atheist interviews two members of the Westboro Baptist Church.

[laconicsax]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTSbfs32yCU

One of my favorite exchanges:

<Thunderf00t>"When did your variant of Christianity start?"
<Meg the Elder>"The day that Adam was created is when it started"
<Thunderf00t>"erm...'
<Meg the Elder>"I didn't ask you for opinion on that! That's the answer."
<Thunderf00t>"No...Christianity can't have started before Christ was born..."
<Meg the Elder>"You're just wrong! You're just wrong! He's the Son of God"
<the mostly silent WBC member starts in> "...the Sovereign God who created and who ordained of all things."
<Thunderf00t>"...but it wasn't..."
<Meg the Elder>"She's answered your question, shut up."

[Sal316]

1. Ok, that's just funny right there!

Priceless!

[Manifestor_of_Light]

2. Tell them he's a Jew, their heads will explode.

[Silent3]

3. What a hateful, arrogant nasty condescending woman

That interviewer demonstrated heroic patience by not smashing a chair over her head.

[struggle4progress]

4. It's a waste of time: distracting and counter-productive

Look ...

WBC has hardly any members and zip political clout. Even the conservatives despise them. There's precisely one thing WBC is good at: they get attention by making everybody mad. It works for them because lazy local TV folk can do a story on WBC without much work, and we will all sit there watching with elevated blood-pressure, screaming and throwing our shoes at the boobtube, until the next commercial comes on -- and of course that's pretty much the only thing the TV folk want: us still sitting there when the next commercial comes on

Nobody is going to persuade the WBC people to talk sense: if they talked sense, nobody would gawk at them like the horrific trainwreck they are. When you talk to WBC, WBC has only one objective: it's to get you upset -- because that's how they get attention. So when you talk to WBC, all you're doing is helping them refine their shtick -- namely, trying to piss people off. Why give them the practice? Why help them improve their attention-getting skills? Screw em -- that is, ignore them as much as possible

There are real issues facing us. A tiny group of attention-grubbing hate-mongers is a distraction

[trotsky]

5. By marginalizing the WBC, you push those views close to theirs to the margins as well.

Homophobia, fundamentalism, etc.

Is ignoring them a better option? Like John Kerry ignoring the swiftboaters worked so well? I believe it is our duty to confront bigotry and hate no matter how "tiny" the group. The real issues we face stem from ignorance and bigotry, both of which find shelter in religion.

You go stick your head in the sand though, if that's what you prefer.

[struggle4progress]

6. There's no shortage of people rubbernecking WBC: they're in the headlines somewhere

almost every day

This week they've decided to hitch their shitwagon to Betty Ford's funeral, in hopes that will drag them a few miles

:boring:

[trotsky]

7. Do you think we should confront bigotry and hatred, or ignore them? n/t

[struggle4progress]

10. Is that what you think the interviewer is doing in the youtube? Taking a heroic stand

against bigotry and hatred?

[trotsky]

11. Can you answer my question? n/t

[struggle4progress]

15. Yeah ... I've been posting stuff here for years because I don't give a shit:

struggle4progress
Sat Nov-05-05 10:37 PM
Original message
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struggle4progress
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struggle4progress
Tue May-13-08 11:36 PM
Original message
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struggle4progress
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struggle4progress
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Original message
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struggle4progress
Tue Jan-27-09 07:46 AM
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struggle4progress
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Original message
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http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=103&topic_id=422612

[laconicsax]

16. So answer his question. n/t

[struggle4progress]

17. The thread is about WBC: I've indicated by view of them, which parallels my view of Coulter or Palin

You are free, of course, to differ

[laconicsax]

18. Do you think we should confront bigotry and hatred, or ignore them? n/t

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

12. Where did trotsky say it was "heroic"? Also, please answer his question in #7. -nt

[laconicsax]

13. The interviewer did confront their bigotry.

It's what led to the WBC members to declare the interview over and leave. He quoted them a passage from the New Testament, and once they realized what it said, they called him a pervert and left.

Why can't you just answer trotsky's question in #7? I know you only post here as http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=214&topic_id=275729&mesg_id=275933">an intellectual exercise, but I'm sure you can find it within yourself to answer the question of whether you think we should confront bigotry and hatred or simply ignore it.

[frogmarch]

14. True, and if they can get

someone angry enough to punch them, they're doubly happy, because then they can sue the person. That's how WBC makes money.

[TZ]

19. Really?

You do realize that many many MANY of WBC's views are the EXACT SAME VIEWS AS MAINSTREAM Christianity..They don't believe in Evolution...about 55% of Americans don't. They don't believe in gay rights..well if you look at many polls about gay marriage, that puts them solidly in the majority of Americans too. Should I go on about how they believe God gives them the right to do whatever they want with the environment and that Global Warming is the work of the devil? Embryonic Stem Cells are evil?
WBC is a loud obnoxious group of bigots...whose beliefs are much closer to mainstream Christianity than any secular person.
Go on--tell me the difference between Pat Robertson, or any other popular evangelical than the WBC. Both blame the gays for problems in America, both say Atheists and homosexuals are dangerous.
WBC is a facet of Christianity and beleivers need to understand how much it makes them ALL look bad, since many believe the basic message...they just don't want to say that shit openly. I think WBC might indeed be the most honest Christians in the US. At least they make no bones about their bigotry.

[jeepnstein]

8. Isn't that special?

I will say the video is a classic example of how not to discuss religion with a non-believer. I suspect she's really not all that into spreading the Gospel as much as she's into conflict and drama. Some people are just that way. They give real Christians a really bad name.

[laconicsax]

9. Yes, they do give themselves a bad name. n/t

[Amaya]

20. if i was doing that interview

it would tough for me to not punch her in the fucking mouth. what a vile person ( and i use that term lightly) .... :puke: