I yelled at a hate-monger with a Bible again today. I tried not to, but failed.

[patrice]

Actually, I went for almost a half an hour behaving as though they weren't even there, then a fellow came up to talk to me about my sign (he wanted to talk about the Iraqi war-dead count and said he was confused by the presence of the God hates Gays bunch there).

It's been our street corner since 2002 and these parasites started showing up a few weeks ago with their signs detailing what God thinks about Homosexuals. We make them look like a bigger group, when they're really only just a family of 5.

I asked the dad what his sins are and how he can think his sins are less than anyone else's. He said, "Because I am Righteous."

God is dead and these Blasphemers killed him.

[BlooInBloo]

1. :) I wouldn't have even tried to refrain.

You're a better person than I am.

[patrice]

8. I'm pretty rational, but those blind ignorant fuckers make me crazy.

Did have an interesting conversation with this sexy American of Iraqi descent who said he has been spending quite a bit of time in Iraq these last few years "working for the government" (probably a contractor of some sort) who wanted to discuss the (outdated) number of Iraqi war-dead on my sign. Of course, he kept hitting on how bad Saddam was and the necessity of taking him out. We talked about a bunch of other stuff too. He kept saying how less government is better. It was a little creepy, but friendly. I asked him if I should be afraid of him.

[cliffordu]

10. Me too. I'm always meditating on the ball peen hammer for some reason

when confronted by wilfull hate-induced ignorance.

But not in a hateful way. More like in a when all I got is a hammer, every idiot looks like a nail.

:shrug:

[rrneck]

2. What if Hell is really just self righteous cognitive dissonance?

Won't he be surprised.

[patrice]

3. I think you have something there.

I think it's all pretty much organically here and now. There's nothing in Christian dogma that says it isn't. All of this mumbo-jumbo about some other time-place is folk-tales added to the basic stuff by money-changers in the temple.

[rwheeler31]

4. This makes no sense, be well do good but this is not the way.

[patrice]

9. ... not the way for you, unless you're god and, therefore, capable of decreeing what is the way for

everyone.

[Beartracks]

5. "Nanny nanny poo poo! I'm saved and you're not!"

I think you are supposed to hope and pray that you find favor with the Lord -- not simply tell Him, or anyone else, that you have already deemed yourself "righteous" (as if you're going to save Him some time on Judgment Day). :eyes:

Dear hypocrites: Let him who is without sin cast the first stone. (See John 8;7, you seem to have forgotten it.)

[Kievan Rus]

6. I just ignore people like that

[knitter4democracy]

7. I always ask them when they last read the Book of Philemon.

It's in the NT, and it's rarely read, as it's an epistle supposedly from St. Paul to a slave telling him how to be a great slave. Then, I ask them why their church came around and fought against slavery when there are thousands of pro-slavery verses in the Bible vs. the what, ten, verses that are supposedly against homosexuality. If their church hasn't been around that long, then I ask them why they aren't doing their godly duty and being Christ-like slave owners.

Hey, it made a Focus on the Family PR chick shut up and admit that she really didn't know the Bible all that well.

[patrice]

12. That's my basic thought: Why one "sin" to the exclusion of all others?

If he judges his own sins as "small", why doesn't he do something about these small flaws? Since they are "small" wouldn't they be easier to correct, easier for him to change himself? What kind of person is that who doesn't do somethings that might be easily done and instead focuses on other people's behavior.

[knitter4democracy]

13. It's also about loving your neighbor as yourself.

I usually throw that in there, too, asking them to recite the Two Greatest Commandments (most fundies and evangelicals can do this quickly by rote) and then ask them who their neighbor is.

[Mythsaje]

11. I seriously avoid religious discussions. I'll discuss politics all day long

with just about anyone, but not religion. I don't LIKE religion, quite apart from whether or not I believe in an afterlife or a Supreme Being. The universe MAY have been made by God, but religions were certainly made by man. And, yeah, considering how the Old Testament justified incest, rape, slavery, torture, genocide, and a host of other nasties that were allegedly countered by the coming of Christ and his teachings yet SOMEHOW end up being the book they preach from the most, I'd say it's probably a good thing I don't argue the stuff.

[rwheeler31]

14. Arguing with crazy people will do what?

[MuseRider]

15. Were these of the infamous

Westboro Baptist Church by chance or have you another group that does the same? There are just so many around here to choose from however they sound uniquely like our Phelps clan. I am always happy (?) to hear they are elsewhere. That makes for one less place around the town I live close to where I might run into them. Alas there are so many that they pretty much cover all the major intersections here at the busiest times but still.....one less for us. Sorry you have them. I too am sick to death of them and I have known them all my life through all their incarnations. You would think you would get used to it. I am glad I am not or I would be dead ;). Sorry they are trying to take over your street corner, that is how they are. Tell them you like their rainbow colored signs, that is always good for some fun.