....they do it from religious conviction - Blaise Pascal
Sometimes it shocks me to get a kick to the teeth and an instant reminder that the world we live in, just isn't a nice place. I'm not ignorant, and I know there are evil people out there, but when you aren't faced with it on a daily basis you do get a certain level of ignorance surrounding you regarding the evil that some people practice. Maybe the words I am using are to strong, and people reading this will have to forgive me. As I am not American I am not always aware of the news and the things that go on there. So if someone has already blogged about this my apologies, it just really got to me. I received an e-mail today. You know the usual kind of e-mails. Saying you have to pass this on, and show as many people as possible. The difference about this e-mail was, it wasn't telling you that if you passed it on to ten close friends within the hour the love of your life would suddenly jump out before you and you would live happily ever after. It was using very strong words, and hate about a woman who was interviews on Fox News. So I sat and watched it. For those who haven't seen it, here is a transcript I found on it;
SEAN HANNITY– Today more than 1,000 family and friends attended the funeral of Iowa National Army Guard Sergeant Daniel Sesker. He was killed in Iraq earlier this month. But as they filed into the funeral they were confronted with protesters carrying signs. Signs with anti-gay slogans and words like “thank God for dead soldiers”. Members of the Westborough Baptist Church have been protesting military funerals since last June but today’s display came one day after Iowa’s Governor Vilsack signed legislation that specifically bands disorderly conduct within 500 feet of a funeral or a memorial service.
Joining us now from Westborough Baptist Church Shirley Phelps Roper is with us.
Ah you feel good about this? Do you feel good about going to the funerals of men that put that put their lives on the line for their country to give you the right to do this and to put pain…
SHIRLEY PHELPS-ROPER – Of course.
SEAN HANNITY- to inject pain into their families lives. This is something that you feel good about?
SHIRLEY PHELPS-ROPER – I feel good about warning this nation that the wrath of God is pouring out on their heads.
SEAN HANNITY– So you want to warn the nation?
SHIRLEY PHELPS-ROPER – Because they will not obey. And the Lord your God is punishing this nation and he’s doing it, one of his weapons of choice is sending your children home dead from the battle. So what were there to do is help you connect the dots and what I feel best about is that in spite of the fact that those legislative Taliban in Iowa passed an unconstitutional measure to try to stop us from putting the cup of furry and the wrath of God to your lips and making you drink it…
SEAN HANNITY– You’re obviously a nut.
SHIRLEY PHELPS-ROPER – We’re doing it anyway.
SEAN HANNITY– Okay, now look, you want to make your political and religious point and you want to do it…
SHIRLEY PHELPS-ROPER – It’s not political.
SEAN HANNITY– And you want to do it, you want to inject pain and heartache. I can’t think of, Madam, I’ve got to be honest with you. We’ve had a lot of nutty people on the show over the years. You are as mean and as sick and as cruel as anybody that I’ve ever had on this program. And the fact that you use religion to justify your hatred this way, it’s frankly, it’s mind numbing. Do you really believe that when you hold up your signs “thank God for IED’s that innocent people died”, “thank God for September 11th”, “thank God for AIDS”…
SHIRLEY PHELPS-ROPER – There are no innocent people. Thank God for 911. Thank God for dead soldiers. Thank God for IED’s. There are no innocent people.
SEAN HANNITY– And you believe all of that? You thank God for 911?
SHIRLEY PHELPS-ROPER – You think that all these mean things that you’re saying can bring back a single one of those soldier?
SEAN HANNITY– Hang on a second.
SHIRLEY PHELPS-ROPER – Or bring back a single 911 victim?
SEAN HANNITY– I’ve got a question for you. You thank God for 911? You thank God for AIDS? You thank God for dead soldiers that give you the right to be a fool?
SHIRLEY PHELPS-ROPER – I thank God for every God for every one of his single righteous judgments that he executes upon a rebellious nation…
ALAN COLMES – Hey Shirley, its Alan Colmes.
SHIRLEY PHELPS-ROPER – And people who will not obey.
ALAN COLMES – What’s the matter with you?
SHIRLEY PHELPS-ROPER – (laughs) What’s the matter with me?
ALAN COLMES – What’s the matter with you?
SHIRLEY PHELPS-ROPER – Why won’t you just obey? The scripture says if you obey…
ALAN COLMES – Who should I obey? Who would you like me to obey?
SHIRLEY PHELPS-ROPER – That the Lord your God will bless you, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God then he’ll curse you.
ALAN COLMES – Shirley, I want to be very clear here. Your church…
SHIRLEY PHELPS-ROPER – We’re talking here about the curses of God. It’s a curse.
ALAN COLMES – Hold on a second. Your church. Hold on a second.
SHIRLEY PHELPS-ROPER – It’s a curse when your child comes home dead from the battle.
ALAN COLMES – Shirley can you hear me okay?
SHIRLEY PHELPS-ROPER – I can hear you.
ALAN COLMES – Shirley your church is called the Westborough Baptist Church and is not associated with any mainstream Baptist organization. It’s mostly your own family members in this church. You and your father Fred Phelps hate not just gays, you hate Catholics, you hate Jews. Your father referred to the Holocaust as minuscule. Lead a protest at the Holocaust museum in D.C., said Jews are the real Nazi’s. You are an abomination and you ought to be ashamed of yourself. You are an embarrassment to this nation.
SHIRLEY PHELPS-ROPER – Well I’m glad that you recognize that there is a concept as an abomination.
ALAN COLMES – The way you behave towards soldiers that risk their lives for this country, you ought to be ashamed of yourself.
SHIRLEY PHELPS-ROPER – What you need to do is line your notions of what an abomination is up with what the notion that Lord your God has put into the standard of what he put on what an abomination is.
ALAN COLMES – You know, I’m glad to have you on television. Because as Louis Brandais said, “Sunlight is the best disinfectant.” And you need to be disinfected.
SHIRLEY PHELPS-ROPER – Thou shall not lie … what mankind … is an abomination. (Shirley and Alan were talking over one another at this point…and it was difficult to hear Shirley’s exact words.)
ALAN COLMES – This is sick the things you are doing. How dare you this to the families of our soldiers and to other Americans? How dare you do this?
SHIRLEY PHELPS-ROPER – You can’t bring back anyone of those dead soldiers by throwing ____ at us. How dare you fail to obey the commandments of the Lord your God and bring his wrath down upon not just your own head, but the heads of these young men and women who have been cut off by a raging mad God, described in scriptures as being so angry as having smoke coming out of his nose and fire coming out of his mouth.
ALAN COLMES – (Both were talking over one another again.) Excuse me Miss Phelps. Yeah. I don’t respond to you. I don’t have to answer to you. I answer to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. You have said..
SHIRLEY PHELPS-ROPER – That’s your God. How dare you invoke the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and then flip him off refusing to obey and behave yourself.
ALAN COLMES – If you know…let me ask you a question.
SHIRLEY PHELPS-ROPER – You know that sodomy is an abomination and yet this nation rises up with one voice to say it’s okay to be gay. And you know that’s why the wrath of God us upon you.
ALAN COLMES – Okay if you can just stop your rant for one second, let me ask you a question. If you’re so popular and what you’re saying is truly the word of God, how is it that your church
SHIRLEY PHELPS-ROPER – Popular?
ALAN COLMES – Let me get my question out. If you’re so popular, how is it that your church has 100 members?
SHIRLEY PHELPS-ROPER – Well it’s really not quite a 100.
ALAN COLMES – And it’s your family.
SHIRLEY PHELPS-ROPER – Well it’s not quite 100. And about 80% are our family. But nevertheless, that doesn’t change the word of God. And by the way, you say we are popular…no, no, no.
ALAN COLMES – You ought to be ashamed of yourself.
SHIRLEY PHELPS-ROPER – We are hated by this nation.
SEAN HANNITY– I’ve got a question. I’ve got one last question. Miss Phelps.
SHIRLEY PHELPS-ROPER – And that’s what the scriptures say will happen. You hate God, you hate his judgments and you hate us for telling about it.
SEAN HANNITY- I’m a Christian, I don’t hate God. Let me ask you a last question.
SHIRLEY PHELPS-ROPER – No you’re not a Christian. But go ahead.
SEAN HANNITY– What are your sins?
SHIRLEY PHELPS-ROPER – Yeah, you tired this the other day. What don’t we talk about this issue at hand, Mr. Hannity.
SEAN HANNITY– What are your sins?
SHIRLEY PHELPS-ROPER – Why is it that you don’t warn your neighbor? Why is it that you don’t use that bully pulpit that you have to warn your neighbor that his sin is taking him to hell and to encourage your fellow man. Knowing the terror of the Lord, you should persuade men to obey and behave.
SEAN HANNITY– Alright…Halleluiah
Honestly, for once words escape me, and that isn't something I say often. I am not a religious person. I do not belong to one particular religion, however I don't think that this woman can be judged by her religion. I respect people who believe in something, and have a faith. I do not respect her, and using her belief to say and do evil things. My heart goes out to the families, who have had to suffer from these people who think that they are acting in the name of god. At a time when they were suffering and heartbroken, these people just made it even harder for them. I don't have anything else to say, it's just extremely sad that there are people out there like this, who can think of rational reasons for behaving in such a way.