Today I did some rethinking about my thoughts of yesterday
Should I have included pictures of people from Westboro Baptist Church?
Should I have blotted out the words on the posters and changed some of the rest of the text?
There was a time when I decided that I would remove the pictures. And some of the words. Well mainly the word fag.
But for now, I’ve decided to leave it as is.
I find the words these people use deeply offensive … because I feel that’s how they are designed to be in the posters.
Maybe they aim to shock people into repentance and salvation.
But they offend.
And the offense is perpetrated in public, in places that people cannot avoid.
I think … though I cannot prove … that most Christians are as appalled at this as are most others.
Over the years I have read the Bible. Done a lot of Bible study. Been to church a lot … a Baptist Church even. Heard a lot of sermons.
But … the stuff on the posters … it’s not there.
These people are advertising a god that is not present in Bible based Christianity.
Words are strangely powerful things. I thought about the words fuck and fag today.
It’s my guess that the folk at Westboro don’t use the former ... but are obviously comfortable with the latter. And the BBC as well, I suspect. One would be bleeped and the other wouldn’t. Regardless of context.
And Google. Try turning safe search on … and the word fuck isn’t found anywhere. But you can learn all about fag.
But … consider Amy Ray’s song Shame on you and the Westboro posters and web sites.
Now tell me … which word is most offensive?
1 comment:
One last comment--the Westboro Baptist Church is not affiliated with any larger denomination in the US that calls itself "Baptist." Even the very right wing Southern Baptist confederation denounces these folks. They are really just the Rev. Phelps and his family and a dozen or so hangers-on.
My mom was raised Baptist...and she is appalled by these people.
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