I went to another location today for the gym after work that i used to visit previously, and i’m happy to say it was a much more pleasant experience. There was so much more room and space to move around, and there were no show ponies prancing about the gym constantly glancing at themselves in the mirrors. So I had a nice stress free gym session and I was listening to Cuppatea, which one of my favorite podcasts (internet radio shows for the uninitiated) on my ipod. It seems the crazies are at it again, because he was talking about the recent tragic death of the actor Heath Ledger and how upset he was that the crazed Rev. Phelps from Kansas and his clan are planning to picket Ledger’s funeral. I listened to Shirley Phelps being interviewed and to hear her justify her hatred and bigotry with her so called warped “Christianity” stirred up thoughts I have not had to think about in such a long time. Living in Thailand can be like living in Oz over the rainbow, cause Shirley honey your voice is not in Kansas anymore. Her hate seemed so alien to hear after being away from such things for so long. Not only that, but it seemed just arrogant and ignorant. Heath Ledger was an actor. He was happily married by all accounts and had a 2 year old, who will have to deal with the memory of these haters if they turn up to protest at his funeral. Now, The Phelps woman knows that he is not gay, but thinks he will go to hell anyway cause he starred in a movie sympathetic to the love shared between to closeted gay men. So….some how this woman…..this family…..this church has made the jump from going to hell cause your gay to going to hell because you act gay. Did i miss a step here? Is that anywhere in scripture?
How can a whole family be insane? Keep in mind, these are the same wackos that picket the funerals of soldiers when they return from the war to be buried at home. Are they just nutz? When does free speech cross the line? However, in retrospect, were not the Manson family a crazy bunch of psychos in their time as well. What could possibly be driving these people? I honestly don’t understand them, and i know enough about the bible to know that God is anything but Hate. I also wonder why more “Christians” don’t stand up to these people. Surely Christians in the US realize what a terrible message these people are portraying, and yet other Christian groups sit on their hands and let the hate continue. How many times have i heard people say how they wonder why the moderate muslims don’t sort their own people out, right? I mean if you don’t want your set of spiritual beliefs thought negatively about, then why not deal with these bad seeds internally. It seems to me that their hate and craziness has reached a point where someone needs to step up to the plate and sort it out some how. Its simply not enough to cross your arms and say “Oh, but i don’t agree with them!” It doesn’t make me angry though…..It just makes me sad! Anyways, i hope they aren’t able to carry out their sinister scheme, as i’ve heard other rumors on the net that Ledger will be put to rest in his home town of Perth, Australia. Something tells me the Phelps clan wouldn’t be welcomed Down Under!!!
"Tom in Thailand" 