[Cerek the Barbaric]

Originally posted by Timber Loftis: Perhaps these people feel they are doing good. It is, after all, perfectly acceptible to believe that homosexuality is disallowed by the bible and will add in sending you to hell -- that is a fair interpretation of the text. Not the only one, but a fair one. Millions of people all over the world believe it. By openly damning this gay man, perhaps they intend to save others from the path they see as evil -- perhaps they are only trying to save souls as Jesus wanted them to. Why not allow them to preach it from a soapbox? If it's so wrong, people won't listen or will boo and hiss. That's the way it goes.

While it may be acceptable to believe the Bible speaks against homosexuality, it is not acceptable to present this message in the manner Phelps does. Jesus always preached that Christians should "hate the sin, but love the sinner". There is no love in Phelps message - only hate. There is also no offer of redemption from sin, only punishment. That simply isn't the way God works.

As for the proposed monument, I can't agree with Phelp's logic that it has to be allowed since the park also contains a monument to the 10 Commandments. The 10 C's are a transcription from the Bible - Phelp's proposed monument is an interpretation of the Bible. Two completely different things. Somebody already mentioned the KKK. If Phelp's were allowed to put his monument up, then groups like the KKK would have every right to erect monuments of their own expressing thier messages of hate and bigotry.

As for the "Christian authorities" stripping Phelp's of his position, I'm afraid it doesn't work that way. The Pope and Cardinals are part of the Catholic church - Rev. Phelp's isn't. For what it's worth, his message of hate is condemned by official religious organizations.

As Cloudy already mentioned, there are a few bad apples in every bunch...and Rev. Phelp's is a bad apple of the worst stripe.