May 8, 2008
Westboro Baptist Church to picket the Beijing Olympics against a "godless, filthy, sodomite China"
Since the time we told you about Shirley Phelps-Roper's email to China Daily columnist Raymond Zhou, everybody's favourite church, the Westboro Baptist Church has completely revamped its official website GodHatesFags.com (check it out — it actually is looking kinda swanky now). Looking through the site, we found this press release sent out in late January, when China was suffering its worst winter storm in 50 years, praising the Lord for "punishing" China — "that evil nation, awash with the sins of Sodom" — and saying that God was warning China through it all to either "repent or perish".
The group of Christian loonies which has been known to go on public pickets with signs such as "Thank God for 911," "Thank God for AIDS," "Thank God for Katrina," "Thank God for IEDs," and "Thank God for Dead Soldiers" also announced plans to "preach to the whole world" — particularly all you "fags" and "fag-enablers" out there — at the Olympic Stadium August 8-24. It's been a while since we last had some good ol'-fashioned gospel preachin', so we will be there with bells on (look out for the guys camping outside the stadium in a row of pink tents!). Between now and then, though, we'll be organising a few prayer meetings to beseech the Lord to please grant our dear preachers their visas.
Previously on Shanghaiist
God hates China?
|
I just got one-upped.
Not that any press releases by their church are worthy of analysing too deeply, but I would like to point out an interesting contradiction that I am surprised they did not pick up on:
HL: "God hates China; and is punishing HER with a deadly storm" (emphasis is mine)
Later on: "God hates fags", oh, and the lovely citation of Leviticus.
But if China is a she, isn't it appropriate that she lie with mankind? And women are not fags, nor are they sodomites, unless one means that they come from Sodom, but are not partaking in the sodomy, since they can't. How odd.
how do I become a fag-enabler? It sounds like a worthwhile hobby
Why don't they just set themselves on fire rather than picketing. It will bring them more attention. Thats how religious zealots do it in China!!!
These guys (and the 'Intelligent' Design crowd, of course) really make me embarrassed to be from Kansas. I still cringe when I think about how they protested graduation at my school, because the school put on a play they didn't like.
The only question I have is who do we boycott against to retaliate?
Oh please, oh please, oh please, oh please, I hope the PAP picks up Rev. Phelps and plants him in some God-forsaken jail in the middle of Qinghai.
If they violate his human rights, somehow, I won't care so much*
*at all.
I'm also from Kansas, saw Fred Phelps and the WBC crew on multiple occasions in the late 90s.
The only thing more disturbing than the hate that he was promoting was the fact that he was using his very young grandchildren to do it.
James - I think with your shoe oriented weblog, you're well on your way.
Nice to know I'm not alone out here. How soon before they open up a Gates or Winsteads out in Gubei?
The weird thing about Phelps is that he used to be a fairly well-respected civil rights attorney before he went off the deep end.
Probably had too much coke like Ted Haggard did.
I'd start with Carrefour.
T: What's "PAP"?
The only PAP I've heard of is the People's Action Party in Singapore (aka the government) - which has pretty similar views as Westboro on fags et al.
T- I give em what they want
People's Armed Police
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People's_Armed_Police
it's so funny! hahaha...
Actually China does have gods. But they are from Buddhism and Taoism.(we don't have trinity).These two religions are very tolerant and inclusive. So you hardly see any homophobia in China, as you often see in the West. Christianity in the West is not monolithic. But some denominations are really promoting hatred, instead of love.Some denominations, to a less horrible degree, are promoting discrimination and justifying it. i know it is not pleasant to here it. But this is the very bad part of Western culture.
"Actually China does have gods. But they are from Buddhism and Taoism.(we don't have trinity).These two religions are very tolerant and inclusive."
Don't forget the CCP, whose power, vision and love surpasses all! And of course no religion exists in China without CCP approval and guidance.
"So you hardly see any homophobia in China"
Isn't homosexuality officially considered a disease in China or something?
Bumix
r u for real? how do u get that idea? from the west media?
"So you hardly see any homophobia in China, as you often see in the West."
As someone who crosses the aisles in the sexuality department, and has many gay friends, many of whom are Chinese, I can confidently say that this statement is naive.
You are right that Chinese culture does not attach the same stigma to homosexuality. There were even several gay emperors, a fact that some modern traditionalists do not like to mention because it counters the view that homosexuality is an import.
But you can't deny that there is a huge stigma inside of families. Homosexuality is accepted as long as it is not within the family. There, criticism is just as strong as in Western countries. This is true even in more open places such as Hong Kong. Many gay Chinese men are living a lie with women simply because they feel socially bound.
Are all the sodomites in Shanghai? I should plan a trip. All these province girls are too shy around foreigners.
let me answer your guys' questions to better understand Chinese culture.
@Bumix
yes. It was categorized as a "mental disease" by health ministry, until 10 years ago. it resulted from lack of knowledge of homosexual,not from discrimination. This is in sharp contrast with the West.
@taihanasie
the word "stigma" is not right here. it should be "pressure". Chinese culture attachs great importance to keeping family line, hence male offspring are more prefered. Those parents are not happy because they think they would not have someone to pass down the family line. But do a test. if you tell them you can find a surrogate mother, they will happily accept it. So it is not homosexuality that upset them. it is the deemed prospect they will not have grandchildren that upset them.
so people don't "criticize" homosexuality. People criticize their children of not bringing grandchildren to them. they are different nature
@stinky mutton;
I appreciate your thoughts. If you use it in a metaphorical sense, you are correct. But you are brownnosing CCP by saying its "love" surpasses all.
Richardlee, basically, what you say would have merit if most Chinese parents would accept surrogacy. A Chinese or Taiwanese family that would accept the modern concept of a surrogate mother without disdain would be rare indeed.
You don't want to call it a stigma? Then call it what you want ;) A rose by any other name....
Westboro Baptist Church is a hate group.
They hate gays and judge people.
The Bible says not to judge, but these idiots from WBC do so anyway.
They go to the funerals of soldiers and hold up stupid signs that say "Thank God for 9/11", and "God hates fags."
WBC forgot that God so loved the world, that he sent his son here so that we can be forgiven for our sins.
God loves us.
God does not hate us.
God loves America.
God loves all countries.
WBC says that there is no hope for us.
God gives us hope.
Westboro Baptist Church is the Devil's whore.
I laugh at them.
George Vreeland Hill