In less funny news

I ran across this article.

Maybe I live in a hole, but I've never heard of Fred Phelps. And no, I will not demean the title and dignify him by calling him Reverend. I can't believe this guy is serious. Protesting at a funeral and saying IEDs are a good thing? Clearly the guy is a nut, and bless those patriots for riding through rain & snow to show honor to the dead.

This is proof that nuttiness is not confined to the militant secular left-wing nutballs. So-called "Christians", and I'm guessing somewhat right-wing types, are fully capable of a level of public insanity and indecency as well.

I believe homosexuality is proscribed by the bible that I hold central to every part of my life. If that makes me a closeminded homophobic bigot, such is life.

However.

I do not believe in denouncing gays publicly. I would not say that God will visit punishment on them - if He's planning on it, that's between Him and the people in question, and for good reason He doesn't share those plans with me. I most certainly would never consider attacking or otherwise causing pain or damage to homosexuals. I live in America where what people do on their own time is none of my business, and I have no right to coerce them to do as I see fit. I might protest when what is not my business is shoved in my face - I don't have to publicly condemn it, but I don't have to stand up and cheer every time another gay character is given a primetime TV slot either.

But this? It's more proof that nutcases are incapable of developing a rational chain of thought. Because there are gays in America it's a good thing soldiers are killed? Young men and women, many of them good & decent Christians, with no responsibility for policy, are somehow deserving of scorn for dying in the line of duty? It's beyond reprehensible, it's sick. People like this would be well suited to living in Muslim lands, where this kind of irrationality (see the cartoon stupidity) is considered normal thought.

Free speech is a fine thing. I do not want these people arrested, killed, or forced to stop saying what they want. But they should be ashamed of themselves, and should get on their knees and beg forgiveness of every family they've spit on, every soldier they see, and they should certainly beg God for forgiveness.