If this is true, which I doubt, then I would treat him and his group the same way I would treat someone like Danny Glover and his ilk who think that Gaia somehow took out her rage on the Haitians in response to "us" not doing "enough" to stop (the non-existant) global warming. ( I guess the Earth hates Haitians, too???)

I would completely ignore them. Pretend they aren't even there. No ackowledgement at all.

I don't know if this is true, but if it's going to happen, we need to protect the kids from the shouting and hatred. The Phelps web site (linked off of the Phelps-a-thon web site) said the group would be there from 7:25 to 7:55 a.m. A pre-emptive, peaceful line of adults to corral these people is in order.

My goodness, these folks must really have something important to say if they travel all the way from another state to let our high-school kids know about the dangers of sexual perversion. No, probably not, they are most likely busy bodies trying to make up for their own mental dysfunctions by blaming other people who are doing the best they can in life and making it hard on them so they don't have to look at their own miserable lives. Then many years later it seems to always come out that the ringleaders of these things have their own weird sexual issues when they get caught doing something embarrassing.

Fred Phelps is crazy and he has a tiny group of nutcases following him.

They believe that Bush organized the 911 attack, they desecrated US Military funerals until we blocked them.

They preach hatred towards Catholics, Mormons, Jews, Gays, the Irish etc and appeared once the Howard Stern Show, a suitable freak show for them.

They are claiming 20 or so rallies in the Bay Area next week for 10 minutes each---- they will never happen --
--it is all hype and a scam.

Ignore them, they are below contempt.

I will be there for my children who attend Gunn. I am afraid this will turn into a non peaceful protest. Gunn students plan to be out there protesting against them peacefully but who knows what kind of people the Phelp's clan are. I just would not take a chance. Out children have enough going on on their lives.

I would completely ignore them. The best thing to do. Don't "protest" back...just ignore them as if they didn't exist.

Like bad behaviors from children, they get extinguished if not fed with attention.

more on this hate group can be read here...

Web Link

The group should get a life. Protesting gays isn't going to change anything. Some people need an issue to feel important about themselves, as if they are contributing to society. Same level as anti-abortionists. Both groups can hate until it happens to them or a relative.

The hate groups brought us Proposition 8. They are a lot more successful than you might think.

Reading about groups like this would be like following then on twitter.

They are bullies plain and simple.

Ignore them, if they touch you, have them arrested for assault.

I have no time for these people and my advice to you is to do the same and give them no power, none.

my 2 cents

I am not religious. I posted, but was deleted on this thread. I simply pointed out that homosexuality is sternly opposed by the Bible, both New Testament and Old Teastament. The Qur'an is also not favorable.

True believing Christians and Jews and Muslims bascially believe what this guy believes, namely that homosexuality is wrong. Instead of clashing with him, and giving him what he wants, why not have a few minutes of calm discussion with him, from the position of religious believers. Make this a true free speech issue, rather than a big fight.

"True believing Christians and Jews and Muslims bascially believe what this guy believes"

That statement is so far from the truth--Phelps group parades around with signs hat say "God Hates Fags". I hardly think most religious people believe that, even those that are not favorably disposed towards homosexuals. Don't they believe in "hate the sin but love the sinner"? Isn't the belief that we are all God's children and he loves us all?

Phelps is a nut job who pickets at the funerals of our soldiers who have died in the war--what a lack of respect and christian compassion.

And what do you base your statements on that Christians believe that homosexuality is wrong? is it based on writings in the Old Testament? If so, why don;t Christians follow all the rules in the Old Testament? I know they are under the "new covenant"--a handy excuse to pick and choose what to obey.

Bottom line, your argument does not hold water

[Post removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]

Marvin,

Here you go (New Testament):

Romans 1:26-27 (King James Version)

26For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

27And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

You forgot the Golden Rule James: "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you."

Would you want Rev. Phelps and his ilk protesting your wedding? Or yelling at your children as they walk to school? Or telling you that the things you love in life are "hated by God?"

In all of your Bible and Qur'an reading, you've forgotten one very important thing: Your humanity.

"Would you want Rev. Phelps and his ilk protesting your wedding?"

No, I would not. That is one, of many, reasons that I am not a Christian or Jew or Muslim. However, if I was of one of those religions, it would be difficult for me to counter what Phelps' basic message is. I suppose I could strongly disagree with his style, and his vile, but he is consistent with the god he belives in, as expressed by the Bible.

Gone are the days when any sane person lets what is written in a very very old book define and rule their reality.

Notice that most of the trouble in the world these days is the usurpation of the interpretation of these authoritarian writings and using them to push some political agenda, be it the Bible, Koran, or the Constitution.

We seem to venerate the Constitution far above where it deserves to be, especially in areas of ambiguity, and the Bible as being something perfect in the past that is applicable to today

There are lots of parts in the Bible or any old writing that are indefensible today and are just wrong. Let's move into the present. The past was not a golden age where everything was perfect and somehow through sin and stupidity we have lost it, we know a lot more today if we really expended the effort to incorporate it into modern documents and way of life we would be better off, and probably more in line with what "God" if it exists would call for.