"Joy and pleasure are as real as pain and sorrow and one must learn what they have to teach. . . ." -- Sean Russell, from Gatherer of Clouds

"If you're not having fun, you're not doing it right." -- Helyn D. Goldenberg

"I love you and I'm not afraid." -- Evanescence, "My Last Breath"

“If I hear ‘not allowed’ much oftener,” said Sam, “I’m going to get angry.” -- J.R.R. Tolkien, from Lord of the Rings

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

They Tried That Once


I know I've been away for quite a while, but it's been a topsy-turvy few weeks. This story, however, deserves a comment, although there's not much I really have to say about it.

As I wrote about earlier this month, there were protests planned for anti-gay zealot and bigot Pastor Charles Worley after he was recorded preaching this sort of hatred towards lesbians and gay people from the pulpit in his Baptist church in North Carolina: NC Pastor: Put an Electric Fence Around Gays and Lesbians to Make Sure They "Die Out."

Here's some background from Pam Spaulding.

I'm sure you've seen the story, as well as Anderson Cooper's interview with one of this bastard's parishioners, who obviously can't walk and breathe at the same time without close supervision. And here's some choice bits from Spaulding again on the parishioners and their warped idea of "Christian love."

Geneva Sims said she’s been listening to Worley preach the Gospel since the 1970s. She wasn’t surprised by the 71-year-old pastor’s now infamous sermon. In fact, she supports him and his message.

“He had every right to say what he said about putting them in a pen and giving them food,” said Sims. “The Bible says they are worthy of death. He is preaching God’s word.”

Providence Road Baptist Church member Stacey Pritchard agreed.

“Sometimes you’ve got to be scared straight,” she explained. “He is trying to save those people from Hell.”

Pritchard said Worley’s message isn’t one of hate. Instead, she interpreted it as tough love guided by Good Book.

Alvin McEwen pointed out something that hadn't occurred to me, strangely enough: this has been done before. It happened in Germany in the 1930s and '40s. This sort of arrangement is generally known as "concentration camps."

Christian love.

Do I need to say more?

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