WE'VE ALL HEARD THE old saying, "Everybody Has A Price." Examples are all around us everyday and come in many different forms. Probably the most visible comes in the form of reality TV shows like Jerry Springer, Fear Factor, Cheaters, and Blind Date. On these shows people are either paid (or agree to participate in hopes of winning ) varying amounts of money to reveal secrets about their lives or perform stunts that much of America will gladly watch in grand voyueristic style.
This week however, we found out that even the most extreme among us who profess that nothing will deter them from their ideology or mission have a price. It all happened in the aftermath of the shooting deaths of the young Amish school girls in Lancaster County Pennsylvannia.
While the rest of America was mourning the deaths of these young girls, The Reverend Fred Phelps and his minions were quietly planning a hideous protest at the funerals of these children. Fortunately one national radio talk show host was keeping his eye on the ball. Nationally syndicated talk show host Mike Gallagher saw news reports about the Phelps clan planning one of their evil hideous military funeral style protests for these slain amish girls. Gallagher interviewed Shirley Phelps-Roper on his show in an attempt to convince them not to protest. This hideous excuse for a human being actually said in that interview that these little girls, some as young as six years old, were nothing more than "whorish little souls" who "deserved to die" and that they were "burning in hell" as she spoke. After hearing this, Gallagher immediately offered to write her a check for 50,000 dollars if she would agree that there would be no protests at the Amish funerals. She promptly and rudely refused.
Gallagher then asked her what it would take to get them not to protest. She refused to answer. You could tell he was getting frustrated.......then he shocked the world (and educated us too) by offering these evil people an hour of free radio air time.......no strings attached. After a brief pause........she accepted. With that we learned that even people who claim to speak for God and that they will not be deterred from their mission have a price. Bought off with a mere hour of radio air time. Yes even extremists have a price and in the end showed themselves for the evil hideous frauds we've always known they were.
Oh.......in case you're wondering about their hour on national radio, I can say listening to that hour of the Mike Gallagher show made me very proud to part of an industry that, when needed, can rise to the occasion and make a difference. As for the broadcast itself, it was the most disgusting piece of broadcasting I have ever heard. But I applaud Mike Gallagher for doing it and for saving that Amish community in Pennsylvannia from the grief and pain known as the "Westboro Baptist Church."
One last footnote: Mike has taken a huge amount criticism over this from people who just don't get it. Read his column about it HERE! If you agree with and appreciate what he did, why not send him an email and let him know? The link is at the top of the article. I'm sure he'd appreciate it.
5 comments:
Children don't deserve to be tortured and killed. What a b****! This is why I stay out of most churches. They believe the way they want. So, I prefer to stay home and believe the way I want to believe. But I never in a million years would go out and say anything like that was "God's will" or anything even remotely close to that. God is about love and peace. Only HE is in charge of making judgement on anyone. I will certainly send this man a comment because I believe to sit, even for an hour in the face of such ugliness and hatred is more than anyone should have to handle without tossing their cookies...or fantasizing of all the evil things THEY could do to that person. I know it would have crossed my mind a time or 2.
Tuesday October 10, 2006 - 02:56am (EDT)
Mark, Great blog and thank you for sharing it..I totally 100% agree with you and am very touched by the lengths that Mike went to for the sake of saving these families from the protestor's presence at the most somber of events..burying their children. I feel badly that anyone gave him junk over what he did..he did it for the greater good, sorry that sounds cliche, I know. But even if it gave their idiocy unfettered airtime, it just exposed their stupidity to more people. Sane people will have just shook their heads at their "message" anyhow. As far as them being Christians..no way no how. I refuse to let them define Christianity as what they have defined it as. The God I worship is nothing like the God they proclaim. The church I attend is full of God's love and mercy, as well as most all other fellow Christians' churches. I hope real Christians will make their voices heard above the stench and screeching of the Westboro CULT, and tell this world that God loves them. I am going to go write a message of support for Mike right now.
Tuesday October 10, 2006 - 01:58pm (CDT)
Great blog. No child should die the way these did. Why do people do things like this then blame GOD for it.
Wednesday October 11, 2006 - 06:34am (PDT)
People are sick. I grew up in the great state Of Ohio and we had Amish all over the area where I am from (Hardin County). Why would such a group of SELF proclaimed people of God would want to cause a disturbance such as that is just plain SICK! Too often poeple get so caught up in extremities that inflict tremendous pain on others. Most Amish people are founded very deeply rooted in the bible in everything they do. This Westbor Cult faces a judgement that is beyond anything any human can imagine. I will be praying for the destruction of this organization. Not the destruction of lives but the organization itself. Then again who knows what the Lord will deem fit for these people as punishment. If you read the Bible you will see countless perils where God destroyed whole nations.
Yes the Lord is also a forgiving God but to escape judgement one must repent and turn from SIN. I hope true salvation finds them before the vengence of the Lord.
Thursday October 12, 2006 - 12:07pm (EDT)
This is sad and bless this man for trying to give these families peace during the funeral. I cannot imagine anyone who claims to believe in God doing such a thing. But this Fred Phelps and his followers are not the norm. They are sick and full of hate. Their day will come. They may not see justice on earth but will see it later. I commend this man for doing what he could!
peace n love
Debby
Sunday October 15, 2006 - 09:10pm (CDT)
Post a Comment