bah, Bigotry, Schmigotry, its a cult and you know it. just like Scientology.

cult (kŭlt) pronunciation
n. 1. A religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader.
2. The followers of such a religion or sect.
2. A system or community of religious worship and ritual.
3. The formal means of expressing religious reverence; religious ceremony and ritual.
4. A usually nonscientific method or regimen claimed by its originator to have exclusive or exceptional power in curing a particular disease.
5.
1. Obsessive, especially faddish, devotion to or veneration for a person, principle, or thing.
2. The object of such devotion.
6. An exclusive group of persons sharing an esoteric, usually artistic or intellectual interest.

Unfortunately, they are a cult, and they have done damage. They have been involved in several cases of violence, including the murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student (and the Wesboro Baptist Church did also attack their family, though only verbally). Plus, they demand that other participate in their slaying of gays.

Actually SR, I would contend that Phelp's church does fall under that first definition of Cult.

1. Extremist views (advocating murder of homosexuals).
2. with its followers often living in an unconventional manner (protesting funerals and such would certainly fit).
3. under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader (well, what else would you call Phelps?).

I personally have no problem labeling Phelp's group as a fringe lunatic organization with no authority to speak for us disciples of Christ, and as such, I think the term "cult" fits very well.

Well they are - by an outdated and rarely used connotation of the word. But the popular definition of the word (and I think #1 would fit that most accurately), they are not. They do not require their followers to live in unconventional ways (or more precisely, their practice of their faith falls well within the realm of conventional), their views tend not to be extremist (although at times in their history...*coughcough*REFORMATION!*coughcough*), and although the Pope does carry alot of authority, would you strictly classify him as authoritarian?

The point is, the best use of the term "cult" would be limited to the first definition.

Ah, the wonderful debate of what Free Speech covers.

For some reason, there are those who feel we should stop people from disparaging gays, yet are fine with disparaging Christians.

Sounds pretty hypocritical to me.

I'm more referring to how kids can't say "Jesus" at school, but you can teach kids about sodomy at age 9 in the schools.

Well the reason they do that is so that they know what is going on when they get picked up by the strange old man whp promised them candy if they got in his car.

Toastpaint.

People like this will exist because they find shelter in the First Amendment. Now I am not suggesting changing the First Amendment to block hate speech, I am only saying we have to fight these people with the greatest weapon of all, logic. All you have to do is make them think. Make them think about their beliefs, and you will beat them.

Ah, the wonderful debate of what Free Speech covers.

For some reason, there are those who feel we should stop people from disparaging gays, yet are fine with disparaging Christians.

Sounds pretty hypocritical to me.

PianoMan, don't kill yourself. I understand that this cult does advocate the death of homosexuals, but I don't think death would solve the problem.

Um, no. Blanks can be just as dangerous as real bullets at close range. Basically, it's a wax plug instead of lead. But still, without some distance and resistence to slow it down, that wax plug can still do some serious damage.

...Or he could just not load the gun...

I thought about that, too, but if they checked to see if it was actually loaded, I wanted them to see that it was... And I didn't know that about blanks...

It really doesn't matter. You know if there is that much attention there would be some cops there. And as soon as he pointed that gun at you, they'd take him down.

Or, maybe they'd figure you were suicidal (I mean who gives a gun to someone who says they're going to kill them?)..