the disintegration of human decency

::page two::

Matthew Shepard "Matthew Shepard – a 21 year old gay man who was abducted, beaten, tortured and left to die in Laramie, Wyoming. He was tied to a fence post after being pistol-whipped, and he died several days later from his injuries.The perpetrators claimed the killing was due to an unwanted sexual advance by Shepard." How could anyone take it that far? How could you justify your actions? As horrifying and tragic as Matthew's death was, this organization has continued to thrust their signs into the faces of his family members and loved ones. They picketed his goddamn funeral. His death is held up as an example of what should and rightfully does happen to people who practice a homosexual lifestyle. Instead of granting peace or sympathy, or even silence to Matthew's relatives and loved ones, they shove his death down their throat. They make it a shameful ordeal. Death. The most sacred of human instances, and it is applauded. "He got what he deserved." If that weren't abomination enough, Westboro church has made a mock "remember Matthew Shepard" section. I wanted to scream when I saw it. Featured prominently is a little picture of Matthew with flames flickering around his face, and a bright red link proclaiming "hear Matthew's screams from hell" in RealPlayer. I was rendered completely speechless. Any sort of objectivity I had been harboring up to this point had all but disappeared. In their FAQ section, it was asked "Why do you use the term 'fag'?" Their response: We use the word "fag" as a contraction of the word "faggot" or "fagot." A "fag" is a firebrand. A "fag" is used for kindling - it fuels fire. "Fag" is a metaphor used in the Bible, for example, in Amos 4:11 (where it is translated "firebrand" in the KJV). Just as a "fag" fuels the fires of nature, so does a sodomite fuel the fires of God's wrath. We do not use the word "fag" in order to engage in childish name-calling. Rather, we use it because it is a metaphor chosen by the Holy Ghost to describe a group of people who BURN in their lust one toward another, and who FUEL God's wrath. This struck me as the biggest load of bullshit that had landed in my lap since Britney Spears became famous. Using a commonly known derogatory term rather than an acceptable substitute (which, God knows, would probably lend a certain "PC" feel to the whole thing) they use an extremely inflammatory piece of speech that makes them seem all the more condescending.