New game pits "Avenger Jesus" against Donald Trump, the Teabaggers, and Sarah Palin.

Courtesy of OC Weekly:

Defeating Donald Trump, Sarah Palin and the Westboro Baptist Church God Hates Fags crew on screen is not enough for the creators of Avenger Jesus: The Social Justice Mobile Game. 

The Avenger Jesus Game Series company is also taking aim at teabaggers and assorted Christian conservatives with sale proceeds and advertising revenues, the founders claim. 

"We are using right-wing tactics, pushing the bounds of free speech to further the cause for equality before it's too late" is how co-creator Joey DeLoach puts it in a company press release.

Money from the app will go to LGBT and women's groups among others.

This is of course a little silly, but in the past I have enjoyed playing some silly politically inspired video games, so maybe this one will catch on as well.

Besides who doesn't think that if there were a real Jesus, and he came back today, he would not be going after these assholes who drag his name through the mud with a vengeance?   

Fox News compares Atheist group to Westboro Church members.

Courtesy of Mediaite:  

This year’s War on Easter coverage on Fox News came to a head this morning when Fox & Friends contributor Ainsley Earnhardt pitted an atheist and a Christian against each other for a heated debate over the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s right to post “anti-Easter” signs alongside the giant cross and resurrected Jesus monuments in Chicago’s Daley Plaza. “Has Easter evolved into an occasion to demean religious beliefs and Christianity?” Earnhardt asked at the top of the segment. 

And what are those “anti-Easter” images? Quotes from America’s Founding Fathers, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, reading “In reason, we trust” and “Keep state and religion separate,” respectively. 

 You know I certainly don't want to disagree with a Fox News blonde bobblehead, but I do not understand how this is an attack on Easter.

It was in fact a response to this display at Chicago's Daley Plaza.

If one religious group feels that it is okay to place symbolic constructs that promote their religion in a public venue, then it is only fair to expect other religions to want to do the same. Or for non-deists to want to promote their message in a similar manner.

And in NO way can this be compared to the hateful images and remarks that are the hallmark of the Westboro church folk.

Though I am sure saying so plays right into the Fox viewers already existing prejudices.

Westboro Church members face first protesters after death of founder Fred Phelps.

Courtesy of Raw Story:

Members of the notorious Westboro Baptist Church staged their first protest Friday night after the death of the church’s founder Fred Phelps on Thursday. 

According to Kansas City’s KSHB Channel 41, the stridently anti-LGBT demonstrators were met with a counter-protest outside a concert by New Zealander pop sensation Lorde. The counter-protesters held up a banner that said, “Sorry for your loss,” a message of condolence to the church members, many of whom are relatives of the late Rev. Phelps. 

Westboro members — who reportedly ousted Phelps from his own congregation earlier this year — pretended to not understand the message. 

“I don’t even know what they’re saying,” said longtime WBC member Steve Drain.

You know what, I am not even sure that WBC member was being purposefully ignorant.  

I think it is completely possible that their hate and self loathing is such that they simply cannot recognize genuine sympathy.

What a truly unfortunate way to go through life.

Founder of the Westboro Church, Fred Phelps, has died.

Courtesy of WIBW:

Fred Phelps Sr., the former head of the Westboro Baptist Church, died late Wednesday night, according to a family member. 

Phelps' son, Timothy told 13 News that his father died just before midnight. Timothy Phelps works at the Shawnee Co. Jail. 

Ironically, another son who is a member of the church, attorney Jonathan Phelps told us Thursday morning, "Pastor Phelps is doing just fine." That, of course, could have been a spiritual reference. 

Margie Phelps, Phleps daughter, told WIBW-AM that there will be no funeral for him.

This is not exactly news as we had already been made aware that he was on death's door.

What is interesting is that there will be no funeral. Possibly due to fear that there would be protests or some kind of insensitive disturbance that would embarrass or upset his family members.

And we all know how hateful people can be, right?

I think the world has suddenly become a much nicer place to live.

Hundreds of University of Missouri students block Westboro Church members from protesting recently out of the closet Michael Sam.

Courtesy of iacknowledge:  

Wearing “Stand with Sam” pins and shirts that read “We Are All CoMo Sexuals,” hundreds of people lined up surrounding the stadium grounds. The shirts are a play off the nickname of Columbia, Mo, where the University of Missouri is located. 

“Because Michael Sam stood up for Mizzou his entire career and we need to stand up for him,” a counter-protester said. 

The Westboro Baptist Church was kept a short distance away from the stadium. In front of them stood the student body who – like many in America – have grown increasingly tired of the WBC’s hate mongering. 

Inside the arena, the atmosphere was equally supportive. The football team was being honored for their stellar season, but it was Michael Sam who received the greatest adulation. When he appeared on the video boards during the game, the arena erupted in applause and even a standing ovation. 

As the WBC stood shivering in the cold with their signs that read things like “Death Penalty 4 Fags” and “Fag Enablers,” there must be a growing concern among the members that it’s no longer about fighting a culture war against homosexuality. Staring at over a thousand people willing to stand in the frigid temperatures out of love and respect for one of their own, the WBC may have to recognize that perhaps the war is already over and they have lost.

Wow, I think that made me tear up a little. 

This is such a powerful message to send to young boys and girls who are feeling insecure about their sexuality and worried about being accepted.

Westboro Church to protest funerals of victims of Boston Marathon bombings. Update!

THANK GOD FOR THE BOSTON MARATHON BOMBS!!Westboro Baptist Church to picket funerals of those killed. #PraiseGod>> twitter.com/WBCFliers/stat…
— WBC Fliers (@WBCFliers) April 16, 2013

I support the 1st Amendment as much as the next guy, but I have had my fill of these lunatics and would fully support the removal of all of their rights!

It seems like these tragedies bring out the best in most people, but there are those like Fox News and Westboro that demonstrate the very worst of human kind.

By the way this eight year old boy is one of the victims of the bombings whose funeral apparently the human garbage associated with Westboror feel it is appropriate to disrupt.

The 8-year-old boy killed in the explosions at the Boston Marathon has been identified as Martin Richard, The Boston Globe reported. 

The boy was at the event to watch his father race, according to TV station WHDH. 

Richard's mother and 6-year-old sister were recovering in a hospital after suffering serious injuries, the TV station reported. It said the boy's mother underwent surgery for an injury to her brain and his sister lost a leg in the explosion.

Apparently in the Bible read by Westboro there is no Jesus Christ preaching a message of compassion. Personally I think if you do not have ANY respect the man's message, you should not name your religion after him.

Update: It looks like the Westboro folks can expect company if they show up at the funerals.

Westboro "God Hates Fags" church decides to protest Santa Monica High School. School responds by protesting them back, with hilarious results.

Courtesy of Americablog:  

Rev. Fred “God Hates F-gs” Phelps was protesting Santa Monica High School in Santa Monica, California this morning. 

The Phelps’ made the trip to California for the Oscars, but since they were already there, they decided to picket a high school too.

So the kids decided that two could play that game and came out onto the sidewalks to do a little protesting of their own.

 They clearly had superior numbers on their side, but they also had some things the Westboro folks lacked completely, youthful energy, creativity, and a sense of humor.

Have I mentioned yet how much I admire the youth of today?

Well I do. I do indeed.

Our Saturday morning good news story of the day.

Courtesy of Gay Star News:  

A former Westboro Baptist Church member has posed for American gay rights campaign No H8. 

Lauren Drain spent years as part of the ‘God Hates Fags’ church, known for picketing soldiers’ funerals. 

She posed for the campaign aiming to promote marriage, gender and human equality across America. 

Drain writes: ‘The main reason I posed for the NOH8 Campaign was in direct response to the judgments of the WBC. 

‘I wanted to show people that despite having grown up within the cult and having spent a good portion of my life on the picket line, holding signs condemning our deceased soldiers, reveling in any and all forms of tragedy and simply striving to be hurtful in the name of God; that the WBC is wrong and what I did at the time was wrong! 

‘I now try and lead by example, with love, compassion and an open mind. 

‘Having done a complete 180, I still struggle with little things from time to time – but I know in my heart that I am now on the right path.

You know if a member of the most homophobic hate groups on the planet can make such dramatic change that is good news for everybody, and should give ALL of us hope for the future.

I see a day where homophobia will be eradicated from our country and where a person's sexuality is never even mentioned by the media, even if they are a famous performer or national political figure.

White House petition to recognize Westboro Baptist Church as hate group gets most votes ever!

Courtesy of HuffPo:

Users of the White House's "We the People" digital petition platform have flooded the site in support of an effort to officially designate the Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church as a hate group. 

The most popular petition was submitted on Dec. 14, the same day as the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., an incident that Westboro responded to by announcing its intent to picket the funerals of the 26 victims, including 20 young children. This plan made them a prime target of hacktivist group Anonymous and eventually drew a well-attended counter-protest to block the church's followers from disrupting the services. 

The individual push has since received the support of nearly 250,000 signees, making it the most popular single petition ever created through the White House initiative. It recently cruised past a call for federal action on gun control, which along with a number of other petitions on the issue of gun rights, drew a response from President Barack Obama last week. 

But the quarter-million signature effort to recognize Westboro as a hate group is also getting a boost from two other petitions calling for the congregation's tax-exempt status to be revoked. Both of those have also crossed the 25,000 signature threshold needed to prompt a response from the administration.

Now see this is the kind of thing that this website was set up to do. NOT to help red states secede from the union.

I think the idea that Westboro be labeled a hate group is a no-brainer, in fact it seems that there is really nothing to them EXCEPT hate. And I feel the same about stripping them of their tax exempt status as that would effectively shut them down.

Gotta love the Onion.

Sometimes it's just the subtle things that make it such a joy to visit their site.

Fox nation does not even TRY to appear non-partisan these days.

Did you catch it?

Here let me help:

Conservative bikers turned out yesterday to protect Newtown mourners from Democrat Fred Phelps and his Westboro cult from protesting. 

Subtle, aren't they?

Yes of course Fred Phelps MUST be a Democrat, because you know hating on the gays is such a Democratic ideal.

Assholes!

By the way, I actually DON'T think that the bikers had anything to do with the failure of the Westboro hate mongers to show up. I think that all of the credit for that probably belongs to the shadowy internet group Anonymous.

But NO way will Fox News give them any credit. Especially since they may very well have been responsible for keeping Karl Rove from stealing the last election.

Betty Bowers, America's best Christian, has a message for the Westboro Church.

"Hate pretty, like we do,"

Okay, THAT was awesome!

Not to mention kinda true.

Westboro "God Hates Fags" Church finally went too far, and Anonymous handed them their ass.

Courtesy of Fox 4:  

Thousands have signed two separate petitions that would classify Topeka’s Westboro Baptist Church as a hate group and strip it of its tax exempt status. The petitions were started after members of Westboro announced plans to protest a Sunday vigil in Newtown, Conn. 

After Westboro Baptist Church spokesperson Shirey Phelps-Roper tweeted plans to protest the vigil, “to sing praise to God for the glory of his work in executing his judgement,” the hacktivist group known as “Anonymous” threatened the church via video. In it, an automated voice says, “We will not allow you to corrupt the minds of America with your seeds of hatred. We will not allow you to inspire aggression to the social faction which you deem inferior. We will render you obsolete. We will destroy you. We are coming.” 

In addition to the video, Anonymous hacked Westboro’s website and released personal information about church members including names, street addresses, phone numbers and email addresses according to CNET. 

Anonymous didn’t stop there. Using its Twitter account, Anonymous asked its followers to sign a petition that would investigate the IRS tax-exempt status of the church. As stated on the White House website, the petition claims: “The Westboro Baptist Church is better-known for homophobic displays, suing people and picketing funerals than for providing Christian care to a community. Due to their harassment and politicking, their IRS tax-exempt status should be immediately investigated.”

Anonymous did not stop with the things listed above either, they did much more:  

Today, Anonymous scored several more successes: godhatesfags.com, the website of WBC, went down, possibly as a result of DDoS attacks by anonymous members. Other high-profile hackers have joined in, such as @cosmothegod, who hijacked the personal Twitter account of WBC spokesperson Shirley Phelps-Roper and retweeted several posts about his victory. Anonymous’s official Twitter account also claims that its members managed to change Phelps-Roper’s desktop background to gay porn, uncovered alleged social security numbers of key WBC members through the doxing process, and successfully filed for a death certificate for Phelps-Roper. The group has since tweeted out the alleged hotel where WBC members were staying and offered an IRC channel specifically to talk about its #OpWBC movement.

Apparently, at least according to Anonymous, this was too much and the Westboro group high tailed it out of Dodge.

There are still many who question the tactics used by Anonymous, I am among those myself sometimes, but from all reports there were NO representatives from Westboro anywhere near the memorial on Sunday, nor have any shown up since. So though we can argue about their tactics I don't think we can disagree with the outcome.

“We will destroy you. We are coming.” Anonymous takes on the Westboro Church of hate.

Warning at around the 3:21 mark this video issues a high pitched sound that is extremely obnoxious.

Courtesy of Salon:  

Hacker collective Anonymous were swift to respond, releasing private information of Westboro members including email addresses, phone numbers and home addresses. This video, decrying the church for spreading “seeds of hatred.” The video warns, “We will destroy you. We are coming.”

I am not a fan of hacking, or spreading around people's personal information, but  if EVER anybody deserved this kind of exposure it is the Westboro ass clowns.

We Are Anonymous. 
We Are Legion. 
We Do Not Forgive. 
We Do Not Forget.

Works for me!

Just when you thought things in Sandy Hook, Connecticut could not get any more horrible.

Courtesy of Buzzfeed:

Less than a day after the tragic shooting in Sandy Hook, Connecticut that claimed the lives of 20 children and six adults, members of the Westboro Baptist Church are already announcing plans to protest during and after President Obama'a visit on Sunday. The hate group is best known for its protest of the funerals of U.S. service members. 

“Westboro will picket Sandy Hook Elementary School to sing praise to God for the glory of his work in executing his judgment," Shirley Phelps-Roper, a member of the church, tweeted.

You know usually I would suggest that people simply ignore these ignorant, assholes but the thought that these poor people, many who have just lost their babies, would have to see the hateful signs these animals will undoubtedly wave in their face is too disgusting to contemplate.

I know that the First Amendment guarantees free speech and I know that THIS is how these people make their pathetic hate filled lives seem purposeful, but this is simply too much to ask these grieving families to bear.

The folks over on Reddit are organizing a human blockade of silent protesters to keep the Westboro folks from disturbing the service.  As some of you may remember from an earlier post today this has been done successfully in the past.

Students at Texas A & M block Westboro protesters during funeral

People lock arms to prevent Westboro protesters from attending memorial services in Aurora, Colorado.

Well I certainly hope that somebody does something to interfere with Westboro's agenda of hate.

Someday I may have to subject myself to yet another reading of the bible just so I can figure out exactly WHERE this group finds their excuse for this disgusting display of inhumane behavior.

Russell Brand tries to play nice with members of the Westboro "God Hates Fags" Church.

It kind of took me awhile to warm up to Russell Brand (I found his voice a little annoying) but after I saw him in the movies "Get Him to the Greek" and "Arthur" I really started to appreciate him more.

However after seeing how genuinely kind and patient he is with these two UNBELIEVABLE assholes I now feel badly that it took me so long to appreciate him.

Do me a favor and tell me how long it took before you wanted to jump into the video and tell these two douchebags off. (I would have ripped them a new one the minute they walked out with this horribly insulting sign.)

Christianity done wrong, at the Reason Rally.

This individual was spotted cruising around the Reason Rally in Washington D.C, the other day.

I cannot imagine that he won over too many converts with that approach.

And of course you had these folks.

Once again, if you are trying to get people to leave Atheism for Christianity, kind of an EPIC FAIL don't you think?

I can only imagine what might have happened if any of the above individuals had run into these two attendees.

 Like I said before, I REALLY wish I had been able to go.

Looks like tons and tons of godless pagan fun. And what could be MORE fun than that?

Rick Santorum attracts exactly the kind of crowd most people would expect him to attract.

Courtesy of the Washington Post:

More than a dozen members of the Westboro Baptist Church showed up Friday afternoon outside a Rick Santorum campaign event here. 

The picketers, who said they had come not to protest or support Santorum but rather to deliver their message, stood on the street outside the Great Overland Station, where the former Pennsylvania senator addressed a crowd of more than 200 people.

That may be true but let's face it, vermin are always attracted to the smell of shit.

Besides how much distance is there REALLY between the batshit crazy ideas of Rick Santorum and the batshit crazy idea of the Westboro Church crowd? I dare say that much at all.

When religion becomes child abuse. The indoctrination of hate in the Westboro church.

I watched this last night and was completely horrified at what these young children are subjected to on a daily basis. I am not usually a defender of religion, but the twisting of the basic Christian message in this case is inexcusable, and it really stretches the premise of religious tolerance and freedom of speech to their very limits.

In my personal opinion what is happening to these kids is a very obvious form of child abuse and, even though I realize that it would be against everything this country supposedly stands for, I would like to see these children removed from such a home and given the opportunity to live a life of love and acceptance instead of one constantly simmering with hate.

Some people should just never be parents.

Jon Stewart gives the best description of Westboro Baptist Church EVER!

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
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Oh, he also makes a little fun of the Mormons as well.