He Who Casts the First Stone

[ncmd_couple]

He Who Casts the First Stone

[lustylearning]

"Repent has made it clear that its crusade won’t end with the swingers."

Pretty soon it will be those of different races and religions. As Chris Rock once pointed out, "That train is never late."

[BiloxiCouple]

At least they provide a map of all the good locations to go to in their town.

[prometheius]

After reading the attatched article, I can only shake my head in utter dismay. Having considered this countries past history and current situations, and future implications, I don't believe we will ever have the opportunity to live "free".

[Alura]

After reading this article I'm more convinced than ever that most churches of today haven't a clue about what Jesus was trying to teach to mankind.

Alura

[it'sso]

I have been admonished for stating my views in regards to what is deemed to be "spiritual" subjects when contributing to other threads. All I can say is that this sort of outcome is always potentially there anytime the "flock" takes on a mob atmosphere when addressing how others wish to live their lives.

[VegasLee]

Just another group like the Westboro Baptist group out of Kansas. This is a younger group and not as well funded but no real difference.

Out to save the world with their version of the bible.

Even though most of us won't agree with them you have to admire them, they are willing to stand up for what they believe in when most Americans won't these days.

Most find their only standing is complaining on the Internet behind the safety of their keyboard.

[lardub]

The biggest wackos in the world are those who claim to be doing Gods work, its always been that way and always will be . From witch hunting in Salem to the taliban and its followers, and now grisham and his lackys. What I find strange is no one has bothered to take the towns Mayor, police force and these born again terrorist to court and sue them in a civil proceeding.

[VegasLee]

Originally Posted by lardub

What I find strange is no one has bothered to take the towns Mayor, police force and these born again terrorist to court and sue them in a civil proceeding.

My question would be sue them for what? They do have the right of free speech as anyone in this country.

We don't have to agree with what they say but have to agree with their right to say it.

This is America. You have the right to sue others for just being ugly after all but honestly, what would the charges be as long as they stay off your property and do not physically harm you?

[Chicup]

There is a line between free speech and harassment. This has been clearly crossed.

Originally Posted by VegasLee

Even though most of us won't agree with them you have to admire them, they are willing to stand up for what they believe in when most Americans won't these days.

No I don't admire them. Standing up for what you believe in isn't a virtue unto itself when it is directed at other people in such a way to cause harm.

It is no more admirable than standing outside of a synagogue calling Jews Jesus killers. Same mindset.

[The Fuse]

Vegas Lee has a real point. If we are not going to DO something, we have only ourselves to blame when we lose our rights to the crazies. Even though in a perfect world (actually, in our world) we should have the right to live our lives unmolested the way we please when we are not breaking laws or hurting others, apparently that is not the way it really is. In the real world, we have to go to lengths we shouldn't have to go to in order to preserve our rights. Otherwise, the crazies will win.

This leaves me in a quandary. I don't have the time or wherewithal to become an activist of any sort (sorry to a certain friend who thinks everything should be community policed -- you know who you are). The fact that this is a lifestyle issue makes it that much harder. I potentially have hardships to deal with if I go very public with my swinger status. So do I just complain from behind the safety of my keyboard? I think doing that gives us a false sense of having done something. It doesn't do any good. So I try to resist sitting here and simply fussing about what's happening...

I have some money. If someone is using their personal funds to fight this fight, I am willing to contribute. If I were retired and financially secure, I might be willing to put up with the strong disapproval of my family and many friends to put my own time and effort into this fight. But I am neither. I don't have the time to contribute and have simply made a choice not to expose my lifestyle to a lot of people. Really, this is the problem and why the fundies win: they care enough to come out and spend their time doing these awful things in the name of their beliefs. And they don't suffer being ostracized, because it's "okay" for them to do what they do, but "not okay" for us to do what we do. We still have to hide in order to preserve our normal lives.

My wish is that some folks who have the luxury of time and relative disregard for community disapproval, will get organized and find the most effective ways possible to fight the fight. Then, people like me have to put our money where our beliefs are. Problem is, not many people want to contribute. I would rather keep my own money, that's for sure. But I'll cough some up on a regular basis. I doubt that is really good enough though. It is frustrating, because I feel like we have these rights, but we are relatively powerless to defend them. And if we don't defend them, we will lose them.

[Alura]

Vegas Lee: While I usually find myself agreeing with you, I submit that this group has earned a big ZERO in gaining my admiration. That takes more than someone steadfastly holding onto a stupid opinion.

Chicup: I found myself having fantasies about a group of ... say, nine ... guys (hopefully recruited from outside Amarillo) armed with police billy clubs pulling into the parking lot in a disguised and license-plateless van, exiting and turning some of their militancy back into their faces, leaving a pile of live but senseless bodies in the parking lot without a clue about who wreaked the havoc. Waking up in the hospital might cool their ardor.

Sighhhhh.... totally impractical, not to mention immoral. I guess we'll just have to use words instead of sticks and stones.

Alura

[lardub]

Well vegas not sure how your laws work down there in the ole USofA but up here in Canada we have laws against harrasement, and stalking, I guess thats why we allowed gay rights and rights to minorities long before you did. We have the right for peaceful assembly but not to the point of harrasment. Hence that is why our police forces would ask them to leave or charge them after a given amount of time and the city would be responsible for the police not protecting our rights to live our lives with out being hassseled by religious wackos.
I find it strange that in the USA people can sue for spilling hot coffee on them selves but not for people acting in a threating manner....

[SW_PA_Couple]

From the article, "Repent believes the 600-acre prairie park’s Walmart-funded 'Earth Circle,' used for lectures, is a Mecca for witches and pagans." Nothing more need be said to understand from where this comes.

Mecca = they're different from us; we need to get rid of them.
witches = they're different from us; we need to get rid of them.
pagans = they're different from us; we need to get rid of them.

[VegasLee]

Chicup, Your right, maybe "admire" is not the right word for me to use here.

I don't admire what they stand for, but more so that they believe so strongly in something that they will go public with their belief and try to do something about it.

Now we all pretty much agree that we don't agree with them.

I also don't know that I feel they have crossed the line here. No more then many Unions do to some businesses.

Here in Vegas we had a Union end up holding the longest strike in history. Hurt a man's business by picketing him for YEARS. They would pretty much do the same things described in that article we are talking about. Block Cars, people trying to walk into the business, carry hundreds of signs, camp out on the side walks, use bullhorns, call people going into the business vulgar names. According to the laws, those Union Pickets did not break any laws. Over the years some fights did break out and all involved where charged with crimes at that point. (funny part about it was most of the pickets where not UNION MEMBERS. They where hired by the union to hold this world record strike for very little pay. The union workers had long got other jobs.)

Yes, what this group is doing effects others. Swingers, Strippers, owners and patrons. Does anyone have the right to do this? By law, yes, by their belief, yes. We don't have to agree but they have the right.