Last night on BBC2 there was a documentary by Louis Theroux about a group of Christians in America who believe that they are the only ones going to Heaven. I'm not a Christian, but I found their remarks offensive in the way that they saw themselves as being better than everyone else.

They protested at dead soldiers' funerals with placards saying 'Fag marines' and they basically thought anyone who lived a 'fag' lifestyle would rot in Hell. Even if you are not homosexual, but think gay people should have rights you are classed as living that lifestyle.

The worse thing was that kids as young as 7 were protesting, but they didn't even know what the signs meant.

I saw that! Its amazing how much passion they have, protesting outside a soldiers funeral? How harsh can they get!

Their remarks really were offensive, they didnt even try to get people to believe them, they just condemn everyone instead

i found it funny!

I thought that it was funny too in a way because they are so wrong and it made me laugh when the guy wouldn't answer the questions. He obviously had no idea what to say!

If you're feeling lazy just read the bold stuff to get the jist of this post.

I think there's a thread lurking somewhere on smosh with a link to an interview with one of the women. It was posted ages ago, i'll maybe try and find it later.

I watched it last night. I think that like the documentory maker pointed out, the most worrying thing was not the protests etc. it was the way the young people were *brainwashed* and just spouted the ideas without actually comprehending them

It worried me that when questioned about anything like friends, boyfriends, marriage, sins or their future plans the younger girls would look completely panicky, their eyes flitting around and then they would grin nervously. It was clear that they weren't saying what they actually believed at heart (though maybe they were saying what they thought they believed). Most of the time their eyes looked like they were saying 'get me out of here'; to the camera they'd be saying 'My life is God, I don't intend to get married' but they'd simultaneously be shaking their heads! They also seemed completely lost when not quoting things that their parents had drilled into them when they were young. The way they would giggle nervously when announcing that people were going to go to hell showed that they didn't really understand what it was they were meant to believe.

One thing that I found myself wondering was whether or not more should be done to help the children.

-On the one hand it is pretty clear that they are being brainwashed and that their lives are being affected by it; no relationships with people outwith the church, no actual personal beliefs about anything etc. and surely it is in their best interests for some authority to intervene and help to widen their horizons and to give them opportunities to form their own beliefs.

-On the other hand there is freedom of speech, these people are entitled to bring their children up how they see fit and in their minds at least they are ensuring that their children don't go to hell. There is also the argument that they may in fact be right and the rest of society is doomed.

Also, I thought that the fact that all their signs called people/things fags was hilarious. It's such a 10 year old type of insult. 'you're a fag'

It's also quite amusing that they are trying to tell people that gay people are bad etc. but that their extreme methods of protest just encourage liberal views as people end up feeling sympathetic towards those who are being victimised.

What the hell.

Wow, that was long.

I watched that. It was funny, because when Louis was asking them questions, they had no good answers, and just made stuff up, or repeated it.
They reckon their like the only people that will go to Heaven, but, surely they should go to Hell. I mean, they went to people's funerals, people they didn't even know, and protested. It was pathetic. And they make thier kids join in, and they end up getting hurt over it.

I didnt see it but, that is crazy. How stupid is America getting. Im American and i think its getting rediculous over here.

i hate it when people are so religious that they make their kids psychotic too
people like that belong in an insane asylum

those people arent "america" they are just a few psycho people... they all interbreed and their entire "church" consists of less than 50 people because it's relatives only. they're all just a bunch of complete basketcases who will be pretty darn surprised to find out where theyre going when they really do die

the worst part about people like that is that they insult the very people (soliders) who fight to ensure their right to freedom of speech so they can say blasphamy and call the soliders "fags" etc.

As far as i'm aware there's no incest involved in this case and so claiming that they are inbred is just an unfounded and callous insult.

You obviously disagree with their methods of protest (as do most people, me included) but if you dismiss that what problems do you have with their religion-and what sets it apart from other religions- that warrant hating them and reffering to them as inbred basketcases?

im christian but thats just wrong the only one that can judge who gose where is god you know and actualy imnot judging but it said in the bible if ur like that and u say everone else is bad or going to hell most likely ur gonna go to because thatsjust wrong i dont believe im going to hell i love god but im not in thier little groupe they have no right to say that!

that might have been rev. fred phelps.

if it is.. he lives in topeka..which is about 20 minutes away from my city.

he's known nationally for protesting at soldiers funerals blaming the war iraq on homosexuals

i saw people doing this out side the denver capitol and out side of millitary funerals on the news several months ago.

there was a marine crying because they were destroying an American flag

and the lady in charge had like an 8 year old kid there protesting and the news asked him what they were doing and he said something like "were getting rid of the fags"

those people need help if they're going to think they're the only ones who deserve to go to heaven, there's lots more religious people.

Almost sure it was. Yes, it was:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6507971.stm

Yeah, those people are fucked up. I saw an interview on a news channel (fox or cnn, i dont remember) with one of the leaders of the group.. she's fucking psychotic.

I didn't see it, I was going to watch it, but I forgot. Even though its obvious that lots of people don't agree with them, there's not much anyone can do, because they're entitled to believe what they want to and it doesn't seem like they're going to change their mind.
And that whole thing about protesting at soldiers funerals, even though I don't think that war is right, that's just taking it a bit far. Don't they stop to think how much they could be upsetting the families of the people whose funerals they are? There's a time and a place for protesting; that's not it.

Well it's effective and has sucessfully got their message across to people world-wide, which is a big consideration when protesting. It may be insensitive but in their minds the soldiers have already gone to hell and informing their families and others of what could be done to redeem themselves and other people that are still alive could be seen as a kind gesture.

I'm a Christian, and I know that everything these people are saying goes against our religion. They should not be called Christians, because this is a sacreligious practice.

Aren't they like a bunch of old people?

I'm going to quote a creationist teacher in the US, whose name has been forgotten out of shame.

"If you are a [born-again] Christian, you will go to heaven; If you're following another religion, then by default you will go to Hell."
"If YOU believe in Evolution instead of Jesus, you'll end up in hell."

America, on that point of view, is a bit like Las Vegas: anything goes. However, tolerance should be the first card played, always. And to prove my point, here's a little extract from the declaration of human rights:

Is it me, or are these guys basing a discrimination against other humans, basing a discrimination on something outlawed by the human rights, and a discrimination that is still allowed to live? When will the madness end?

Absolutely. They're also being hypocrites.

Y'see, the big problem, as usual, is that most people will never even consider that they, or what they believe, is wrong. They can't be hypocrites, because they believe that they are righteous. To them, it's the rest of the world that is at fault.

And, like all stubborn religious people (call them fanatics), they'll never stop. Not even if you Drop Them In The Cacky (read The Night Watch by Terry Pratchett if you don't catch my drift), they'll never acknowledge.

... Sad little old world that we live in. Sometimes I wonder how most people can think the world is a good place to live in.


EDIT: And, just because I'm in a good mood, the last part of the argument I was raising beforehand. Article 12 of the declaration of human rights:

I think our little catholic friends will be sued very soon, if some of those marines know their rights...More than a phonecall and a lawyer, in any case.

they're going to hell for sure

That's just as bad as them. If hell exists, you're condemning them to eternal suffering; the instigators, okay. But the children? Hell is not something you joke about. It's a bit like death; it's best not to joke about those things.

However, I do hope they get sued and realize the atrocities they're saying.

hahaha

I read an interview of the guy who made the documentary, and he said that "gramps" used certain bible verses to back up his anger. So that would make gramps a hippocrite and if you read the bible, being a hippocrite is very bad.

Anyone could bend a bible verse to read what you want to say. I did that joke to someone in my class, using an Apocryphane verse to prove that capitalism is a sin...

Okay, So I don't believe in god or anything that has to do with some sort of, 'Higher Power', and though I don't have anything against people who are religious, (Or anyone who is gay, I think they're pretty awesome) But Holy shit. What makes these people think they have a right to do this? And at The peoples Funerals? Like these people aren't Depressed enough. And what does protesting at the funeral prove? It's not Louis' and his familys lifes, why do they care so much if they already know their going to heavan, and everyone else is going to hell?

I dont really have an educated response to the videos.
All I know is that they shouldnt be in America if they hate it.
They shouldnt be brainwashing their children.
All through out those parts I wanted to slap the adults.
RAWRTHEYMAKEMESOPISSEDOFF
>:[

EDIT

Heres part one, links to the other parts are in the description.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2fUyJQgRuM

............

Score: 26 points -- Cowabunga, dude! You're a total free spirit, just like Michaelangelo

BOREDDD

Edit: WTF? wrong forum.

Not to be on these people's side or anything, but they are just expressing their first amendment rights. So what if you don't agree. Just plug your ears and sing something.

You know... - actually i should probably say I'm religious - but....its sort of the Christian thing to do, to help others, and I guess what they're trying to do is just help out other people, possibly attending funerals, so when they are seen protesting on T.V, they can be like "see this is what happens if you're a fag" - or something along those lines, and they are just like basically trying REALLY REALLY hard to get their message out there as fast as possible. I do agree that they are taking it maaaybe a bit far, you know, they could turn it down a couple of notches. I'm not a fan of homosexuals myself, but you know, there is a line between religion and whatever they are doing. A funeral is one of the places you don't do this kind of stuff at, its a time to respect, and i guess praise, kinda like communion and marriage... its one of those things (sacrament or something). But yea... i just had to say something

A bunch of old people with some 7 year-old kids too.

I saw that. It was ridiculous about how narrow minded she was.

wow thats crazy

they really think that? they're freaks

The thing about these people is that they're so hypocritical, and they don't even realize they're doing it.. Or maybe they do, and aren't willing to admit it, although the former is more likely. In the Bible, there is even a quote by Jesus that says "Do not judge, and ye shalt not be judged." That's all you need to show how screwed up these people are.

I heard about this a while ago on another smosh thread.I thought it was teh dumbest thing ever.It says in the bible as long as you let god in your heart then you are allowed into heaven.What dumbasses.

It's sad how they've twisted their fate. It's like how bin Laden, Omar, and all those bastards twisted their Muslim faith.

They didn't twist it that way. It's their own church and that's how it was meant to be.

I've got the video from the TV show:
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2fUyJQgRuM

EVAN'S CONFUSED. =[

My hero:

I think it's quite sad. Those kids have no idea what the world is truly about. All they know is what their parents/church tells them.

I am sure these kids are homeschooled in an attempt to further control the children.

Unfortunatly, you can't take kids away from their parents just for absurdly wrong and dangerous, bigoted, intolerant veiws.

I hope someone sues these people for malicous persecution, emotional strain, and corruption of minors. Those kids are the true victims.

I know a few people who, without these things, are also completely brainwashed. If we wield justice on those peeps, we'd have to wield justice on 1/4 of the families (if not more) of England...
Isn't education a kind of brainwashing anyway? I don't know for you, but education tried to change me, to make me be like the standard. I reject the standards every day, to prevent that kind of brainwashing. And, I know what you're going to say, I'm not a punk, and not an emo.

They aren't homeschooled. The older girls said they got a lot of crap at school when they started telling the other kids they were going to hell.


What are you talking about? There have to be some standards in education that you have to go by. Such as learning to read and do basic math, but as long as you're a complete rebel you're fine... Just keep telling yourself that.

That's not what I meant. You read too far into what I've been saying. What I was saying was the kind of messages people send through education, and especially through the learning methods today. "Don't think, just learn blindly and listen to the adults". Isn't that some kind of brainwashing?

I'm not christian (it doesnt even require you to believe in something to see how ridiculous this is);but this is pure nonsense.

agreed. ^^