Snort Bites- March 2014
DISCLAIMER
AND EXONERATION
Let’s get
this out of the way now. I know many of
you have been wondering about our involvement in a certain issue. I realize you may have wondered what did I
know and when did I know it?
Well, rest
assured, we have taken every step to research and investigate my actions. This included intense questioning of myself
(by myself), and interrogation of my spouse and our cat, Nyla. If I do say so myself, the inquiry was very
rough; I nearly cracked under the pressure.
However we
know now the results of our investigation and I must say it has reached a very
satisfactory conclusion. I can now say
with 100% certainty that I - and no one else here at arteejee - had anything to do
with the closure of the George Washington Bridge in Ft. Lee, NJ last
September.
I can just
imagine how relieved you all are to get this news. Now we can all move on…
WESTBORO
BAPTIST CHURCH LEADER FRED PHELPS DIES
Phelps, who
led his family congregation on a long string of protests at military funerals
as a pretext to denounce and vilify the gay community, succumbed on March
19. It is believed that he died from natural
causes, but many people who felt his anger and hatred over the years may agree
that his passing seemed like a good idea at the time. (And that is the extent of my cheap shot
humor on this subject!)
The news of Phelps
death was accompanied by surprising reports that he had been excommunicated from
his own church in August 2013. The church
itself would not confirm this report, or a suspected reason that Phelps had
softened his views prior to his ouster. If
Phelps saw the light and worked to mend the error of his loathsome ways in his
final year, it will be immaterial to many people. Any possible movement towards his own personal salvation will be viewed
as too little, too late.
I will
certainly never praise Phelps’ work, but I’m not going to dance on his
grave
either. Our reaction to his death is our
chance to show his congregation and his followers the true meaning of
Christianity. You know…that set of beliefs
predicated on such virtues as redemption, salvation and forgiveness? You know, as in “turn-the- other-cheek”
forgiveness?
We could
celebrate Phelps' passing with high fives and champagne toasts, but ultimately
the hatred we would be expressing would be no different than the hatred that
destroyed Phelps. Please, don’t take my word for it. Instead, consider the words of one who
presumably felt the sting of the Westboro congregation’s actions over the
years. Actor George Takei did an eloquent
assessment of Phelps on his Facebook page:
“He was a
tormented soul who tormented so many. Hate never wins out in the end. It instead always goes to its lonely, dusty
end.”
Amen.
(Thank you
for reading. Last one on the George
Washington Bridge is a rotten egg.)