Bible says 'spare the rod, spoil the child' ... he would be screaming that as he beat us

He remembers when his father would force him and his siblings to run five to ten miles around the high school track every night. One evening another boy was riding his bicycle along the outer lanes of the track, and Fred began yelling at him to leave. The boy's response was to keep riding on the track, and Fred's was to push him off the bike. The boy left, screaming, and 20 minutes later a truck came screeching into the parking lot. The boy had brought his father, who approached Fred and knocked him to the ground.

"The man was threatening to sue him," said Nate. "Then my old man yelled at us all to get in the car and we went home, and [my father] ended up beating my mom that night."

Father, in this case, is Fred Phelps. Click the link to refresh your memory of who this religious leader is. Then, read the entire essay: Running from HELL: Growing up in America's most hated family. You will not be surprized, but you will be upset.

Thank you Virgil for sending along this link and for ruining our day!

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Fred Phelps is a sick fuck. There's not a speck of Christianity within a hundred miles of him.

In the comments, Shirley Phelps-Roper rears her ugly head, spouting scripture out of context and spewing vicious caps-lock insanity against her brother and everything/everyone else. Guess that particular apple didn't fall far from the sick-fuck tree.

By Mad Hussein LO… (not verified) on 02 Nov 2008 #permalink

Fred Phelps is a sick fuck. There's not a speck of Christianity within a hundred miles of him.

I presume you are speaking of real Christianity - as defined by you.

By Virgil Samms (not verified) on 03 Nov 2008 #permalink

So, Virgil, do you consider him a Christian? Because I consider him a bad, manipulative, violent man who uses Christianity for his own gain, and nothing more. I'm an atheist and I know Christians ... but he is not one.

He believes that Jesus Christ is God/the son of God. Yes, that makes him a Christian. I suggest you read up on the No True Scotsman fallacy.

By Virgil Samms (not verified) on 03 Nov 2008 #permalink