"Santa Claus will take you to Hell"

[Bob Juch]

Church wants to post "Santa Claus will take you to Hell" at [Wash. State] Capitol
By Brad Shannon | The Olympian • Published December 11, 2008

A Kansas-based church that has blamed deaths in Iraq on U.S. tolerance of homosexuality has asked Gov. Chris Gregoire’s office to approve a “Santa Claus will take you to Hell” message to display among other religious statements in the Capitol’s third-floor hallway.

The Westboro Baptist Church’s message would be near a Nativity set, three signs mocking atheism, and an atheists’ sign that celebrates the winter solstice, while also taking a shot at religion as “myth and superstition” that enslaves minds, all in the state Capitol’s third-floor hallway.

The first part of Westboro’s proposed message, according to Spokesman-Review reporter Rich Roesler:

“You’d better watch out, get ready to cry, You’d better go hide, I’m telling you why ‘cuz Santa Claus will take you to hell. He is your favorite idol, you worship at his feet, but when you stand before your God He won’t help you take the heat. So get this fact straight: you’re feeling God’s hate, Santa’s to blame for the economy’s fate, Santa Claus will take you to hell.”

Westboro Baptist, led by Fred Phelps Sr., has protested at funerals for gays and at military funerals, blaming the nation’s tolerance for gays for the loss of U.S. military personnel in Iraq. The actions prompted the Washington Legislature to pass House Bill 1168 in 2007, making it a misdemeanor crime of disorderly conduct to disrupt a funeral or protest within 500 feet of a funeral or funeral procession.

[Hell Kitty]

Cool. I mean, hot.

Whatever.

[silverscreenselect]

This is the main reason I'm opposed to any display of religious symbols in a public place, be it the Nativity, the Ten Commandments or whatever.

I have no problem with seeing a Nativity scene in a local City Hall. However, that opens the door to every kook, fringe figure, and practical joker out there demanding equal time and place. Where do you draw the line?

[FlyingSpaghettiMonster]

Where do you draw the line?

I don't care, as long as I am on the proper side of said line.

[Oral B Roberts]

Where do you draw the line?

I don't care, as long as I am on the proper side of said line.

Brother Blagojevich isn't the only one who's going to be demanding very large checks......

[Carmelo Anthony]

Where do you draw the line?

I don't care, as long as I am on the proper side of said line.

Brother Blagojevich isn't the only one who's going to be demanding very large checks......

I'll happily send you a very large check if you pray for me to have about 50 more games like I had last night. That shouldn't be too much to ask for. It's not like I'm asking for a U.S. Senate seat.

[etaoin22]

Ah wonderful, old-fashion anti-Catholic prejudice (praying for the intercession of saints is idolatry) warmed up for a new age. May John Paul II in heaven arrange that a truckload of kielbasa lands on top of Pastor Phelps.

[lv42day]

Knowing no more about this than what was posted here, I think it more likely that the idolatry being referred to is the materialism that Santa Claus often symbolizes to people.

[NellyLunatic1980]

Ah... it's just not Christmas without either hearing "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" a few dozen times or seeing the Westboro kooks spreading some Christmas hate and hellmongering.

(Is "hellmongering" a real word? If not, then I've just created a new word.)

[etaoin22]

The Pope, to Phelps, is the Antichrist, or perhaps an Antichrist. And that's not the story of Johnny Rotten.