Thread: The Phelps sisters. Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.


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Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
I guess this counts as official business...

We have been spending years-- literally--- discussing the Phelps clan, in a dedicated Hell thread, and for some reason this latest news about two Phelps sisters bravely and publicly divorcing the church really moves me. Enough to want to make a gesture. And given the communal nature of our interest in them, I further thought that the gesture would extra cool if it were corporate.

I think it would be great to sent them a couple mugs. No kidding, I mean it. Think we can make it happen?

(My choice would be the Heaven mugs, as their family keeps sneering that they are going to Hell.)
 

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Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :
 
Good idea! I think this news is extraordinary, and they are incredibly brave for making this move. I hope they can find a new life.
 

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Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
Works for me. Chocolate would be rather cool too, esp. Green and Blacks.
 

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Posted by Horatio Harumph (# 10855) on :
 
That'd be awesome! Great idea.

Any ideas on how we make it happen? Not sure finding them will be overly easy, will it, although they are obviously communicating etc.
 

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Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
I had one idea, but would rather not share it here, as I want to head off the possibility of overenthusiastic expression of encouragement.

I guess all I really wanted to know was if it would be OK with everyone. If so, I of course would not do a thing without Simon's OK.
 

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Posted by Nicolemr (# 28) on :
 
I think it's a cool idea!
 

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Posted by Siegfried (# 29) on :
 
Absolutely!
 

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Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
Great idea!

One caveat, though:

Don't make a fuss about it beyond this one Styx thread. No publicity. No putting it on the article page. The girls have gone through enough.

Not that I *expect* that we'd do those things...but, sometimes, people-in-general get enthusiastic, and don't think about fallout.
 

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Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Oh, God, of course not!
 

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Posted by PeteC (# 10422) on :
 
Have you considered that the sisters might just go "Eh?" and dump them in the unwanted mail bin?

I know that most people blink hard when they see my collection. Although my housekeeper snags the Hell mug for herself when she is working...
 

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Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
Quite true, Pete.

Also, are we expecting them to join the Ship? And would having the mugs out them, if a Ship visitor happens to know a couple of mysterious sisters who suddenly have Ship mugs???

That may be way overblown. But I'm a "think first" person. IME, saves a lot of trouble.

YMMV.
 

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Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Which was why I started the thread first.
 

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Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
Kelly--

And yes, it was great for you to start it.


I'm just putting my two cents in, 'cause I've seen many well-meant ideas go very, very wrong, both in real life and online.

FWIW.
 

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Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Golden Key:

I'm just putting my two cents in,

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Again, purpose of the thread.


I dunno, I see you're point. I was just overcome with the moment, and-- well, we have been "covering" this family for a while, if you read me-- and not just to gripe about the, there has been much concern for and prayer expressed for the family on that angry little thread and its predecessors. I was just grasping for a way to synthesize that.

Perhaps a SOF front page article about our Phelps watch threads would be more appropriate, if anything at all.

[ETA: I do appreciate the phrase "well-meant", though. )

[ 08. February 2013, 04:41: Message edited by: Kelly Alves ]
 

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Posted by Gill H (# 68) on :
 
I love the idea of an article, perhaps with a photo of some hands raising 'Heaven' mugs to them?
 

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Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
From what I've read (mainly from 'Twitter' links) they've chosen the quiet route, at least at first, while they acclimatise. If the Ship does anything - and it's a lovely sentiment - it must be done with their consent and in a way which will not cause them any problems.

If sending, eg. mugs, an enclosed letter to explain that they are much admired for their actions, and wished well for the future, would help avoid misunderstandings.

However, if I'd left an extreme organisation, I'd probably feel rather nervous if a large, bulky, unexpected parcel suddenly arrived in the post....
 

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Posted by passer (# 13329) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Gill H:
I love the idea of an article, perhaps with a photo of some hands raising 'Heaven' mugs to them?

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Something of that ilk is an idea. Something supportive and positive but not intrusive. They're articulate and media-canny in the extreme, and will undoubtedly be following their own news on the internet, so something that attracts search-engine attention.
 

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Posted by Robert Armin (# 182) on :
 
I'm all in favour of doing something to encourage them. What exactly we do, I'm happy to leave to those with functioning brains.
 

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Posted by Hawk (# 14289) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Chorister:
From what I've read (mainly from 'Twitter' links) they've chosen the quiet route, at least at first, while they acclimatise. If the Ship does anything - and it's a lovely sentiment - it must be done with their consent and in a way which will not cause them any problems.

If sending, eg. mugs, an enclosed letter to explain that they are much admired for their actions, and wished well for the future, would help avoid misunderstandings.

However, if I'd left an extreme organisation, I'd probably feel rather nervous if a large, bulky, unexpected parcel suddenly arrived in the post....

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quote:

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Originally posted by Chorister:
From what I've read (mainly from 'Twitter' links) they've chosen the quiet route, at least at first, while they acclimatise. If the Ship does anything - and it's a lovely sentiment - it must be done with their consent and in a way which will not cause them any problems.

If sending, eg. mugs, an enclosed letter to explain that they are much admired for their actions, and wished well for the future, would help avoid misunderstandings.

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Completely agree. Keep it discreet and private - to be honest, I wouldn't send mugs, I'd just send a letter and not an official one. Sending branded merchandise could look like a promotional gimmick if not carefully handled.

I also wouldn't flag up the Phelps's threads. Whatever we may think, these people are the girls' family, and although the girls do know what the world thinks, they don't need to have their attention drawn to the Ship's excoriation of their relatives. They need time to adjust and settle into what must be a bewildering new world.
 

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Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
I'm with Ariel there.


 

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Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :
 
With Ariel - no plugging or pushing. This is not about us, it is about a little gift to them to say "well done - you have supporters here". It is for them, to offer them a message of support, at a very difficult time for them.

Chocolate might be a better idea. But contacting the church they are at (as someone suggested) to see what they would most appreciate might be a good idea.

We must remember it is not "Aren't we wonderful, doing something for these people". It is "These people have made a brave decision, and we support them for it".
 

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Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Chorister:
From what I've read (mainly from 'Twitter' links) they've chosen the quiet route, at least at first, while they acclimatize. If the Ship does anything - and it's a lovely sentiment - it must be done with their consent and in a way which will not cause them any problems.

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Good to know, and absolutely agreed.

I dunno, I am feeling kinda sheepish about my gooshiness at the moment, but maybe once I get a couple pressing school essays out of the way, I can bestir my self to write something (y'all keep talking about the front page, anyway. )

Like I said, the provocative thing for me was the fact that we have been so deeply involved in discussing the issue,and that prayers for the family seems to have always figured into it along the line. I like the hands raising image, and perhaps if I do manage to find the words simply printing it out and sending a note would be best.
 

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Posted by lilBuddha (# 14333) on :
 
CHOCOLATE!
Untraceable and it is the ultimate gift.
Seriously cool of you to think of offering support, KA.
 

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Posted by St. Gwladys (# 14504) on :
 
It's a lovely idea to send a gift, but I think I agree that sending a letter would be better - admiring their courage and offering our prayers as a praying community.
 

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Posted by QLib (# 43) on :
 
My vote (if this were a democracy) would be a letter and a gift, but happy either way. Good job, KellyA.
 

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Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
I'm with Ariel there.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Doublethink:

quote:

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Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
I'm with Ariel there.

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Me three. This is probably a fairly devastating time for them - more a time of grief than celebration perhaps, or a grim triumph of determination at any rate. I'd go with a supportive letter with the assurance of upholding in prayer.

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quote:

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Originally posted by PeteC:
Or a thread in AS with a good supportive OP to which all who feel inclined could add a prayer or a votive. This would be printed out (printer friendly version) and mailed to them a/s the church. The AS thread should have a 72 hour life.

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I like this idea. We could all add our messages of support.
 

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Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Sounds like a good idea. It's past my bedtime right now, but I can put together an OP in the morning...
 

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Posted by cheesymarzipan (# 9442) on :
 
any more movement on this? or did it get lost amid H&A madness?
 

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Posted by fletcher christian (# 13919) on :
 
I'd add my tuppenceworth; even if it's unwelcome - I think it's a really bad idea. The Phelps thread has some pretty vicious comments on it (not that I am in any way defending them) and the two girls have just left their family behind and are likely a little raw. Think for a moment about how you might feel, or how it might effect you to receive a letter and/or gift from a site that has mocked you and your family for years, and will in all likelihood continue to mock and ridicule your family members for a good few years to come. I might be very wrong, but it doesn't feel like the right thing to do, or a good thing to do.
 

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Posted by leo (# 1458) on :
 
Yes - I think i agree. They must have gone through a lot of trauma but it is still their family.
 

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Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
H&A day intervened enough for me to think it over, and I am going to agree. Mostly because any thing we would do would only direct the women to our Phelps threads--- which is a bad idea.

So, yeah, you are right, fletcher. I'm over it. We can rejoice and pray without fussing over them.

And I will seal the deal by closing this thread.

[ 19. February 2013, 04:11: Message edited by: Kelly Alves ]
 

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