In Provo recently, somebody hacked into one of those portable road signs -- you know, the ones you see around construction zones that flash traffic advisories. The new message? "God Hates Gays"
Someone posted a video of it on
YouTube. You saw the story on
ABC 4 News.My take? The message is stupid. Repulsive. It is a gross perversion of religion to say God hates any of His children.
My faith says He loves us all. Sure, He has given us rules to live by. Ten of them come immediately to mind. It's not that God wants to make us miserable, it's just that He knows those rules are the only way to lasting happiness. God wants what's best for us because he loves us. All of us. That's what I believe and that's why I hate the message of hate.
But enough of the Gospel according to Brent.
Here's the other reason I'm perturbed. An article in "The Raw Story"
(click here to see it) exclaims the hacked electronic sign was "near Brigham Young University ... the sign was located on University Ave., which runs through Brigham Young University’s campus."
The casual reader would think the sign was on BYU's very doorstep.
Guilt by proximity.
Two problems:
1) University Avenue doesn't "run through" campus.
The sign isn't even on the same side of town. Look closely at the beginning of the YouTube video. See another sign in the upper right corner for the "Provo Towne Center?" That's a mall. Despite its name, the mall is not near the "center" of Provo or BYU. It's on the extreme south end of University Avenue near I-15.
2) "Guilt by proximity" is a bizarre bit of illogic.
Why? Well, let's see... The offensive road sign was actually just around the corner from Novell. Applying "guilt by proximity," perhaps that fine company and its employees should be held responsible? Or how about golfers? It was also very close to the East Bay Golf Course. Certainly we should at least condemn all mall shoppers.
That someone hacked into an electronic sign to play such a hateful prank is bad.
To imply that BYU or its ownership is responsible is silly.
