Anti-gay church vows to take control of Microsoft [Archive]

Kilgore Trout

18th November 2007, 11:22 AM

An evangelical Christian pastor has vowed to take over Microsoft, one of the world's largest companies by packing it with shareholders who will vote against their policy of advocating gay rights.

Article here (http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/view.php?id=6084), and another here (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/11/16/wmicro116.xml).

"I consider myself a warrior for Christ. Microsoft don't scare me. I got God with me."

He doesn't, however, got grammar with him.

Somehow, I don't think he's thought his cunning plan through.

ravdin

18th November 2007, 11:30 AM

Seems to me that if they can accumulate enough shareholders, they have as much right as anyone else to have a voice in the company's direction.

Terry

18th November 2007, 11:35 AM

So if enough people vote for discrimination, its okay?

Complexity

18th November 2007, 12:06 PM

Silly xians.

Shenanigans

18th November 2007, 12:09 PM

They really don't have more important things to focus on? ...really?

Cleon

18th November 2007, 12:13 PM

Slimething

18th November 2007, 12:16 PM

I wish Colbert had been the reporter. He prolly would have asked this nitwit if he would drop his plans once all gays had to ride in the back of the bus. I refuse to believe this guy is as stupid as he's acting. He must be doing this for the free publicity.

Learning Phase

18th November 2007, 03:03 PM

Methinks he may not understand how many shares he'd have to get his whackjob people to buy, and for how much.

Or maybe he's well aware, but is just the usual con artist.

wahrheit

18th November 2007, 03:13 PM

Tutu chides Church for gay stance (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7100295.stm)

"If God, as they say, is homophobic, I wouldn't worship that God."

Hm, they seem to interpret god quite differently, but in their case, shouldn't it be the same god?

Complexity

18th November 2007, 03:21 PM

It is amusing to think of how they'd change Microsoft products if they succeeded in the coup, however.

Sick, but amusing. I'm only laughing because I don't think they have a chance of succeeding.

AgeGap

18th November 2007, 03:42 PM

http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/181324740cdb2796ca.bmp (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=9290)

Jekyll

18th November 2007, 04:14 PM

It is amusing to think of how they'd change Microsoft products if they succeeded in the coup, however.

Sick, but amusing. I'm only laughing because I don't think they have a chance of succeeding.

Don't worry Satanic Ubuntu will save you!
http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/thum_47514740d567da7b9.png (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=9291)http://ubuntusatanic.org/screenshots.php

Robin

18th November 2007, 04:39 PM

"Microsoft stepped out of their four walls into my world so that gives me the right to step out of my world into their world," he said.
This is so evocative of the bizarre right-wing religious mind set.

Microsoft refuses to treat their own employees in ways that he thinks they should, so they have somehow stepped into his world.

Similarly many right-wing religious groups in Australia are suggesting that if the Government would be discriminating against Christians by refusing to discriminate against gays.

What hope does sense and rationality have against such nonsense?

Robin

18th November 2007, 04:56 PM

Methinks he may not understand how many shares he'd have to get his whackjob people to buy, and for how much.

Or maybe he's well aware, but is just the usual con artist.

He would have to convince about 11% of Americans to spend about $5,000 on shares each. So are about 11% of Americans radically right-wing religious types who are prepared to put their money where their mouth is?

If sufficient current shareholders were prepared to support them then the job could be done with smaller numbers than this.

Given that they could make a return on this investment as long as they don't try to change too much, it does not seem out of the question that a campaign of this sort would succeed as long as it was organised well enough.

Hokulele

18th November 2007, 06:44 PM

He would have to convince about 11% of Americans to spend about $5,000 on shares each. So are about 11% of Americans radically right-wing religious types who are prepared to put their money where their mouth is?

If sufficient current shareholders were prepared to support them then the job could be done with smaller numbers than this.

Given that they could make a return on this investment as long as they don't try to change too much, it does not seem out of the question that a campaign of this sort would succeed as long as it was organised well enough.

Wouldn't they have to coordinate the purchase or risk driving the stock price up before they can get enough shares to be effective? Would the SEC have any interest in this? I wish I knew more about publically held companies.

Gord_in_Toronto

18th November 2007, 07:20 PM

Wouldn't they have to coordinate the purchase or risk driving the stock price up before they can get enough shares to be effective? Would the SEC have any interest in this? I wish I knew more about publically held companies.

I can visualize a huge bidding war as the left wing (in the US sense) bands together to attend to stop the Xians getting control.

The only person who would win would be Billy G. As always. :sigh:

DoubtingStephen

18th November 2007, 07:48 PM

So this gentle and loving preacher, who lives to spread the good news of God's raging homophobia, thinks Microsoft is not evil enough?

Robin

18th November 2007, 08:35 PM

Wouldn't they have to coordinate the purchase or risk driving the stock price up before they can get enough shares to be effective? Would the SEC have any interest in this? I wish I knew more about publically held companies.
I guess you are right. I suppose the good Pastor would have his bundle first and then sell as the price went up.

You would probably get a huge sell off as Christians suddenly realise they value radix malorum over strict adherence to Leviticus.

m_huber

19th November 2007, 05:48 AM

25% of Washington is Atheist. Another 20% is Catholic. 6% is Baptist. He is upset because Microsoft is trying to impose its "sinful ways" on others by becoming a political player in Washington State.

"I am a black man with a righteous cause with a whole host of powerful white people behind me."

Growing up in Mississippi, where I was lectured all of my life not to be racist, this hurts.

Ladewig

19th November 2007, 06:17 AM

They really don't have more important things to focus on? ...really?

Exactly. A few dozen gays have lunch together in the company cafeteria and that becomes a more important issue than people starving, human rights abuses, or racial discrimination. What an a-hole.

Tracer Bullet

19th November 2007, 06:42 AM

Microsoft? If this guy was smart he'd be targeting Google.

Beerina

19th November 2007, 08:21 AM

Silly xians.

...and Yahweh, too. The Bible is quite clear: Kill da gays.

Even if an apologist pulls out the new/old covenant trump card, there was still a time in the past when it was "the right thing to do".

Robin

19th November 2007, 01:03 PM

...and Yahweh, too. The Bible is quite clear: Kill da gays.

Even if an apologist pulls out the new/old covenant trump card, there was still a time in the past when it was "the right thing to do".
And kill da unbelievers and the children of the unbelievers (but keep the little girls for yourself) and kill your own children if they are disobedient.

And Jesus said that no letter, nor even the smallest part of a letter would pass away from this law.

So the good pastor will have quite a lot of work in front of him once he takes control of Microsoft. I mean he wouldn't disobey Jesus would he?

m_huber

19th November 2007, 03:24 PM

And kill da unbelievers and the children of the unbelievers (but keep the little girls for yourself) and kill your own children if they are disobedient.

And Jesus said that no letter, nor even the smallest part of a letter would pass away from this law.

So the good pastor will have quite a lot of work in front of him once he takes control of Microsoft. I mean he wouldn't disobey Jesus would he?

Really, though, it's no problem. They get Microsoft out of the deal. They could make Halo 4, and instead of guns have religious emblems and scripture verses, instead of aliens have gays and pagans and Nancy Pelosi, and if you beat the game, you get to go a-rapin! (in Heaven)

Tsukasa Buddha

19th November 2007, 03:39 PM

That would give everyone just another reason to despise Microsoft.

Paul C. Anagnostopoulos

19th November 2007, 04:21 PM

Wouldn't they have to coordinate the purchase or risk driving the stock price up before they can get enough shares to be effective? Would the SEC have any interest in this? I wish I knew more about publically held companies.
It's a hostile takeover. In order to do it in one fell swoop, to avoid the problem you mention, they would have to offer an attractive price to existing shareholders and acquire 50.1% of the stock all at once. Either that, or they would have to convince the existing shareholders to replace the Board of Directors with sympathetic homophobes. They would also have to deal with Microsoft's huge pile of cash and any resulting incentives it could give to shareholders.

~~ Paul

Kopji

19th November 2007, 06:13 PM

http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/10614742422797dd0.jpg

"I told them that you need to work with me or we will put a fire-storm on you like you have never seen in you life because I am your worst nightmare. I am a black man with a righteous cause with a whole host of powerful white people behind me."

Meh, same as it ever was.

Temporal Renegade

20th November 2007, 01:32 PM

What, no one's mentioned anything about a 'Screen-Saviour' yet? :D

Darth Rotor

20th November 2007, 01:57 PM

I'm conflicted.

On the one hand, I'd hate to see these anti-gay nutjobs get their way.

On the other hand, watching Microsoft get destroyed because it's been bought up by religious whackos who have no idea how to run a software company would put warm and fuzzy feelings in the cockles of my heart.
Why do you presume that being Christian necessarily means an inability to run a large company, be it software or otherwise?

DR

Tanstaafl

20th November 2007, 02:15 PM

I very much doubt that this particular nutcase could run a company.

wahrheit

20th November 2007, 02:24 PM

I very much doubt that this particular nutcase could run a company.

I thought he is already running a company. :eusa_shhh:

Darth Rotor

20th November 2007, 02:29 PM

I very much doubt that this particular nutcase could run a company.

I'd bet with you on that one, but that "whole host of powerful white people behind"might have a few sharp enough cookies to pull it off.

Or not. Not enough information.

DR

Kopji

20th November 2007, 10:53 PM

Their view of corporate America is so naively simplistic it is laughable.

Upon taking over they would be presiding over massive financial losses as Microsoft's best human talent headed for other companies eagerly welcoming them.

Or maybe they think the difference would be made up from out of work Mormon Novell engineers?

Slimething

20th November 2007, 10:56 PM

I don't think Microsoft has anything to worry about. The "smart money" certainly has nothing to do with this church.

Mobyseven

21st November 2007, 12:06 AM

Why do you presume that being Christian necessarily means an inability to run a large company, be it software or otherwise?

DR

Who said that being Christian necessarily means an inability to run a large company? Unless all Christians are as moronic as the guy in the article, which I highly doubt seeing as how there are a smattering of Christians on these forums who are certainly not morons.

erlando

21st November 2007, 01:38 AM

Mr Hutcherson, who grew up in segregated Alabama and played football to "hurt whites" before he became a Christian, believes homosexuality is a sin rather than a biological phenomenon.

Oh yes, a born-again Christian.. The worst kind..

This whole idea is laughable. Why is it these people are so self-delusional that they think they can pull something like this off? Oh that's right, they have their imaginary friend in the sky on their side... :rolleyes:

Cleon

21st November 2007, 03:11 AM

Why do you presume that being Christian necessarily means an inability to run a large company, be it software or otherwise?

I didn't say that it did.

But in this case:

A) The guy's a preacher and a former football player. Not a technical type.

B) the guy obviously has no idea how corporate America works, or he'd know just how laughably impossible this really is. Which means that he wouldn't know how to run any company, much less a software company.

Ian Osborne

21st November 2007, 03:48 AM

Why do you presume that being Christian necessarily means an inability to run a large company, be it software or otherwise?

It's not that being a Christian makes you unable to run a company, rather, that it offers no advantage in so doing. This guy wants to take over Microsoft to pursue a religious agenda. As he's no previous experience running a massive, multinational company, I think it's fairly safe to say he's unlikely to do a decent job of it.

It's not that he'd fail because he's a Christian. Rather, his Christianity seems to be the only thing he's bringing to the table, and he expects to succeed because he's a Christian. Sounds like a recipe for failure to me...

ponderingturtle

21st November 2007, 07:01 AM

Why do you presume that being Christian necessarily means an inability to run a large company, be it software or otherwise?

DR

As the stated desire is to force company policy to meet ideology and not necessarily what is best for the company, that would seem to be a mark against these individuals to start with.

ruckenheim

21st November 2007, 10:07 AM

They are shapeshifters. They don't need microsoft. It's a distraction.

INRM

21st November 2007, 10:42 AM

DoubtingStephen

21st November 2007, 11:34 AM

grayman

21st November 2007, 12:55 PM

Wouldn't it be funny if "Reverend" Ken Hutchinson was gay or something?

Experience has taught me that the people are that outspoken about homosexuality usually are homosexuals themselves. Look at the Mayor of Spokane, Rev. Ted Haggard, and all the others...

INRM

The Reverend Ken Hutcherson, a former Dallas Cowboys...

So he used to have a career in a sport where they pat each other on the butt a lot and take showers together after the game?

...the self proclaimed head of the Antioch Bible Church..

Ever notice how many of these "leaders" are self-appointed?

Achán hiNidráne

21st November 2007, 12:58 PM

Tanstaafl

21st November 2007, 01:03 PM

So I notice that the current market cap of MSFT is a little over 320 billion dollars.

How many times will he need to pass the collection plate to reach 161 billion? I'm thinking his math skills might be a little weak.

Robin

21st November 2007, 01:34 PM

I don't think the good pastor cares if his actions would stuff up Microsoft. Essentially he is attempting to bully MS with the threat that he could do it.

Tanstaafl

21st November 2007, 01:52 PM

Perhaps so, but that's almost as delusional.

Nick73

22nd November 2007, 01:43 PM

Just to go back to the money side of things. If...bear with me, if the church could muster enough money to take over microsoft, say a couple a hundred billion doallars (or whatever). Is the best use of that money they can come up with is to wage a war against homosexuals using an operating system as their weapon of choice!

But really, I would hope that a caring organisation could come up with a better use of that much money right....right?

fuelair

22nd November 2007, 05:16 PM

http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/181324740cdb2796ca.bmp (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=9290)

?:D

Lonewulf

22nd November 2007, 08:51 PM

If these guys took over microsoft, I'd resort to using Linux, or Mac OS.

Vic Vega

22nd November 2007, 09:11 PM

I'm sure Bill Gates is shaking in his shoes. :rolleyes:

This nonsense doesn't have a chance in hell of succeeding... This is all you need to know, right here:

"The Reverend Ken Hutcherson, a former Dallas Cowboys player "

<insert green, gagging and vomiting smile here>

Davidlpf

22nd November 2007, 09:44 PM

AgeGap

24th November 2007, 04:14 AM

?:D
Thanks fuelair but I feel totally PWN'd by the excellent Satanic Ubuntu.(Posted by Jekyll.)
But really, I would hope that a caring organisation could come up with a better use of that much money right....right?
Caring?