Merged Fred Phelps nearly dead/Is dead.

[catsmate]

I generally don't welcome anyone's death but if this is true the world becomes a slightly better place soon.

I’ve learned that my father, Fred Phelps, Sr., pastor of the “God Hates Fags” Westboro Baptist Church, was ex-communicated from the “church” back in August of 2013. He is now on the edge of death at Midland Hospice house in Topeka, Kansas.

(More.)

The family is (allegedly) blocking access for family members who've been "excommunicated" or otherwise escaped the cesspit of bigotry. There are also statements alleging Fred was himself "excommunicated".
(More.)

So, should his funeral be picketed?

 

[elbe]

I'd be more interested to know why, if true, he was excommunicated.

 

[Brian-M]

So, should his funeral be picketed?

Only if the picketing is organized by members of his own family.

 

[tsig]

I'd be more interested to know why, if true, he was excommunicated.

Maybe he finally came out of the closet.

Who would be able to ex-communicate him?

 

[Dissolution]

If he was excommunicated, then how is the church still in a position to block people's access to him?
Sounds like either extremely dubious behaviour or false reporting.

 

[Squeegee Beckenheim]

Maybe he finally came out of the closet.

Ex-churchmember Lauren Drain suggests he may be gay, although it's speculation based on very little.

 

[Tricky]

Nate Phelps, the son who wrote this article, is actually a member here, though he hasn't been active in years. Wolfman was principal in helping him step forward and express himself. I think the fact that Nathan doesn't want pickets at the funeral says a lot for him, considering the harm his father and the WBC have done to him.

But even though I very much like Nate, I'm waiting for confirmation by other sources.

Like Elbe, I'm wondering why he was excommunicated. Did he have a deathbed conversion to compassion? Also I wonder who is running the church now.

 

[Black Hole Box]

Good. I wish there were an afterlife so he could see how wrong he was.

 

[hgc]

Ex-churchmember Lauren Drain suggests he may be gay, although it's speculation based on very little.

I have assumed so. It always smelled like a case of self-loathing. What else could turn on such white-hot hatred?

 

[Checkmite]

I have assumed so. It always smelled like a case of self-loathing. What else could turn on such white-hot hatred?

I see this kind of assumption all the time; I've never agreed with it. There's all kinds of reasons behind hate. I'm sure white supremacists don't hate African Americans with murderous vigor because they're secretly black, for instance.

 

[Jrrarglblarg]

Nevermind

 

[Craig4]

I'll be disappointed if all he was was gay. I'd always figured him for some kind of sick "Silence of the Lambs" type stuff. If he was only a run of the mill homosexual it will be a let down.

 

[tsig]

I see this kind of assumption all the time; I've never agreed with it. There's all kinds of reasons behind hate. I'm sure white supremacists don't hate African Americans with murderous vigor because they're secretly black, for instance.

True because gayness shows itself in the skin. One look and you "know".

 

[tsig]

Nate Phelps, the son who wrote this article, is actually a member here, though he hasn't been active in years. Wolfman was principal in helping him step forward and express himself. I think the fact that Nathan doesn't want pickets at the funeral says a lot for him, considering the harm his father and the WBC have done to him.

But even though I very much like Nate, I'm waiting for confirmation by other sources.

Like Elbe, I'm wondering why he was excommunicated. Did he have a deathbed conversion to compassion? Also I wonder who is running the church now.

Over at the Friendly Atheist (my third favorite place on the net)

Those responsibilities have long been delegated to other members of the church, mostly to daughter Shirley Phelps-Roper.

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friend...tboro-baptist-church-is-on-the-edge-of-death/

 

[catsmate]

If he was excommunicated, then how is the church still in a position to block people's access to him?
Sounds like either extremely dubious behaviour or false reporting.

I wondered myself.

Maybe he finally came out of the closet.

Who would be able to ex-communicate him?

Nate Phelps, the son who wrote this article, is actually a member here, though he hasn't been active in years. Wolfman was principal in helping him step forward and express himself. I think the fact that Nathan doesn't want pickets at the funeral says a lot for him, considering the harm his father and the WBC have done to him.

But even though I very much like Nate, I'm waiting for confirmation by other sources.

Like Elbe, I'm wondering why he was excommunicated. Did he have a deathbed conversion to compassion? Also I wonder who is running the church now.

I *believe* a daughter of Phelps' (Shirley) is in charge.
There's been a lot of speculation about his sexual orientation, but no evidence.

 

[halleyscomet]

I'll be disappointed if all he was was gay. I'd always figured him for some kind of sick "Silence of the Lambs" type stuff. If he was only a run of the mill homosexual it will be a let down.

Look up "Addicted to Hate." It's a compendium of research into the Phelps family. It's a disturbing read.

 

[angrysoba]

I see this kind of assumption all the time; I've never agreed with it. There's all kinds of reasons behind hate. I'm sure white supremacists don't hate African Americans with murderous vigor because they're secretly black, for instance.

Indeed, and it seems to suggest that only homosexuals can be that mean to other homosexuals, and that straight people have no history of such vindictive hatred.

I think that some people are just plain nasty.

 

[Gord_in_Toronto]

I wonder if a rumour will start about a Death Bed confession he makes to an atheist nurse as she hold his hand at his passing? "I'm so sorry I was so wrong. I now see that God loves Fags . . . arg . . . gasp . . .gasp . . . . ."

 

[Ranb]

Is it too much to hope for that the Westboro Baptist Church might disappear or somehow reform to a less hateful organization with the death of Fred Phelps? Or did he indoctrinate his children too well for this to happen?

Ranb

 

[catsmate]

Is it too much to hope for that the Westboro Baptist Church might disappear or somehow reform to a less hateful organization with the death of Fred Phelps? Or did he indoctrinate his children too well for this to happen?

Ranb

Probably. The sane ones have left (several are active in LGBT rights campaigns), those that are left are just as committed to the hate and the money as Phelps senior. It's unlikely that he's been really active in the church for years.