Fred Phelps "on the edge of death"

[CapnAwesome]

I think Esquilax was interested in why Fred Phelps was excommunicated, not Nate Phelps. The article seems to suggest that Fred was excommunicated by the church last year.

Whops, I totally misread both Esquilax's and Stimbo's post. Sorry about that.

Maybe Fred Phelps had a moment of remorse and renounced all the hate he preached? More likely, it was internal politics. I agree, I'd like to know more about that story.

Who knows. I'm super interested as to why he was excommunicated as well. Maybe he did have a change of heart. Not everything in life is so clear cut and as angry and delusional as Fred Phelps was, nobody is all bad or all good. Did you know that he was a civil rights lawyer in his earlier years?

Civil rights cases

Phelps earned a law degree from Washburn University in 1964, and founded the Phelps Chartered law firm.[17] The first notable cases were related to civil rights. "I systematically brought down the Jim Crow laws of this town," he claims.[7] Phelps' daughter was quoted as saying, "We took on the Jim Crow establishment, and Kansas did not take that sitting down. They used to shoot our car windows out, screaming we were nigger lovers," and that the Phelps law firm made up one-third of the state's federal docket of civil rights cases.[18]

Phelps took cases on behalf of African-American clients alleging racial discrimination by school systems, and a predominantly black American Legion post which had been raided by police, alleging racially based police abuse.[19] Phelps' law firm obtained settlements for some clients.[20] Phelps also sued President Ronald Reagan over Reagan's appointment of a U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, alleging this violated separation of church and state. The case was dismissed by the U.S. district court.[20][21] Phelps' law firm, staffed by himself and family members also represented non-white Kansans in discrimination actions against Kansas City Power and Light, Southwestern Bell, and the Topeka City Attorney, and represented two female professors alleging discrimination in Kansas universities.[18]

In the 1980s, Phelps received awards from the Greater Kansas City Chapter of Blacks in Government and the Bonner Springs branch of the NAACP, for his work on behalf of black clients.[20]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Phelps...ghts_cases

[Bob Kelso]

Pastor Fred Phelps, founder of the loathsome Westboro Baptist Church and since kicked out, doesn't have much time left according to this Facebook posting by his estranged son Nate:

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.

I'm not sure how I feel about this. Terribly ironic that his devotion to his god ends this way. Destroyed by the monster he made.

I feel sad for all the hurt he's caused so many. I feel sad for those who will lose the grandfather and father they loved. And I'm bitterly angry that my family is blocking the family members who left from seeing him, and saying their good-byes.

So far there's been no mention on their site, blog or Twitter feed.

Though it would be churlish to take joy over the death of another, even one as hateful as Phelps Sr has been in life, as Hemant Mehta of the Foundation Beyond Belief wrote on the Friendly Atheist blog would it "make a larger statement to picket his eventual funeral or ignore it and turn the other cheek"?

I recently had this conversation with a coworker of mine, he was of the opinion that people should picket or otherwise harass Phelps' funeral while I'm of the opinion that if you detest his actions then one shouldn't stoop to his level. While the world would be demonstrably better without reprehensible slime like the WBC one shouldn't revel in their deaths or place yourself on their own, disgusting level.

[Tonus]

I feel sad for all the hurt he's caused so many. I feel sad for those who will lose the grandfather and father they loved. And I'm bitterly angry that my family is blocking the family members who left from seeing him, and saying their good-byes.

How does religion harm people? See above.

[Doubting Thomas]

The interesting part is that he was moved into a house under supervision so he wouldn't harm himself. Makes me wonder if Freddy is having some 11th hour remorse and suicidal thoughts because of all the pain he's caused people? Or maybe he's just become so batshit crazy that he doesn't know what he's doing any more and is likely to cause harm to himself? The second scenario wouldn't explain the church excommunicating him, though the first would. I, too, am very interested in what the details are and wish I knew the two stories Nate referred to.

As for picketing his funeral, I don't think people should, but you know it's going to happen. Big time. Regardless of whether or not the WBC itself does it.

[fr0d0]

http://boogerhook.wordpress.com/2014/03/...ralpicket/

(The author used to be a member here on AF)

[My imaginary friend is GOD]

How did I miss this post?

Sorry to hear that!

Hey, for me it's okay, I never knew the guy.

But my grandmother became suicidal and was institutionalized. She had to receive shock therapy and everything.

And I can't imagine that had a positive effect on my biological father, though it certainly doesn't justify the sadistic predatory tendencies he displayed in adulthood.

[kılıç_mehmet]

My condolances to the American people.

[DeistPaladin]

...Or maybe he's just become so batshit crazy that he doesn't know what he's doing any more and is likely to cause harm to himself? The second scenario wouldn't explain the church excommunicating him, though the first would. I, too, am very interested in what the details are and wish I knew the two stories Nate referred to.

Perhaps he's suffering from dementia brought on by old age and his "church" thought it to be demonic possession, just like how they treated mental illness back in the good old days of Christianity? And so, being possessed by demons, the "church" thought it best to send him away? Just wild speculation.

[Doubting Thomas]

If anything, Fred's death will be a boon for the Christian community, because he and his "church" were doing far more to turn people away from religion than anything we atheists could ever dream of doing. By spreading around the most vile form of intolerance in the name of Christianity, the WBC continued to stereotype fundamentalist Christians as a bunch of pissed-off, intolerant bigots. However, if the WBC continues the work he started, then they'll continue to be a thorn in the side of Christians all across the country.

I just wonder, though, how long the WBC will last. According to the article the WBC has no central leadership since Fred was in charge of everything, but I'm guessing that Shirley and her siblings will probably keep running things. Of course they may have been running things for a while seeing as how they kicked Fred out.

[downbeatplumb]

http://boogerhook.wordpress.com/2014/03/...ralpicket/

(The author used to be a member here on AF)

Ah yes Reverend Jeremiah...whatever happened to him?