Fred Phelps -- famous hate preacher -- dead

[Jingthing]

Well, it's news.

He was an old man.

An interesting, perhaps contrarian, take on his value to the American gay rights movement!

God hates FIGS indeed!

Maybe this is too much credit to give a marginal organization from Kansas that for years has functioned mostly as a cult composed of Phelps’ extended family. But as the gay rights movement has worked to define lesbian, gay, and bisexual Americans as people who want the same things as their heterosexual counterparts, including marriage and family stability, Fred Phelps and his followers gave organizers a perfect image to organize in opposition to. If Americans had to choose between getting comfortable with the idea of homosexuality or being seen as extreme, hateful, and rude, in increasing numbers, they seem to be choosing the former. Fred Phelps has caused many people enormous amounts of agony. But in doing so, he played a critical role in defining the choice between hatred and acceptance, and in accidentally expanding the tolerance of the very people he feared so much.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/act-four/wp/2014/03/18/why-fred-phelps-was-so-useful-to-the-gay-rights-movement/?hpid=z3

[PoorSucker]

Remotely connected.

Bible Belt leads the nation in consumption of gay porn

[isanbirder]

I like the quote, JT.

I often wonder how much GOOD the extreme homophobes like Fred Phelps do us. I suspect it is quite a bit. Anybody that extreme about anything would be liable to drive me in the opposite direction (in this case, of course, I'm there already).

[Scott]

Can we protest at his funeral? Maybe burn crosses, dress in drag? Hey maybe one of those old fashioned gay parades would be in order?

[Jingthing]

Can we protest at his funeral? Maybe burn crosses, dress in drag? Hey maybe one of those old fashioned gay parades would be in order?

I guess it would be legal, but PR-wise best to leave him alone ...

[Scott]

As we should......'Do onto others' and all that stuff.

I hope with his passing that some of his ideas will pass as well.

[isanbirder]

As we should......'Do onto others' and all that stuff.

I hope with his passing that some of his ideas will pass as well.

People like that don't have ideas....... just prejudices.

[Jingthing]

Send sympathy cards instead!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/fred-phelps-preached-hate-but-his-death-is-no-reason-to-celebrate/2014/03/20/0fd06408-b050-11e3-95e8-39bef8e9a48b_story.html

So, with Phelps’s passing, I suggest we bombard Westboro Baptist with sympathy cards and prayers. Or, as a friend of mine tells me, “Drive your enemies really crazy: Love them.” Okay, maybe not love, but at least not hate. Never hate.

[Ulysses G.]

Can we protest at his funeral? Maybe burn crosses, dress in drag? Hey maybe one of those old fashioned gay parades would be in order?

That would be one protest that I would be happy to join. I bet a lot of veterans would too.

[marcusd]

Can we protest at his funeral? Maybe burn crosses, dress in drag? Hey maybe one of those old fashioned gay parades would be in order?

I guess it would be legal, but PR-wise best to leave him alone ...

I am glad this hypocritical deadbeat moronic scoundrel who preached every bit of hate against the very religion he espoused to follow is DEAD... AND MAY HE SUFFER ETERNALLY

Marcusd. Via tapatalk

[JUDAS]

Can we protest at his funeral? Maybe burn crosses, dress in drag? Hey maybe one of those old fashioned gay parades would be in order?

That would be one protest that I would be happy to join. I bet a lot of veterans would too.

I certainly understand your sentiment but I honestly feel the vast majority of those he vilified, veterans and gays alike, would not wish to reduce themselves to his level.

[Jingthing]

It's a strange feeling for me on this forum to have the majority opinion.

[JUDAS]

It's a strange feeling for me on this forum to have the majority opinion.

Savor the moment JT, savor the moment

[sustento]

[OMGImInPattaya]

Deranged Jesus freak...lots more where he came from! This is one thing the Soviet Union got right...religious belief is a mental illness and needs to be treated as such.

[Scott]

As much as I would like to see action, personally, I couldn't participate in anything. Regardless of how vile his message was, he was a person and there are family who should be allowed to grieve. Even if he didn't allow others that right.

Why is his son estranged from him?

[Scott]

I read a little about ol' Fred and also son Nathan. Quite interesting. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Phelps

Fred had quite a fixation on anal sex. One has to wonder where that came from?

[Jingthing]

Bill Maher (outspoken atheist) on his Real Time show did a funny bit about this.

Something like ... just for this ONE TIME there is a God and Fred Phelps is welcomed personally into the pearly gates by ... HIM.

(Then a picture of a super hot barely clothed male model.)

Edited March 22, 2014 by Jingthing

[tominbkk]

Steal his body, dress him up ala "Weekend at Bernies", take him to Fire Island and take pics of him in all kinds of compromising situations and positions. Then leave his rotting corpse on the beach for the seagulls to pick at.

[Scott]

Or we could just quietly let them bury him and hope that many of his misguided beliefs and actions go with him.

[tominbkk]

Or we could just quietly let them bury him and hope that many of his misguided beliefs and actions go with him.

I'm sure at least a few of his 54 grandchildren will be happy to carry on the "God Hates Fags" campaign.

Edited March 23, 2014 by tominbkk

[Fookhaht]

It almost gives him too much honor to open a thread to dishonor this infamous religious charlatan.

[Jingthing]

It almost gives him too much honor to open a thread to dishonor this infamous religious charlatan.

Yeah, well, Rachel Maddow refuses to say his name, but makes similar points to the article in the OP:

http://www.advocate.com/politics/media/2014/03/23/rachel-maddow-explains-counter-intuitive-legacy-westboro

[Morch]

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xtfgxo_the-most-hated-family-in-america_shortfilms

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xzud7j_louis-theroux-america-s-most-hated-family-in-crisis_shortfilms

[Jingthing]

The "church" lives.

[onthemoon]

The "church" lives.

Looks like the "church" is getting smaller.

From when is this report?

Edited April 19, 2014 by Scott

[Jingthing]

A few days ago. I doubt that was the entire membership. Western Massachusetts isn't their usual territory.

[onthemoon]

A few days ago. I doubt that was the entire membership. Western Massachusetts isn't their usual territory.

Alright.

[Scott]

This might be of some interest:

US: ‘God Hates Fags’ pastor’s granddaughter poses for NOH8 gay rights campaign

Libby Phelps – the granddaughter of Westboro Baptist Church founder Fred Phelps – has posed for the NOH8 campaign.

Phelps left the notoriously anti-gay church in 2009, and earlier this year gave an interview condemning it.

She said: “They think that they are the only ones who are going to heaven and if you don’t go to that church you’re going to hell.

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2014/06/11/us-god-hates-fags-pastors-granddaughter-poses-for-noh8-anti-homophobia-campaign/