Fred Phelps Is Dead

[The Skeletal Atheist]

http://ksn.com/2014/03party/founder-of-westboro-baptist-church-rev-fred-phelps-sr-dies/

So will here wants to party?

As per my reflections on this man, here's what I posted on Facebook:

According to his estranged son, Nate Phelps, Fred Phelps is on his deathbed. The spokesperson for the WBC (the "God Hates Fags" people) only said that Fred Phelps is having serious health problems.

While I will rejoice in a great beacon of hate being snuffed out, I must reflect on the passing on one of the greatest allies the LGBT rights movement has ever had. Yes, he was an ally even though he didn't want to be.

Fred and his batshit insane church showed the people of this country and people in many other countries the sheer face of hatred. It was through his disgusting antics that many learned how vile hatred could make a person. While the LGBT movement has campaigned for equality, tolerance, and love Fred was busy spreading a message of doom, hatred, cruelty, and intolerance. Faced with these two options many choose raise the banner of equality rather corrupt themselves with unabashed hatred. Even other homophobic pastors choose to distance themselves rather than be associated with such a vile, contemptible man. Christians who were on the fence about the matter were shocked at the contradiction between this man's actions and the words of Jesus.

Thank you, Fred Phelps, for being a great unwilling ally. May you rot in peace and may your church live on to be a continuing reminder of the nature of hate. 

[Plu]

Let's hope the church goes down with him.  As much as he might've helped the global cause, he brought immense suffering to the local people and I'd be glad if that's going to be over now.

[The Skeletal Atheist]

That "may your church live on thing" was more snarky than serious. I hope his church dies soon.

[Gerard]

That "may your church live on thing" was more snarky than serious. I hope his church dies soon.

Let's also hope that this dysfunctional family (aka his church, because his "church" is nothing more than that) will find some normality.

Gerard

[stromboli]

COOL! Even cooler, the Church of Satan has vowed to turn Phelps gay in the afterlife
(apologies if this was posted previously)



http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20140318/LIVING09/140318021/Satanist-group-vows-turn-Westboro-leader-Fred-Phelps-gay-afterlife-


The same group of Satanists who held an erotic ceremony to turn Fred Phelps’ mother gay after her death has promised to do the same for the Westboro Baptist Church leader, who is on his deathbed.
In July, members of the New York-based Satanic Temple, an organization with a goal of supporting “freedom and the pursuit of happiness for all people,” took a stance against the Westboro Baptist Church by making its own visit to Mississippi.
The temple performed a “Pink Mass” ceremony at the Meridian grave of Phelps’ mother, Catherine Johnston, to turn her “gay forever.”

Lucien Greaves, spokesperson for the Satanic Temple, told VICE that at the time of the Pink Mass” on Phelps mother’s grave, he promised the Westboro congregation that he would soon preside over Phelps’ own Pink Mass.

“As I have made a promise to a dying man, I fully intend to do my very best to see it through, and the pomp and circumstance of this Pink Mass will surely far, far exceed that of the original event in Meridian, Mississippi,” he said.

“As I write this, Fred Phelps is now in the process of doing probably the one thing that he’ll ever do for which he will have my gratitude: He is dying,” Greaves said.

In addition, the church Fred Phelps spent much of his life building will not hold a funeral for him.

The Mississippi-born leader of the controversial Westboro Baptist Church was also ex-communicated from the church last year, allegedly after advocating a “kinder approach” with church members, according to the Huffington Post.

Phelps, 84, is at Midland Hospice House in Topeka, Kan., according to a Facebook post by his estranged son, Nate Phelps.

Fred Phelps founded Westboro Baptist Church, which has become famous for picketing the funerals of fallen soldiers and celebrities with signs that elicit outrage from many. His teachings blame homosexuality for tragedy in the world, saying God is punishing mankind for its sin.


The lols are endless. 

[The Skeletal Atheist]

I read about that. It's made of lulz.

[stromboli]

Yeah. Even cooler if a bunch of people picket the funeral.

[Jason78]

BBC News Article

And not a single tear was shed.

[stromboli]

Not true. I'm laughing so hard I have tears in my eyes.

[Atheon]

I have to pee. Where's his grave?

[AllPurposeAtheist]

Yeah, I kinda doubt you'll see Obama give a speech praising "this great man" encouraging people to pray for him.

[Minimalist]

The IQ level of the planet just ticked up a miniscule fraction.

[Poison Tree]

I've seen a couple of facebook friend's sharing a quote, supposedly from George Takei, to the affect that they will not be happy about anyone's death and feel sorry for his family. I find my self leaning more towards Christopher Hitches' quotes on the death of Jerry Falwell; I can't find the exact quote, but the thrust of it was "it's too bad the hell he preaches isn't waiting for him"--though I don't actually think Phelps, or anyone for that matter, could possibly deserve hell--and "if you gave him an enema you could bury him in a matchbox."

[The Skeletal Atheist]

I react with joy to the death of evil people. If you don't want a large amount of people feeling euphoria upon your death, then don't be a total asshole for a large portion of your life. You either reform or you die a bitter prick, that's what those who say "I don't celebrate the death of my enemies" seem to forget. He and his family spent their time hurling misery upon others, and I suspect his church will continue his hateful legacy.

They deserve no sympathy, only scorn and condemnation. I say the same of dictators, unrepentant murderers, women beaters, racists, and all those who do unnecessary harm upon others. We should, of course, hope for reform, but there are some people who won't reform. In the case of Fred that was his right to not reform, but that doesn't mean I won't rejoice upon his death. He died with his hated, and he got the legacy he deserves.

With vile people like him I can only hope for reform or death. He didn't reform, so I'm glad he died.

I do realize the irony that what I'm saying mirrors what some theists say about us "sinners". That being said, I feel comfortable that I base my ethics off of reason, logic, the social contract, and the golden rule rather than what some antiquated book tells me. If I hate something I hate it because it's actually harmful, not because some ancient people found it abhorrent.

[AllPurposeAtheist]

The truth is GOD took the plane right from Malaysia for the express purpose of escorting Fred straight to hell, err, his heavenly afterlife.