Who Will Protest Phelp’s Funeral? No One Is That Sick

Fred Phelps, 84, the infamous patriarch of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas (known for their message “God hates fags”) is in hospice, on the “edge of death”, according to a Facebook post by his son.

Nathan Phelps left the group in 1980, and expressed his sadness for the harm his father has caused others. Especially his main targets, gays and lesbians. Their signs – typically saying something along the lines of ‘God Hates Fags’ – blamed society’s acceptance of homosexuality for natural disasters and other terrible events.

They gained national attention when they began protesting the funerals of US military members, holding up signs saying things like “Thank God for Dead Soldiers,” and “God Loves IEDs,” among other hateful slogans.

The Phelps’ also protested other things, like the funerals of victims of a bridge collapse in Minnesota. They also protested Steve Jobs’ funeral because he donated to the effort to stop the Mormon-funded Proposition 8 effort in California. And they were the group the Angels were blocking with their huge wings at Matt Shepards Funeral in Laramie, Wyoming.

Nathan, also expressed his anger with his family members for blocking anyone who is no longer with the church from seeing his father including Fred’s other sons, daughters, nieces, and nephews.

Most of the Phelps family are members of the WBC and it was reported in 2011 that the church had about 40 members. Here they are in their full splendor and glory in 2013: